Shite Happens - But Why So-Often To The SRU?

SHOCKED, DISGUSTED and angry though I was when Paddy Dewhirst's disgrace was revealed to the world via the red-top tabloids, that was nothing compared to my anger today, after discovering Daftie Dewhirst's fall from grace is merely, to pirate a comment on the subject I received: “the rotten tip of a pretty rotten pile of poo.”

The allegation is, and it is serious: that there is an atmosphere of misogyny abroad, and the promotion of a laddish culture within the FOSROC Scottish Rugby Academy. This left some of the women players feeling very uncomfortable. These players, and their parents complained about this, but, all complaints have seemingly been swept under the carpet by Murrayfield.

The unfortunate girl who was filmed by Paddy, who then circulated the film to the other 27 members of the Scotland Under-20 squad, was a former player, who has now quit playing in disgust at the lack of support she received once she and her parents had complained about Dewhirst's treatment of her.

Indeed, her complaint was only accepted by the SRU after the intervention of one of the senior members of the Scotland Women's team.

I understand, a formal disciplinary procedure was began against Dewhirst, who, however, was not immediately suspended and continued to share gym sessions with the female academy players (who knew of the allegation), before he was subsequently suspended by the SRU.

Paddy has been thrown under the bus. However, there is evidence of a wider cancer within this squad. I also understand, while this was going-on, girls within the Academy set-up and the Scottish women's set-up were having to undertake gym sessions, while Under-20 squad members were in the same gym, watching the Dewhirst and other porn videos. That is apparently how the existence of the video was discovered beyond the Under-20 What's App group.

Not at all happy with the way Jamie Dempster, the Manager of the Broadwood-based FOSROC West of Scotland Academy was dealing with the matter, some parents apparently went over his head to Murrayfield.

One parent to whom I spoke said: "The message was apparently - 'leave it with me and I will look into this,' but, since then we have heard nothing.”

The girls went as-far as to put their concerns in writing and at a meeting with Sean Lineen, who has overall charge of player development. But, as yet they have nothing back intimating changes will be made and what will be done.

Certainly the fall-out from the Dewhirst judgement appears to have brought-about a typical SRU response:

• Make no public comment
• batten down the hatches
• say nothing
• hope it will all go away

OK, Paddy Dewhirst has, rightly, been publicly shamed for his stupidity and crass bad behaviour, but, what of the other 27, the guys who, as far as we know, were quite happy to watch his home-made porn video, when he shared it on their What's App group.

• Have any more of them been disciplined?
• What is on their telephones which should not be?
• Was the video shared beyond the Under-20 squad?
• How prevalent is this sort of behaviour in Scottish rugby?

These questions need to be answered, and, if no one else the girls in our performance system, and their parents, need to know they are valued and protected by our governing body.

It is understood too, when Irishman Philip Doyle was appointed as the Scotland National Women's Team Coach, he was amazed at the shambles he had walked into. Far from being #As One, some people familiar with the SRU's management of Women's representative rugby believe Murrayfield refuses to take the women's game seriously; with suggestions that some SRU “track suits” see the women as: “getting in the way.”

Sessions are cancelled at short-notice and planned for the convenience of the staff, rather than the players. One parent told me of how, when the Glasgow Warriors players are on down time and not training at Scotstoun, there is no access to the excellent gym there for the girls.

“On one occasion last season, with Scotstoun closed, my daughter had to get up at 5.30am, skip breakfast and drive to Ravenscraig, for a two-hour gym session, starting at 7am. She then came home, before driving to Edinburgh for a skills session, which began at 7pm.

“She drove back home, after dosing herself with Red Bull simply to stay awake, barely slept, then had to get up again, again skip breakfast, to get back to Ravenscraig for 7am for a fitness testing session.

“How are the girls expected to be at their best under these circumstances?”

“And by the way, remember, they are all part-timers, either working or studying as well as playing rugby.”

It appears, from this evidence, to some of the guys wearing SRU track-suits within Murrayfield, despite the Union having a lady president, women are still second-class citizens in rugby.

This is unacceptable in 21^st century Scotland.