THE HERALD REPORTS

Why SRU’s third way can benefit everyone in rugbyKEVIN FERRIE, Chief Rugby Writer June 20 2007

Two Scottish sides will enter the Heineken European Cup draw for perhaps the last time tomorrow, unless a bid to establish a London-based team in the Magners League is successful.

It is only because of special dispensation that two Scottish teams are involved following the disbandment of the Border Reivers, since European Rugby Cup Ltd (ERC) rules dictate that no team can be guaranteed qualification for their main tournament.

In fairness, that can hardly have been said to have applied for Edinburgh and Glasgow this year because it was not until the very end of the season that it was confirmed that the Reivers were being broken up.

advertisementSRU negotiators within ERC placed substantial emphasis on the prospect of this being a one-off situation, with a third team likely to be set up in time for the 2008-09 campaign.

Various mooted proposals have ranged from aspirational to mischievous, but the London bid does seem to have some serious investors behind it with Sir William Purves, a former SRU committee member, believed to be among the prime movers.

Their case has not been helped by the customary hyperbolic talk about the dire consequences for the sport if the bid fails. Being generous, there may be a case to be made that professional rugby will implode if any of the few countries currently investing heavily in it are forced out.

However, the other home unions and France would be entitled to argue that they have managed to develop the pro game just fine this past decade with minimal contribution from Scotland, so what would be new?

Hope is growing that opposition from the RFU may not be so difficult to surmount


Hope is growing within the SRU that the biggest obstacle to the plan, opposition from England's RFU, may not be as difficult to surmount as thought, but it remains a long shot that if a London team is ever to be established it will be up and running ahead of next season.

There is some support within Twickenham for the project but also vehement opposition, while leading English clubs are viewing the project with little short of hostility. They would never admit it, but they are very aware that the Magners League produces more attractive rugby than their Premiership.

As things stand they are fortunate that the Anglocentric nature of broadcasting in these islands means they get the lion's share of television coverage and revenue. It is, then, inconceivable that they would readily go along with allowing what is currently marginalised as a Celtic competition in the eyes of the London-based decision-makers to have the legitimacy of being contested among teams from all five "nations" of the British Isles.

That may also be what gives the SRU's case for a Scottish team in London its greatest chance of success. The deal between the RFU and Premiership clubs which saved the Heineken Cup a few weeks ago is an uneasy truce in a long-running feud. The RFU longs for alternatives to depending on Premiership clubs to develop and employ England's international players. As long argued in these columns, the Magners League has the potential to provide them with that.

The bid depends on that argument succeeding at Twickenham, though, because talk of taking the matter to the courts under competition law is simplistic and ill-thought-out.

What must be remembered is that the nations of Scotland, Wales and, for that matter, England only exist at the behest of the sport's governing body. The International Rugby Board could withdraw that status and, as unlikely as that is, the possibility would make a mockery of any legal argument that not allowing a Scottish side to be based in England constitutes restraint of trade.

Of course, what this is all about is share of revenues from participation in ERC competitions and there was much rubbish written about Scotland's share reducing by a third when the Reivers were disbanded.

In parallel with the London bid, SRU negotiators should be focusing on trying to get all other ERC partners to understand why they should be entitled to get what may seem a disproportionate share of that money, even if there is just one Scottish side in the Heineken Cup and one in the European Challenge Cup.

If any goodwill is to be had from English and French clubs - which must be debatable - they are much more likely to be persuadable of that than of the benefit to the global game of undermining their own league competition.

NOTE FROM ED
Disputes between SFU-SRU and RFU not a new deal
In fact it was because of just this that the IRB were formed and it was a Glsagow Accie J.S Carrick who played a leading role

J.S Carrick--West of Scotland and Glasgow Accies
great cricketer and a founding father of International Rugby Board

The name, West of Scotland Cricket Club was coined by one John McNeill
who was very ambitious for the Club, and who envisaged it becoming the
MCC of Scotland. All-England Elevens were invited to the Club and
other matches of a similar nature arranged, which included the first
ever visit of an Australian team to Scotland in 1878.

Tours of England were also undertaken and it was during the first
match of one such Tour in July 1885 that a West cricketer achieved a
world record which stood for 12 years. The match was against Priory
Park C.C. (Chichester) during which Mr. J. S. Carrick batted for two
days, achieving a score of 419 not out

The forming of the International Rugby Football Board
In 1884 England had a disagreement with Scotland over a try that
England had scored but the referee disallowed citing a foul by
Scotland. England argued that the referee should have played advantage
and since they made the Law, if they said it was a try then it was.
The International Rugby Football Board (IRFB) was formed by Scotland,
Ireland and Wales in 1886 but England refused to join since they
believed they should have greater representation on the board because
they had a greater number of clubs. They also refused to accept that
the IRFB should be the recognised law maker of the game. The IRFB
agreed that the member countries would not play England until the RFU
agreed to join and accept that the IRFB would oversee the games
between the home unions. England finally agreed to join in 1890.

Carrick who was capped at both rugby and cricket represented Scotland
at formation of IRB

This article was originally posted on 20-Jun-2007, 07:10 by Hugh Barrow.
Last updated by Hugh Barrow on 20-Jun-2007, 07:26.