Peace can break out if Kennedy is involved
BILL LOTHIAN ([email protected])
SRU board member Brian Kennedy today spoke of his hopes for a truce in the row between Murrayfield bosses and Edinburgh owner Bob Carruthers - and offered to use his unique position in rugby to help achieve a settlement.

The two parties are at loggerheads over competition payments from the Heineken European Cup and Magners Celtic League allegedly due to
EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS REPORTS

Edinburgh amidst talk of resolving matters in a costly court battle.

Speaking exclusively to the Evening News from South Africa, which he is currently visiting, SRU board member/Sale Sharks owner Kennedy maintained he was keen to assist, if required.

"I am always available to speak to anyone and I have been kept very much up to date with the issues involved," he said. "If there is a role to be played placating people or helping come up with a solution then I am due back in Britain today.

"Gordon McKie (SRU chief executive) or Allan Munro (board chairman) only have to ask if they want me to be in the middle of discussions. I am satisfied with the role being played by the SRU but everyone would want a solution to this dispute."

Bob Carruthers has specifically mentioned fellow entrepreneur Kennedy as a likely go-between, saying: "They've got a board of sensible guys running SRU plc.

"Brian Kennedy would be ideal to come up with an arbiter.

"Put Brian and I together and we can sort things out."

The constructive message from Kennedy would strike a chord at home from an unlikely rugby source amidst signs that fresh talks could be in the offing. But while higher-profile colleagues declined interviews, citing a confidentiality agreement, the need to resolve a highly damaging dispute was uppermost in the mind of one representative prepared to speak publicly - the women's delegate.

In taking her stance, too, Sandra Kinnear performed the balancing act of not giving away internal secrets or selling short her "side" while making it clear that, ultimately, jaw-jaw was preferable to war-war.

This unlikely leader of the rugby peace corps, from the Capital's Lismore club, said: "The SRU have tried to work with Edinburgh owner Bob Carruthers as much as they possibly can. I think they are open to negotiations and if he wants to come back to the table I don't think the SRU would object."

Ms Kinnear declined to go into details of the SRU's stance on a dispute centring on the proportion of competition revenue due to Edinburgh or the core principles at stake but said: "I have not been involved directly and rely on briefings which are becoming more regular for information.

"The SRU have acted professionally especially Gordon McKie [chief executive]."

Defending the confidentiality agreement, Ms Kinnear said: "Council members can speak in confidence within a room as a means of driving matters forward.

"For example sponsorship deals might be damaged if comment get into the public domain too early and from different viewpoints. Sometimes details could be leaked out and spun before the deal is completed.

"It is not about keeping information from people. Rather, it is to enable us to release information when the thought processes are complete."

The need for confidentiality has provoked concern particularly as it has been put forward as a reason why the players' nominee, Jim Hay, felt he could not take his seat on a council set up essentially comprising people from clubs.

Their role is to challenge/assist the workings of a board made up of business/rugby figures under a structural overhaul completed two years ago.

Ms Kinnear said: "It is inappropriate that one person should not sign the agreement while other members do so. But I feel the players should be represented."

On the chief executive's role, Ms Kinnear said: "I think Gordon McKie has done a remarkable job and the SRU are lucky to still have him in the job taking into account the unfair criticism he has come in for." But Ms Kinnear expressed hope that a remedy could soon be found to Scottish rugby's travails.

"The council members are distraught that the game is being disrupted through this wrangling.

"We thought we had a good compromise since the demise of the Borders in operating Glasgow and seeing Edinburgh run as a franchise.

"That way two professional teams could be run but instead this has been devastating for the game, although I have no problem about the way Gordon McKie has done things."

This article was posted on 12-Jul-2007, 12:20 by Hugh Barrow.