SCOTLAND ON SUNDAY REPORTS

New SRU president looks old school but has learned lessons
MARTIN HANNAN ([email protected])
THE new president of the Scottish Rugby Union claimed yesterday that the sport's governing body had moved on "light years" from the times of deep division within the game in Scotland.

George Jack was elected president of the SRU on Friday night after a three-way vote in which he defeated former internationalist Peter Brown and Jim Stevenson, president of Cambuslang RFC.

Jack was one of the general committee members who ousted former SRU chairman David Mackay in a boardroom coup in January, 2005. Mackay's departure led to the resignation of chief executive Phil Anderton which in turn provoked massive turmoil in the SRU and led to wholesale changes in the governance of the union.

The election of Jack, the Edinburgh-born former rector of Selkirk High School, and the return to the council of former general committee members Norman Douglas and Bob Hogarth was being seen in some quarters as a throwback to the days of "rule by the blazers".

But yesterday Jack issued a "let bygones be bygones" plea, saying: "All of that is in the past and I am very much looking to the future. It was not an easy time, but if you learn from your experience then it's good value. We have all moved on light years since then."

One council member maintained yesterday that Jack would suffer from being seen as one of the "old school" but added: "That's unfair, as George has always been the most willing to listen and move things on."

Insisting that clubs now accepted the rationale behind the closure of the Borders pro team, Jack indicated that the issue of a third professional team in London would be a priority for examination and added: "We have other irons in the fire, too."

The new president's victory was completed late on Friday night when the new council voted for him to become their chairman, and as such he automatically joins the SRU's controlling board. Jack said he was looking forward to working closely with board chairman Allan Munro - "we've know each other a long time as we were in the Newhaven boy scouts together" - and SRU chief executive Gordon McKie.

"Gordon has been very straight in his dealings and is very passionate about working to improve the situation of rugby in Scotland," said Jack.

Malcolm Gillies of Lismore was elected vice-chair of the council while former international referee Jim Fleming of Boroughmuir was returned by the council to serve a second term on the board.

Defeated presidential candidate Stevenson, of Cambuslang, said last night he would "wait and see" before deciding whether to stand for president again next year.

His club's relegation from Premier Three means the able and popular Stevenson is out of the SRU's administration altogether.

This article was posted on 1-Jul-2007, 07:04 by Hugh Barrow.