EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS REPORTS
BILL LOTHIAN
A CONTROVERSIAL website, part of which offers alternatives to the structure under which the beleaguered Scottish international team are currently operating, is being served a writ for defamation by the Scottish Rugby Union, the Evening News can reveal.

Also on the website are details, described as "confidential", of the sale of Edinburgh's professional rugby team to a consortium before being returned to central control.

Describing the contents of the website as "unlawful" the SRU's lawyers also appear to offer an olive branch.

They are telling a mystery firm whose registered address is in Scottsdale, Arizona, that proceedings may be halted if the "offending" items are removed by 5pm tomorrow (UK time).

While the complex transactions surrounding ownership of the Edinburgh rugby team may have to be finally settled in court, the suggestions being put forward by a group known only as SaveScottishrugby.com come at a highly sensitive time. Today, Scottish rugby is pre-occupied with ways of hauling the national team out of a mire which has seen them score one try in five matches with back-to-back defeats to open the Six Nations tournament and thus alternative strategies could be deemed to be in the public interest. Here, some critics argue that the malaise can be traced to a narrowing of the elite base at the start of the professional era – an aspect the mystery group want to change.

Essentially an attack is being mounted on the SRU's central control which many believe is riddled with conflicts of interest.

SaveScottishrugby describe themselves as: a campaigning group dedicated to returning control of the game at all levels to the clubs and, in essence.

Under the term "manifesto" they argue: "SRU plc should be an engine for bringing outside income into the game and channelling the surplus of those funds back to the clubs where they can be put to use developing the game.

"SRU plc currently collects revenues of £28m annually on behalf of The Scottish Rugby UnionIn reality, virtually nothing filters back to the (traditional) clubs, instead some clubs have actually become net payers to SRU plc. All of the revenues from commercial activities of the Scotland national team are now eaten up by SRU plc ... consumed by an ever expanding bureaucracy."

Advocating the so-called "Argentinian model" where virtually all leading Pumas players ply their trade abroad but return for Test duties leaving the domestic scene to find its own level the pressure group say: "We propose that there should be a return to four district structure for professional rugby in Scotland. Each of these districts should be sold to the highest bidder ... not franchised or leased or joint ventured or run in partnership; but sold. For money.

"If the (centrally run) professional teams were closed £23m would be saved which could be used to pay every rugby club in Scotland £150,000 (over five years). It would be up to the club owners to balance books."

This article was posted on 12-Feb-2008, 18:16 by Hugh Barrow.