THE HERALD REVEALS

SRU still waiting for answers over collapse of kit manufacturer
KEVIN FERRIE July 15 2009
The Scottish Rugby Union has yet to discover the full implications of the collapse ofCanterbury's European wing and what it means for their £4m deal with their kit supplier.

Contact has been established between Murrayfield and KPMG, who have been appointed as the administrators for the stricken business, but the SRU is still waiting for answers.

"We have lodged a number of questions with KPMG but, until we have answers, it would not be appropriate to make any further comment," said Dominic McKay, their director of communications and public affairs.


With payments staggered over the four-year period of the deal which was agreed in May of last year, the SRU already has some of the money it is owed under its terms but, because it was not a straight cash arrangement, it is not clear how much is outstanding.

Among the side issues is the question of which kit will be worn by Glasgow Warriors, the SRU-owned professional team, when they start the new season since, unlike their rivals at Edinburgh, they were also contracted to use Canterbury gear.

It is unlikely that Magners League organisers will permit matches to be played under school PE department summer rules of shirts v skins, though Sean Lineen, the Warriors head coach, may see a promotional opportunity.

During his time as managing director of Scottish Rugby magazine, he was particularly keen on the use of body painting for marketing purposes; he once persuaded the players from a women's team to wear it for a cover shoot.

His mind is on rugby business, though, after yesterday's announcement of the Magners League fixture list which has provided his team with the chance to get off to a flier as they open their campaign with back-to-back home matches.

While the visit of the defending champions Munster - they will be the first visitors to Firhill on Friday, September 4 -is always a challenging prospect, the absence of the Irish side's British and Irish Lions contingent ought to make them less formidable. Then again, Lineen is aware that it was by no means the strongest Munster side that beat his men on their own turf last season.

"It's fantastic," he said of their start, which has Llanelli Scarlets, who have a dreadful record in Scotland, as visitors to Glasgow a week later.

"Playing the reigning champions at Firhill really focuses the mind," said Lineen. "We lost to them last season at home with a fairly average performance so this is an opportunity for us to be totally and utterly focused. There's nothing better than having the champions coming to your home patch.

"Firhill can be an intimidating venue. We were unbeaten there for a year when I first came on board and we want to make sure we leave no stone unturned in making Firhill our fortress."

Edinburgh, who need only to match their achievements of the past two seasons when finishing fourth and then second to get into the first Magners League play-offs in May, will be the first visitors to Cardiff Blues' new stadium having won on their last two visits to the Welsh capital.

This article was originally posted on 15-Jul-2009, 07:24 by Hugh Barrow.
Last updated by Hugh Barrow on 15-Jul-2009, 07:27.