TE SCOTSMAN REPORTS
THE deadline set by the Scottish Rugby Union for the Edinburgh club to repay £1.4 million it says it is owed passed last night without any sign of the cash being delivered, writes Gareth Black. With Bob Carruthers, the Edinburgh owner, flying to the Caribbean yesterday on holiday, and the weekend intruding, it was a rare chance for both sides to think about their next moves.

Lawyers on both sides are intending to talk over the next few days. The union is seeking £1.4m from the club and Carruthers, who is prepared to sue the union for more than £12m if there is no agreement.

There is still a chance of a deal, the two sides being close on a financial settlement, despite the huge disparity in their official claims, but still debating the terms under which a replacement team would be set up, the mechanism for transferring the players, whether any contracts would have to be scrapped and who would be liable if they were.

This article was posted on 4-Aug-2007, 06:41 by Hugh Barrow.