EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS REPORTS
BILL LOTHIAN


SCOTLAND'S players are gearing up for a major say in administering rugby - for the first time in more than 130 years.

A new governance structure set to be introduced at Friday's SRU annual meeting in Edinburgh, makes provision for a players' representative on the advisory council which oversees the work of paid board members.

And while the post is the last to be filled, Players Association chief Jim Hay today moved to allay fears that the players - without whom there would be no rugby - would start the new era on the outside looking in.

"For the moment the priority has to be looking after the interests of players at Edinburgh, Glasgow and Borders, but while it is said the club scene is amateur there is no getting away from the fact players there are semi-pro albeit mostly imports," said former international hooker Hay.

The Players' Association was formed earlier this year but debate continues as to the extent of the funding that will be received from Murrayfield authorities. Up to £70,000 has been mentioned by the Association as the level required and Hay says: "I understand SRU resources are stretched but contributing to players' welfare must be a worthwhile investment to ensure stars continue to come through.

"Hopefully a decision is only delayed until the new chief executive is appointed after which we can move towards expanding into the semi-professional sphere."

Meanwhile, Hay has welcomed the saving of the Celtic League as an opportunity to keep full-time professionalism alive in Scotland.

"I don't think people realised how desperate it could have been for Scottish rugby if the Celtic League talks had broken down," he added.

"If there hadn't been a deal which allows the Welsh to play in a cup alongside the English [as well as the Celtic League] then teams would have been left with only 15 or 16 fixtures.

"People are saying there are too many games when you include the Heineken European Cup and internationals, but there has to be a happy medium.

"A figure of 20 league matches allows for the rotation of the typical 30 strong-squad in Scotland, but above all it would have been a chaotic situation to unravel given many contracts are based on performances over a Celtic competition featuring the three composite countries."

This article was posted on 22-Jun-2005, 12:33 by Hugh Barrow.