Not Just Any Bullshit - SRU Bullshit

Statement from all the Super 6 clubs

“The Super 6 clubs have now had a number of very positive meetings and there is good progress being made in a number of areas. It is important to highlight that there is a collective will from the six clubs to work with all clubs in Scotland to ensure that the Super 6 competition provides a pathway to enhance the whole of Scottish club rugby, not just the six participating clubs.

We would like to provide clarification on the following points:

Super 6 Club XV League Standing: All Scottish clubs were given the opportunity to bid to host a Franchise, competing in a new part-time professional competition alongside their existing rugby club, and it was made clear from the outset that the successful Franchise's Club XV would play in the new National 1 based upon:

National 1 being the right level based on player welfare and competitiveness of teams. The recent changes to the BT cup structure, where the number of competing teams was reduced to 16 due to safety concerns, being the precedent for this decision.

• Agreement that Club XV’s of all clubs should be allowed to find their own natural level within the pyramid structure of Scottish club rugby and therefore being promoted or relegated based on the rules of the competition from a league position determined by the level of performance at which they are able to operate.

• The primary principle behind this being the preservation of the integrity of the league structure for all clubs. All Super 6 clubs applied on this basis and have therefore accepted their Club XV being placed in National 1.
• Super 6 Squad Sizes We are having ongoing discussions about the make-up of the 35 man Super 6 playing squad and how we can work with Scottish Rugby and other clubs to ensure that those players not playing Super 6 are able to play regular rugby.
• This could potentially involve dual registration of players with Championship Clubs, depending on the outcome of the debate on amateurism and agreement from other clubs. We are acutely aware of the perception of player drain on non-Super 6 clubs and therefore this initiative can only be good for the players and all of Scottish Rugby.
• Interaction with non-Super 6 clubs:
• All of the Super 6 Clubs recognise they have a responsibility to support and help develop their local clubs.
• To enable this, all Super 6 clubs will be arranging regular meetings with clubs within their area to discuss how they can best work together for their mutual benefit. Some of these meetings are happening already.

Super 6 is designed to enhance Scottish club rugby as a whole and as the custodians of a Super 6 Franchise we are determined to ensure that it is positive for all clubs within Scotland- not just the Super 6 clubs. We are open to discussion and would encourage you to contact us if you have any specific questions or concerns.”

PARDON the cynicism, but, that whole statement has the fingerprints of the SRU all over it. “Clarification of a few points my arse,” as the blessed Jim Royle might say.

Jim's opinion of the statement would not have been high

It looks like an effort to, if not derail, at least muddy the waters around the Aberdeen GSFP and Haddington motions on the Stuid-6 teams and where their “core” the “amateur” teams, in effect the 2^nd XVs of the Stupid-6 will play.

Among the pillars of the franchise vision were:

• The six clubs would have 35-strong squads of “semi-professional” players
  
  
• These “semi-professional” players would NOT be allowed to play against amateur players.

However, the obvious problem about this is – each match-day squad will involve up to 23 players from each 35-strong franchise squad. Allowing for injuries, family commitments etc and in any one week, you will find up to 12 players idle. Even with the best player rotation systems, there will still be occasions when fringe players need to play elsewhere:

• Coming back from injury
  
  
• Needing to build match-sharpness after a period of relative inactivity

How can this be done if these “semi-professional” players are not allowed to play against “amateur” players?

Most of the ten Premiership clubs, last season used more than 35 players over the duration of the league campaign. On safety grounds, surely you cannot expect players to move from a Regional League to the Super-6, to cover a glut of injuries – so, straight away you have the situation whereby this: amateur players must not play against semi-professional players rule is unworkable.

The Super-6 statement speaks of “dual registration,” past experience demonstrates, this is a potential mine field. For instance, how many times can a player from the “amateur” club, or a dual-registered one from an associate club for that matter turn out for the Super-6 team before opponents start protesting: “But, he's a Super-6 player.” Another mine field.

On a more-localised level - good luck to Ayr and Melrose, in particular, in trying to set-up "dual registration" systems with neighbouring clubs who, almost to a member, hate their guts. Also will there be enough potential Super-6 players coming through in Edinburgh to feed the voracious appetite of three frachises?

As originally conceived, the Super-6 clubs were being seen as “District” clubs. There was all that talk about them being “beacons, lifting performance across a whole Region.” The SRU will move heaven and earth to avoid using the D word.

But, if they are to make sure the right potential professionals – the late developers, the guys who didn't get a full professional contract when they left the Academy are to be shown to be good enough and to grab their second chance – then surely having them playing together in District teams is the ideal way.

A proper District set-up, six teams representing: North, Midlands, Edinburgh, the South and North and South Glasgow – that would have worked. This abomination they have come up with:

• two franchises, less than half a mile apart in Edinburgh, and a third three miles away
  
  
• only one club in the Borders now considered “top-flight”
  
  
• no club in Greater Glasgow involved
  
  
• the single Caledonia Region club involved – barely in Caledonia

This system simply is not going to work.

It is not too late for the SRU to tell the truth, which is:

• We cannot afford to fund full-time professional rugby in Scotland
  
  
• We cannot even afford to fund part-time professional rugby in Scotland
  
  
  • Truth to tell - we cannot even persuade anyone to enter a partnership with us to fund it
  
  
• Even if we could – we would find some way to cock it up
  
  
• So we've found six gullible clubs, prepared to try to fund part-time professionalism
  
  
• They think we will help them if things go wrong
  
  
• They have not been speaking to Murrayfield Wanderers – or, they would know different.

The Super-6 Statement is pure, 100%, organic, pish-fed, bullshit.

But, in its favour: this is not any old bullshit

 – this is SRU bullshit.