Ignore The World League - We've Got Enough Problems With The Scottish One

I HAVE, of course mentioned it, because in international terms, whether or not the proposed World League happens, what the organisation looks like and who plays in it, these are important points. However, this grand international scheme of things is really a peripheral issue to Scottish Rugby – we've got bigger and more-relevant problems closer to home.

I was told a tale this week about one of the clubs which had been forced to drop out of its regional league, because it could not regularly raise a team. So, they buckled down, went on a recruiting drive and have managed to round-up around 25 players who are training, and are looking to maybe play one or two development games before the end of the season.

However, the question is: is this a sufficient number of players to risk a return to the leagues, and if not, can a system be put in place whereby they could play friendlies and development games, in an effort to gain momentum, build-up their playing numbers and perhaps return in season 2020-21?

An added problem, the two most-impressive performers in training, I am told, have been a fifty something, merely looking to keep fit, and a teenaged incomer to the town, whose rugby pedigree suggests he should be playing higher up the food chain.

Then there is the league team, facing one of its longest journeys of the season on Saturday, who, on Thursday night, only had ten confirmed travellers. They already know, they are probably looking at a 28-0 defeat, should they cancel. But, do they take that, travel with fewer than 15 players, hope their hosts have one or two spare guys knocking about, in which case they can play a friendly? Or do they cut their losses, take the 28-0 and simply call-off?

When these are the problems a club is looking at, all the talk of multi-million dollar TV deals and the politics of international rugby don't amount to a hill of beans, to quote Humphrey Bogart.

THE SGM (Special General Meeting), to discuss Gavin MacColl QC's Governance Committee report will be held at BT Murrayfield, on Friday, 22 March, prior to the Edinburgh v Munster Heineken Cup quarter-final. Hopefully most of the delegates take this opportunity to hang about and watch the game.

Or, maybe the great and good will miss the kick-off, if the meeting over-runs, which might happen.

The full agenda is still to be published, but, at the moment, the only motion to be debated concerns the placement of the Super-6 “AmateurClub XVs” for the new season, and what happens around this and promotion and relegation between NL1 and the Championship (which is what we hear the current Premiership will become).

At the moment, if this goes ahead, the four current Tennent's Premiership clubs, who didn't get franchises: Currie Chieftains, Edinburgh Academical, Glasgow Hawks and Hawick look likely to be joined by the top six in NL1 at the end of the season. The six franchise clubs' “Amateur Club XVs” will replace these six in NL1.

It's all up in the air, however. Now, my reading of the bye laws is, if the SGM motion fails to get the necessary majority, we could well see next season's Premiership being as is, except the NL1 winners will replace Edinburgh Academical, and there will be a promotion/relegation play-off.

I write this, because, it seems to me, if the motion fails, given S6 will go ahead, then the Premiership and NL positions revert to the status quo. (I am willing to be corrected on this, if anyone knows for sure).

The wider implications of Mr MacColl's investigations will probably need to be discussed more at the AGM in August. However, I understand there is some concern in the West at the fact that, during the fact-finding part of his work, there were no reported sightings of Mr MacColl west of Harthill. If this is correct, it is a big mistake.

I have already mentioned the West competitions committee releasing their consultative paper on regional league reform earlier this week. I understand there will be a West Forum on Wednesday, to give the clubs a chance to get together and look at these proposals. Again, well done the committee.

TODAY sees the last-ever matches in the Tennent's Premiership, as currently constituted. Of course, reportedly as The Championship, the top league will be played next season, but, today sees the end of this version of the top flight of the club game.

At least, there is something to get excited about, with Currie Chieftains, Heriot's and Melrose all fighting for second place at the end of the regular season, and that home semi-final in the play-offs.

Ayr, of course, can afford, and have taken the chance to do so, to experiment. Regardless of how they get on at Watsonians, they will finish on top of the pile tonight, and their home play-off semi-final is secured. The selected Ayr XV is a strange one, but, the selection of Paddy Dewhirst at full back, with Grant Anderson switching to centre, will be keenly followed at Scotstoun, where we hear Paddy is in the frame to be the long-term Stuart Hogg replacement for Warriors.

I would expect Currie to clinch second spot. They have home advantage against an Edinburgh Accies team which, while definitely on a good run at the moment, might struggle to hold a Currie side on a mission.

Once upon a time, you might have worried about Heriot's travelling to Mansfield Park. Even in the glory days of Scotland and McKeating, Andy Irvine and the Three Bears, they often struggled in Hawick. However, I fancy they will be too strong for the Green Machine this afternoon.

Melrose are not used to occupying fourth spot this late in the season. In fact, they usually have their home semi-final tied-up before the final game. This afternoon, they are in Edinburgh, facing Boroughmuir at Meggetland. This is perhaps the hardest game to call today. It might be tight, but, I feel Melrose can win it, but, by enough to claim that home play-off: that's a far-harder question.

The final fixture is at Balgray, where Glasgow Hawks and Stirling County have nothing to play for but pride and points. This one should be entertaining, and I certainly hope to be entertained when I turn-up there.