THE SCOTSMAN REVEALS


By DAVID FERGUSON
YOUTH rugby in Glasgow is in line for a £5,000 cash windfall, and possibly £10,000, from the Magners League irrespective of where the Warriors finish in the main table, and the SRU has confirmed that the prize money would not be sucked into central finances.

Glasgow currently sit joint top, with Munster, of the Specsavers Fair Play League, introduced this year to cut down the amount of yellow and red cards dished out in the competition. With two games remaining, both teams have just four points – each yADVERTISEMENTellow card earns one and a red three – with Edinburgh and the Ospreys in third spot, three points back. On Saturday, Munster are away to Llanelli, and Glasgow at Ulster, while the two teams meet at Musgrave Park in Cork the following weekend.

The fair play winners stand to pick up £10,000, but in the event of a tie the pot would be shared equally between the clubs. In Scotland, however, the SRU has firm control of the two professional teams to the extent that neither have an academy any longer. They were scrapped last year as part of the SRU's cost- cutting, and, instead, their top youth talent is now channelled through senior and junior academies based at Murrayfield.

The academies are designed to produce players for both professional clubs, with Edinburgh signing three yesterday, but Glasgow are also signing young talents, who have not come through the academy, but been developed locally by clubs, this year.

An SRU spokesman insisted, however, that while the money may come directly into Murrayfield it would still be spent on youth programmes in the area associated with the team who have won it and not swallowed up by the central academy.

He said: "It is immaterial which individual might actually receive the money if Glasgow or Edinburgh were to win it, because the principle would apply that the club that secure the prize money through their performances earn the right to use it for the purpose laid down by the 'fair play scheme', i.e. youth development."

David Jordan, the former Glasgow chief executive, now Celtic Rugby Director, said: "This money is very specifically targeted at helping clubs to develop their own talent through youth programmes.

"Specsavers are providing the prize money specially for youth rugby development and without wanting to become too zealous about it, we would obviously want some evidence of how the money was used and Specsavers would want association with whatever event or area the money was put to use in for PR purposes."

The top six finishers in the Magners League all pick up prize money, which has not been disclosed, but is more than £10,000, so there remains a significant financial incentive in any case for Edinburgh and Glasgow to win over the next two weekends with the youth cash a bonus.



Jordan also confirmed that discussions over a Premiership-style play-off climax to the Magners League season are winning approval across the Scottish, Irish and Welsh rugby unions, but ruled out any changes to the league format next season.

This article was posted on 29-Apr-2008, 07:20 by Hugh Barrow.