Your Guide To Agenda-3 - Section One Of The SRU's Information Document

MY LATE elder brother was a tight-head prop – the cerebral member of any rugby XV, he was also, in the day job, an actual rocket scientist – he designed, among other things, air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles - back in the days when the UK had its own missile industry. He also spent some of his time at Cape Kennedy in Florida, from whence he returned one time with this new saying: “When you're up to your ass in alligators, it is difficult to remember – you are trying to drain the swamp.”

That thought passed through my mind as I scanned the SRU's newly-released document on Agenda-3, which sort of sidled-out from under a stone in the gloaming of 20 June. As I read it, a wee comment from a fine rugby man, again taken far-too-soon, came to mind. That man was the late Tom Inglis – one-time SRU Board member, and former Ayr President – how I wish we had men of Tom's calibre on the Murrayfield Board today, I reckon TJ could have knocked Dodson's smugness on the head PDQ.

The late Tom Inglis - we could do with guys like him around today

Any way, as a successful Ford dealer, Tom once described the glossy British Leyland brochure on one of their failed “next big things” - a product of the Austin Design Office (ADO), as: “Much ado about nothing,” the car in question made narry a dent in Ford Cortina sales figures.

“Much ado about nothing” is my take on the Agenda-3 document. However, check it out for yourselves, it can be accessed at:

http://www.scottishrugby.org/sites/default/files/editor/images/agenda_3_june_2018_1.pdf

The document runs to, including the front and back covers – 18 pages, page two is the contents page, so, there are 15 pages of detail, split into three distinct sections. Of these:

1. Section One, pages 4-9 deals with Agenda 3 and the new Regional Support structure – the part which will be of most-concern to most clubs.
   
   
2. Section Two, pages 10-13 deals with Stupid-6 and, as such, covers a lot of old ground, although, at the end there is an interesting new development, of which more later.
   
   
3. Section Three, pages 14-17 deals with consultation with clubs.

Section One

Document co-signaturies "Blaikie" and "Olive" meet "The Fat Controller"

We learn in the foreword, co-signed by Rob Flockhart and Dee Bradbury, or “Blaikie and Olive” from 'On the Buses', as one critic dubbed them (I prefer Lance-Corporal Jones and Mrs Pike myself), Agenda-3 is based on three pillars:

• Particiation
  
  
• Performance
  
  
• Finance

I'd have put Finance first, after all, if you haven't got the money, there's not a lot you can do, but, we move on. Early-on we get the first piece of corporate bullshit, when we read: “At the 2017 AGM, our Chief Executive Mark Dodson, stressed the importance of the club game and why Agenda 3 was vital for the robust good health of rugby in Scotland.”

Really – you could have fooled me. Dodson cares not a jot about the club game, as long as we continue to support his over-lavish salary.

The Foreword also assures us: “This paper will seek to provide additional information and clarity around Agenda 3.” Debatable – for me there was more actual detail put out previously, this document adds precious little to what was already in the public domain.

It does re-affirm the six pillars on which the new Club Sustainability Award (CSA) will be built, these were already in the public domain – and will lead to Bronze, Silver and Gold awards to those clubs who put in the effort over the different areas already outlined in previous SRU publications.

Most people will be interested in Page 5, which talks about funding and support. Happily, this confirms: “Funding elements that we have provided to clubs are continuing, including travel support, player insurance, club development officer funding, referee expenses, player reward scheme and ticket commission.”

The document also confirms the introduction of Minimum Operating Standards (MOS): “Which require clubs to meet certain standards to operate, receive investment and play in competition. The detail of these standards will be published separately.”

The document also fleshes-out the Investment Programme, outlined in the 2017 AGM, this covers a five-year period, starting in 2019-20, coinciding with the Stupid-6 franchises, which will see – over these five years:

• Each Championship club receive £45,000 (£9000 p.a.)
  
  
• Each National League 1 club receive £25,000 (£5000 p.a.)
  
  
• Each National League 2 club receive £17,500 (£3,500 p.a.)
  
  
• Each National League 3 club receive £10,000 (£2000 p.a.)

This cash is intended to assist with player improvement areas; in addition, the intention is to introduce prize money cascading down through the leagues:

• £10,000 in the Championship
  
  
• £7,500 in National 1
  
  
• £5000 in National 2
  
  
• £4000 in National 3
  
  
• £3000 in each of the Regional Leagues

There are no details yet as to how this prize money will be divvied-up in practise.

Page 6, headed: “What initiatives will be implemented through Agenda-3” is an 18 item “wish list,” very-broad brush strokes, but, containing within it one or two interesting items, such as something I suggested a wee while ago - “Walking Rugby”, but, as they say: A wish is just a dream that hasn't come true; we wait and see.

The final part of Section One – outlines the new look, restructured Domestic Rugby Department at Murrayfield, or, as it will henceforth be known: The Rugby Development Department. Sheila Begbie will be in overall charge of a team consisting of:

• Five Regions – Caledonia North, Caledonia Midlands, Glasgow North, Glasgow South and Edinburgh, Borders and East Lothian; each with a Regional Directors.
  
  
• 12 Regional Managers
  
  
• 3 Schools and Youth Managers
  
  
• 1 Women and Girls Manager – Gemma Fay
  
  
• Head of Business Support and Operations – a totally new role
  
  
• Head of Training and Education
  
  
• Match Officials Commissioner
  
  

There is a lot of detail within this section, and, while the news of one or two weel-ent faces losing their jobs did not go down well with the grass-roots troops, we might hopefully find at least some of these guys back in slightly different roles. However, overall, this section of the document is one of the more in-depth ones and a tribute to the hard work Sheila Begbie has put in. The new department actually sees an increase in staffing, which has to be welcome (provided they do their jobs) and the changes are well-explained.

I still hae ma doots about some aspects of the Mitsubishi Conferences, which will continue – there were a lot of unplayed games here last season, down the age groups, which is a bad sign for the future, but, let's be positive and give the new set-up a chance.

This is a good break point, before, in part two of my look at the document, I move on to consider one of my favourite areas – Stupid-6.

Enjoy this part, I will be back with more on this.