THE SCOTSMAN REPORTS

Wanted: 11,000 players, 8,000 volunteers, and club crowds of 5,000
DAVID FERGUSON ([email protected])
THE Scottish Rugby Union intends to attract another 11,000 people to the sport, have two-thirds of the national team squad playing their rugby in Scotland, and win the RBS Six Nations Championship at least once in the next five years.

These were among the targets outlined in the SRU's Strategic Five Year Plan, 2007-2012, announced at Murrayfield yesterday. The plan has been given its own slogan - 'Scottish rugby: growing locally, performing successfully, competing locally'. Clear, ambitious and transparent is what the union is bidding to achieve with this plan, and there is little doubt that if most of the targets were met Scottish rugby would be in a much more vibrant state than has arguably ever been the case.

Many had questioned whether the Scottish Rugby Board, chaired by Allan Munro and with Gordon McKie, pictured left, as chief executive, had any constructive plans for the future as budgets were slashed to reduce the union's huge debt. The answer revealed yesterday was in the affirmative and the strategy document, which took the past six months to shape and last night in Jedburgh began its roadshow tour of Scottish clubs, represents a bold statement of where McKie's team want to take the sport.

"Our plan is about evolution rather than revolution," said McKie, "and aims to build on the success of the Genesis Report, which has been the basis on which we've done our annual business plans over the last two years."

The chief executive had to admit that the Genesis Report and its subsequent three-year plan did not achieve much. Since then, the professional game has gone from three teams to two, crowds and income have diminished, and the national team has struggled to remain in the world's top eight. McKie blames the political and governance turmoil of 2005 for the failure to meet those targets.

The new strategy centres on four key areas: community rugby, rugby performance, financial and commercial, and governance and administration. Under each heading has been set three general aims, and below them a host of key performance indicators [KPIs], on which the current regime will be assessed over the plan's term. While keen to be "transparent", the union did keep the financial and governance targets to themselves, while more detailed information on how targets will be made are still to be finalised. While attractively aspirational, the plan at this stage lacks detail.

The core strategies are clear, however: to significantly drive up numbers in the sport and uncover ways of making professional rugby work - so attracting more supporters, broadcasters and sponsors - whilst living within the SRU's limited means.

There is no attempt to hide from the reality that the numbers involved in Scottish rugby are far too low for a nation with Scotland's ambition, and the authors of the new plan have set targets of a 35 per cent increase in adult numbers and 38 per cent rise in youth players by 2012, which would take the total playing rugby from 27,000 to 38,000 - edging Scotland into the top 15 nations in world rugby.

In the professional game, McKie admitted that he was "very disappointed and frustrated" with crowd figures this season, considering the extra funds pumped into the teams - Glasgow's budget rose to £2.7m this season, with Edinburgh on £2.3m - and Glasgow's recent unbeaten run at home. The five-year plan has set both teams the target of average 5,000 crowds by 2012, with a commitment to both teams for that time, another "funding crisis" excepted, but there is no intention to return to three never mind four professional teams in Scotland before then "unless a billionaire turns up".

McKie insisted it was essential to reveal specific targets, despite the flak that would generate should they fail to be met, to involve the whole rugby community. By way of an aside, the chief executive added that if the professional teams did not significantly improve their attendances - to an average gate of 5,000 by 2012 - he would "not be here; I'd fall on my sword".

McKie is now into his third year in the post, but he blamed past officials and structures for current troubles. Three men involved in previous policies, Henry Edwards (head of player development), Colin Thomson (head of community rugby) and national coach Frank Hadden sat beside him at the top table yesterday, but Edwards insisted that while there had been good work within departments in recent years only now were officials assessing development beyond the current year. He said there had "never been a long-term, joined-up performance plan", addressing Scotland's lack of stand-offs for example.

The plan also aims for 8,000 new volunteers - as well as 1,200 new coaches and 600 new referees - to support a desired 2,000 new teams. Yet, it is perhaps easier to envisage improvement in community rugby - new regional development managers are already posting sizeable increases at youth level. How the professional teams and Scotland will achieve their goals is less discernible.

Hadden, who has yet to commit to a new contract as national coach, insisted there was still work being carried out on exactly how the pro teams and Scotland would achieve these targets. He added: "The strategic plan is pretty much a snapshot of aims and objectives condensed into a user-friendly form."

TOP TEN TARGETS
PLAYING NUMBERS: To increase by 11,000, to 38,000. Each club will be asked to increase its number of players by 14 per season.

WORLD CUP: Scotland to reach the quarter-finals of the Rugby World Cup in 2011.

SIX NATIONS: Scotland to improve Six Nations win rate from 25 per cent (2007) to 40 per cent (2012).

SILVERWARE: Scotland to win the Six Nations Championship at least once by 2012.

HOME-BASED TEAM: A minimum of 20 members of the 30-man Scotland squad are to come from the two Scottish professional teams.

MAGNERS LEAGUE: Glasgow and Edinburgh to be regular finishers in the top five of the Magners League by 2012.

HEINEKEN CUP: Each professional team to achieve at least one Heineken Cup quarter-final appearance by 2012.

WINNING RUGBY: Glasgow and Edinburgh to improve their win rates to 55 per cent, from current levels of 37 and 45 respectively.

VOLUNTEERS: Recruitment of 8,000 more, to help run and develop clubs.

CROWDS: Increase in average attendances at professional team matches to 5,000.

This article was posted on 4-Dec-2007, 08:30 by Hugh Barrow.