The long-term future of the professional game in Scotland is set to be decided at a Scottish Rugby Union board meeting tonight.
As reported in tomorrow's Herald, there are two major issues are on the table:

whether it is sustainable to run three professional teams, and
the availability of suitable facilities.
Every indication is that board members are now aware of the need to give a clear indication on how they see the sport developing over a period of longer than 12 months.

For too long coaches, players and supporters have lived on a year-to-year basis, unsure of whether their team will be in existence for any longer.

In other words, if the Border Reivers are not to be disbanded, it is vital they be told that the SRU is prepared to subsidise them properly for a period of years.

How the board could justify that to themselves in light of the sustained apathy of locals towards the team is hard to imagine, but Frank Hadden, the Scotland coach, has long campaigned on the need to have a minimum of three professional teams.

However, the dynamic of that argument may have changed somewhat, with so many of Scotland's leading players set to be playing outside the country next season.

It may well be that, if a dozen or more front-line contenders for places in the national squad are in exile, as logistically awkward as that may be for the national team management, perhaps two domestic teams are sufficient to give developing talent the room to emerge.

The other major issue, as raised in The Herald on Saturday, is where the fast-improving Glasgow Warriors side will play its games.

As we reported, the SRU has been forced to look outside the city in its contingency planning because of the prospect of Hughenden being unavailable. Since planning permission has yet to be submitted for the west end ground, the hope must be that Hughenden will be available for at least one more season.

Ideally that would be two further seasons, thus allowing time for the proposed redevelopment of Scotstoun to be approved and completed.

The SRU last year withdrew from negotiations to be anchor tenant at the ground that is a key part of Glasgow's Commonwealth Games bid, but pride must be swallowed all round and local issues overcome, because it is surely the best solution.

Certainly there seems to be a growing understanding among politicians at both Scottish Executive and city council level that it is a national disgrace that neither the capital nor Scotland's biggest city has a municipal ground capable of hosting professional rugby.

In that regard, it is also vital that Glasgow Warriors supporters are given rapid reassurance that, if their team is to be moved to Stirling, Falkirk, Perth or anywhere else, it is for the shortest period possible.

While those cities could be better suited to playing host to the third team than Galashiels - it is only the 33rd largest town in Scotland - the SRU knows that, if it is to make professional rugby work, the key to success must lie in the population centres that are Edinburgh and Glasgow.

This article was posted on 21-Mar-2007, 22:56 by Hugh Barrow.