Hush - Don't Mention The South

YESTERDAY, not for the first time, Aristotle proved George Orwell's definition of news, and forced the SRU into something at which they are not very good – public relations; when they had to confirm the fixtures arranged between the six Super-6 franchises and Newcastle Falcons.

This was a good news story, but, the SRU Media Department, does what they do best – they took that good story and botched it. Still, what's new?

For me the interesting cross-border fixture with the Falcons' A team is the odd one out – the 20 March meeting of The South and Falcons A. No venue has yet been nominated for this match, but, other than it is unlikely to be The Greenyards, it has still to be declared.

Needless to say, this was the fixture missing from the SRU press release - cannot have the D word in anything to do with Murrayfield.

The South squad which played Caledonia in 2017 - they will face Newcastle Falcons A in March

[EDIT - Since I posted this item, I have learned that the SOUTH game is not set in stone, and in any case, if it does happen, it is unlikely to be on 20 March, since that is one of the dates set-aside for Tennent's Premiership play-offs.

It looks as if Newcastle have jumped the gun in publicising a game with the South, which may still happen. Sorry for any upset caused.]

Melrose aside, the South clubs have worked hard to keep The South name alive, and more power to their arm in this endeavour – which got me thinking – why should only The South survive.

There is firm, definite evidence, the majority of the body of the Scottish Rugby Kirk WANTS to see some kind of Inter-District competition re-introduced, however this is poison to The Junta, who will fight all they can to stop this, it seems.

There are a lot of merits in a re-introduction of inter-district competition, more-so now that Super-6 is set to kick-off. With S6 there is now a definite border between the club game and the performance one.

We are told, going forward, S6 will be the bridge, with the best of the talent from the club game moving up to S6, where, if they prove themselves, they will move on up again to the two full-time pro teams, perhaps via spells at either London Scottish, Nice or Old Glory.

Would it not make sense therefore, to have an end-of-season Inter-District Championship, which would allow the S6 coaches and the guys in the performance department to assess what talent there was in the club game, and which of the players at that level could possibly make the move up.

If – and this needs clarifying quickly – the S6 players are not to be considered for the Club XV International Team, then that district6 championship could be a series of trial games for the selection of that squad.

And, if there was to be an inter-district championship, for which most of the players picked would probably come from the Premiership and National League teams, why not also a “Junior” version, for players from the Regional Leagues? Again, such a tournament would allow the best talent from that tier of rugby to showcase themselves.

And, if The Junta says NO, surely the clubs could arrange it without Murrayfield having to get involved.

I can remember how, over 30-years ago, a Counties Championship flourished for a short time, before Murrayfield managed to kill it off. From memory – Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway, Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire and East Lothian all participated, and I think there were other counties involved too.

They even managed to get some sponsorship, because I think one of the Lanarkshire guys was high enough up in the management of Scottish Gas to get them to put up a trophy.

Today's hired hands at BT Murrayfield are a wee bit more pr and media friendly – even if their Media Department head couldnae run a gird – I am sure, they would welcome and encourage any sponsorship which came in.

I commend this idea to the House.

JINGS CRIVVENS, HELP MA BOAB – my flabber has never been so gasted. Edinburgh has hired a genuine Scottish player.

The capital side has brought big Sam Thomson, formerly of Glasgow Warriors, home from Warringah Rats and Sydney. I welcome his recruitment.

Sam has apparently been ripping-up trees for the Rats, gaining selection for the Sydney Rays NRC side via his performances for the Rats in the Shute Shield. I think he will be a considerable boost to Edinburgh's squad, and how great to see a Scot being recognised, even if he had to go to the other side of the world to properly show his potential.

However, I can see a wee bit of a pattern emerging here, particularly among our lock forwards. Kieran McDonald-Seran and Andy Davidson at Warriors, and now Sam Thomson and temporary signing Murray Douglas at Edinburgh were all allowed to depart the SRU system, before being brought back, as was Mark Bennett, when he had his spell at Clermont Auvergne.

Am I alone in thinking, there are supposed talent-spotters inside the Murrayfield Big Top, who wouldn't know a talented player if that player kicked him in the goolies? Just saying.