It has also been confirmed that the SRU Academy side which takes part in the inaugural British and Irish Cup will play its home games at Stirling County's Bridgehaugh ground this season. Branded 'Gael Force', the team will also draw on players from Edinburgh and Glasgow who are surplus to the professional teams' requirements on match weekends.
However, a row appears to be brewing over the deployment of those seven Academy players who are attached to either Ayr or Heriot's, the two Premier One clubs which have also been entered in the competition.
Stephen Gemmell, who has been named head coach of the Gael Force team, suggested that the Ayr and Heriot's Academy players might be selected for his side and that discussions concerning their use were still ongoing.
However, Glasgow Hawks chief executive Kenny Baillie, the Premier One clubs' spokesman, insisted that the clubs were to have first call on the players.
Baillie said: "My under-standing is that the Academy players, and potentially those professional players who have been allocated to Ayr and Heriot's as well, will be available to play for their clubs in the British and Irish Cup."

This article was posted on 16-Sep-2009, 12:00 by Hugh Barrow.