EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS REPORTS
BILL LOTHIAN
THE formation of a "new" rugby club, based in Edinburgh, is set to be challenged at the annual general meeting of the governing body next week.

Meggetland RFC, an offshoot of Boroughmuir, are due to make their debut in Scottish Hydro Electric League Division Two (East) - but at least one fellow competitor is expressing concern about effectively a 3rd XV being re-branded.

Edinburgh Northern President Mike Sanders claims to have support from a number of counterparts and said: "This matter is to be raised under any other competent business at the SRU annual meeting because there are issues involved such as what happens in the event of clubs like Meggetland continually gaining promotion?

"Also, rigid policing of eligibility will be required to prevent players switching back and forward from the parent club as happened last season when a similar scheme was operating in the Borders and points were deducted."

But Meggetland RFC official Gerry Dryburgh defended the creation of the new club, as revealed by the Evening News last week, saying: "All we are about is trying to get regular games for players, some of whom have little time to train with Boroughmuir or, alternatively, just want a social run-about.

"At the same time, these players want to maintain links with the source that brought them to rugby in the first place.

"As for the promotion issue it is far too early to say what our level should be - we are just about providing rugby games and this is the best way faced with regular call offs which are in danger of turning players away from the sport."

One argument being advanced by Sanders is that a facility now exists for 3rd XVs to be included in a reserve league.

Sanders says: "It's a farce which is being allowed to proceed by the SRU because the precedent has been set by Ayr/Millbrae in the west. Why they cannot follow their fellow Premier Clubs and put their third XV into the Senior two's League, I do not know.

"I understand that both Watsonians and Heriot's will be renaming their teams and having A and B's in the 2nd's League.

"This is a sensible arrangement which will ensure that their 3rd XV players play regularly at their level."

But Dryburgh hit back: "We have found in the past that clubs from the lower leagues are the ones who have mainly been responsible for cancelling our fixtures at short notice because they've been unable to come up with a team to play the likes of Boroughmuir 3rds.

"We are well aware of responsibilities to ensure players are not jumping back and forward between Boroughmuir and Meggetland and will operate accordingly." Some will see the lower league clubs operating double standards because while they are concerned about finding it harder to aspire to a higher level many were happy to support SRU policy preventing aspiration clubs in the Premiership from entering cross-border competition.

This was rejected by Sanders who said: "Clubs should have the right to go (up) into other competitions.

"But the way to do it is not by creating a false club within a club then sticking it into the bottom league and saying 'work your way through'.

"There is a situation in England at present where 3rd XVs play in leagues alongside 1st teams but forfeit possession and I support that."

Meggetland are due to kick off on Saturday September 8 against Gala YM.

This article was posted on 20-Jun-2007, 11:58 by Hugh Barrow.