Once Again - Your Feedback Said More Than I Ever Could About This Bourach - Super 6 and Agenda 3

YESTERDAY, I posted the result of some left-field thinking I had been doing, when I found common ground between the UK Government's thinking and actions over Brexit and the SRU Ayatollahs' thinking on Super 6 and Agenda 3.

The feedback was interesting, not least when a couple of regular commenters pointed-out the big difference between Brexit and Super 6/Agenda 3 – which is:

The UK people were offered a vote on Brexit (yes or no to leaving the EU), and chose to go for it – the SRU is attempting to foist Super 6/Agenda 3 on their membership.

Fair point, that's me telt.

Dod and Dee - CEO Mark with incoming President Dee Bradbury

ANOTHER interesting response from my readership came with regard to my post of a couple of days ago. Mark Dodson and the High Performance Department at Murrayfield are very much the drivers of Super 6/Agenda 3. They clearly had the backing of the Board and the Council in pushing this one through to the extent, they were able to announce it at the 2017 AGM.

However, as one of my readers pointed-out, following the 2018 AGM, they will be faced with a different Board, where a couple of long-serving members are due to stand down, but, more-worryingly for Murrayfield, they may well be dealing with a Council whose membership might bear no resemblance to the current one. As my reader wrote:

“Our Council Members may have more important things to worry about than the Club game, as a quick scan of things shows that many are either due to stand down or may need to seek re-election based on their Clubs performance.

“National Leagues:

“C0LIN RIGBY - National 1 rep - Stewarts Melville currently in one of the National 1 relegation spots.
GRAHAM SCOTT - National 2 rep - Whitecraigs currently in the sole remaining National 2 relegation spot.
ANDY LITTLE - National 3 rep - Highland in the running for promotion from National 3.

“Should their respective Clubs change league, then the reps will probably have to seek re-election, and if someone stands against them, then they must stand down.

“If the possible jostling for position is not exciting enough at National level, then consider the regional league reps.

“According to the SRU website, for the upcoming AGM, there are to be elections for four Regional League Reps, due to existing holders completing their term in office - MIKE MONRO (North Region), JIM LITTLEFAIR (Edinburgh Region), ALAN BROWN (Borders Region) and GRAHAM KERR (Midlands Region).

“WILLIE GARDNER'S Club, Lanark, have just been removed from West 3 due to non-fulfilment of fixtures. I've had a read at the regional election rules and I'm not really sure what effect this will have on the Glasgow North constituency - but rule 4 does include this:

'require to resign with effect from the SRU AGM following such event where the event is promotion of the club, but where the event is anything other, such resignation will require to be with immediate effect.'

“This potentially leaves only ADAM GRAY (Glasgow South) and PETER LAVERIE (Premier rep) as the only "Club" reps on the Council.

“Now should, Glasgow Hawks apply for and be awarded a Super 6 franchise, where does this leave Peter Laverie as he'll be representing a Club with a commercial interest in a contract with the Union - which some may view as a conflict of interest?”

That is not all, as another commenter below the lines pointed-out:

“Mike Monro is also standing for the Vice President's position, so will be further distracted.

“Mike is also from Aberdeenshire so may struggle to push the developing clubs and competitions line. Unless turning up in North 3 counts.”

I have never to my knowledge met Mr Munro, I have certainly never been introduced to him, but, he is, apparently, a lawyer. This worries me, and with respect to m'learned friends -aye, you “Mandy”; I feel a cull of Scottish lawyers is even-more of a necessity than any cull of red deer in our forests.

Also, Mr Munro's club, Aberdeenshire, is in some deep doo-dah, perhaps extra work on rugby administration should take place closer to home than Murrayfield. Finally, and you know how we journos love salacious gossip – I give you the views of a weel-kent top lawyer in the north-east on Mr Munro: “When he first qualified he showed himself to be ludicrously incompetent, an impression he has since added to spectacularly.” I didn't say that, so, don't shoot the messenger, please.

Wee Beastie will be a hard act to replace

There is also the case of vacancies on the board, in particular, a replacement for the “Mighty Mouse”, as past Scotland captain and SRU President Ian McLauchlan is due to step down, having completed his maximum spell in office, and given wonderful service to Scottish Rugby along the way.

The Wee Man has sat as a Non-Executive Director since leaving the Presidency and he will be a very-difficult man to replace, although, I can think of one or two past Scotland caps and captains who, as NEDs would be more than capable of putting the brakes on the paid executives sitting around the table. But, would they get a look in?

Jim Littlefair, currently a Council representative on the Board will, presumably, since his term on the Council is due to expire, also require to be replaced. In any case, I understand Jim is seeking support for a run at the vice-presidency.

FINALLY, with the BBC being priced-out of PRO14 live coverage for the new season, we are going to either, take the trouble to turn-up in person to Edinburgh or Glasgow games, or dig deep to subsidise Irish-based Premier TV and Sky.

No more "pennace Glasgow" next season from Hugh Dan

Would it be too much to expect the SRU to perhaps come up with a means whereby, through live streaming or something, those fans who cannot afford to travel to Ireland, Italy, South Africa and Wales, could watch the away games.

On top of the proposals for Super 6 and Agenda 3 and their knock-on effects of coverage of and interest in the club game, we now see a definite threat to the rise of interest in our two PRO1 sides.