SPEAKING as a long-term Cumnock RFC supporter, the massive news for me in Gregor Townsend's match-day squad to face France on Saturday is the return to the ranks, albeit only on the bench, of oor-ain Mark Bennett.
It's been a long and convoluted road back for Marko, but, he's put-in the work and, on his form for Edinburgh this season, he deserves the recall.
The starting team, shown at the head of this blog, is pretty-much as-expected. Many of us might have started Wilem Nel, to counteract French scrum power, but, otherwise, putting Sam Skinner into the boiler-house, and giving Rory Darge a first start, and playing with two sevens in the back-row, well, these are hardly surprises.
Regardless of which team we went with, we are, even with home advantage, going to start as second-favourites in a two-horse race. But, if we can run that massive French pack around the pitch, playing with tempo, who knows what might happen.
I AM INDEBTED to friend of this blog, Clubfan, for directing me towards the latest SRU Clubs & Schools Communication – dated 22 February. Luckily, he sent me a copy, you will not find this posted on the SRU website, where the latest such missive is dated 6 October, 2021. That's quite up-to-date for the quarter-wit who runs the SRU's Media Department, I must say.
The grist to this particular mill is regarding the season structure review, with the Union, led by Director of Rugby Development Gav Scott and President Ian Barr, releasing an information pack and a webnar which they hope will assist the clubs in this review.
There will be four workshops, held via the Zoom platform, as follows:
Premiership, National 1, 2 and 3 teams – 2 March, at 7pm
Caledonia Regional teams – 7 March, at 7pm
East Regional teams – 8 March, at 7pm
West Regional teams – 14 March, at 7pm
Members of the Rugby Development Department staff will deliver the workshops. The SRU has also sent out an information pack regarding what will be discussed:
The current status of the adult male game in Scotland
The aims of the review
A review of the 2019/20 consultation process
Recommendations from that review
The 2022 consultation process and timeline – with the intention of having the matter agreed at the AGM in August
Key questions
The information pack is certainly a comprehensive piece of work, outlining various alternatives as regards the playing calendar; looking at different scenarios around playing blocks and timing, promotion and relegation and how many National leagues we have, and how many clubs will be in each division. Certainly plenty of scope for debate.
I am personally delighted to see Game On up for discussion, and also a possible return to representative rugby at Regional level. I am sure the debate will be spirited.
I deliberately chose to merely highlight pointers from the document, I suggest it is worth seeking-out and reading.
IT'S MAKE YOUR MIND UP TIME:
The SRU Competitions Team wants to hear from you, about what happens in the club game, between now and the official end of the season on 22 May. And, they have come up with three options:
A Premiership Cup competition
An Inter-District competition
No cup competition
BUT – Clubs have to respond by Sunday, 27 February. (that's this coming Sunday).
The suggested format for the Premiership Cup will see the top four clubs: Currie Chieftains, Edinburgh Academical, Marr and Hawick seeded, two in Group 1, the other two in Group 2, with the other six Premiership clubs drawn randomly into the two groups. The teams would then play each other home or away basis, with the two group winners meeting in the final, at Murrayfield, on 14 May.
Option Two – an Inter-District Competition (who mentioned the banned D word?) would see players selected to play for their “Region of Origin,” as happens in Australia's Rugby League State of Origin series.
The suggestion is that each region selects A and B representative teams, for an A and a B competition, with the two finalists in each competition meeting in the final on 14 May.
The third suggestion is that there be no post league season cup competition.
Very interesting, let's see what the clubs say.
No comments:
Post a Comment