The Herald reports

KEVIN FERRIE, Chief Rugby Writer June 26 2008
Changing Scotland's educational schedule to tie in with the calendar year could be the key to improved sporting success, according to one of the country's leading rugby administrators.

Colin Thomson, head of the SRU's community rugby division, was giving evidence to the health and sport committee of the Scottish Parliament as it visited Murrayfield in the course of gathering evidence for its inquiry into "Pathways to Sport".

"People talk about playing more rugby in the summer but we can't do it for 15 to 17-year-olds because April to June is when we are telling them to stay indoors and study for exams," he pointed out. "If you want them out being active in the better weather why do we have exams at that time of year."

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Following the formal session, Thomson, a former PE teacher, admitted he did not expect the school year to be changed in the foreseeable future, but said he was seeking to plant a seed with the politicians and prompt them to think about wider issues.

He noted that from Easter onwards, the early part of the summer - invariably the best part of the Scottish year weather wise - is focused entirely on academic work.

"Clearly parents and children who want to get ahead are going to make that their priority at that time of year," he said. "I think it is crazy. Why are we doing it?"

Thomson was among seven people from across the Scottish rugby community who were asked to give evidence to the inquiry. The others were Jim Hamilton, the current Scotland lock; Peter Wright and Gregor Townsend, both former Scotland and British & Irish Lions players; Donna Kennedy, the country's all-time most capped rugby player; Gordon McKie, the SRU's chief executive; and Kenny Murray, a former SRU regional development manager now with Glasgow City Council.

Issues raised included the poor municipal sporting facilities available across the country, the need to make it easier for volunteers to become involved in sport and the appalling attitude of Scottish broadcasters to domestic sport other than football.

This article was posted on 26-Jun-2008, 07:29 by Hugh Barrow.