Money Talks - Or, In The Case Of Professional Rugby, Screams

BETWEEN Beirnegate, Stockdale's Stupidity, Racing razzmatazz, the Blow-Out in the Stade Michelin, and Warriors' woes, it was good to see actual rugby making the headlines over he past few days.

But, now we opinion writers are back to the purritch and auld claes of filling midweek space, and, lacking further information on Murrayfield Heatherbell 33's new role (Mr McKay goes to Washington) we need something else to write about.

I am becoming less-inclined to believe all the propaganda about the RFU being totally against World Rugby's World League proposals – because they fear the effects should England ever face relegation from the Six Nations. The reason for my scepticism is – well money talks, and the chaps at Twickenham need money, and lots of it, badly.

Twickenham, with those expensive roofs

So, if the new World League offers a significant financial boost over the status quo, well, Twickenham will be leading the charge to get their snouts into the trough. They cannot afford to not look seriously, then jump at, any major financial boost; not after last week's report on the condition of the Twickenham stadium infrastructure.

It has emerged that the roofs on the 80,000 capacity stadium's East, North and West stands all need costly repairs/replacement. This comes on top of the recently-completed £81 million investment in the hospitality areas in the East stand, and a £10 million cost-cutting exercise which saw 50 RFU staff made redundant and the cancellation of their ambitious artificial pitch installation programme for clubs.

The English governing body is also reported to be facing a £11 million loss in this financial year, and they are considering scrapping their Men's Sevens programme – which has knock-on effects on Scotland and Wales, since it impacts on Team GB's Olympic Sevens programme.

And, they are still without a Chief Executive Officer, with Nigel Melville doing the job on a caretaker basis. Given all these issues – if World Rugby does come-up with a workable big-money plan for the World League, can England afford to say no?

I did like the way Wales Online reported the Common Enemy's financial problems, basically: “Well Boyo, that just means they cannot afford to hire Gatland when they dump Eddie Jones.”

SPEAKING OF the RFU's £81 million investment in its hospitality areas. This is an example of the mind-boggling prices around corporate entertaining at England games.

A regular reader of this blog, who is on the RFU's corporate entertaining mailing list sent me a copy of the flier Twickenham has sent out, with regard to corporate packages for next year's Twickenham matches in the Six Nations. This reads:

Hospitality Suite	England v Ireland 23rd February 2020	England v Wales 7th March 2020
The Rose Garden Informal hospitality	£699	£699
Rugby House Private tables of 10/12	£849	£849
Players’ Lounge Private tables of 10/12	£1,049	£1,049
The Lock Private tables of 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12	£949 - Restaurant tables £1,049 - Pitch Viewing tables	£949 - Restaurant tables £1,049 - Pitch Viewing tables
The Gate Private tables of 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12	£1,049	£1,049
The East Wing Private tables of 2, 4, 6, 8, 10	£1,199 - Restaurant tables £1,249 - Pitch Viewing tables	£1,199 - Restaurant tables £1,249 - Pitch Viewing tables

*Prices per person and exclude VAT

It's that last line that got me – I thought until I had got that far, the prices quoted were perhaps for a table of ten, but no, that's EACH. OK, for corporate entertaining, the VAT will be reclaimable, but, WOW!!

As my late, sainted mother – an actual coal-miner's daughter - used to say: “Aye Son, it's an ill-divided world right enough.

ONE OF the other “Silverbacks” of the Scottish Rugby press corps called me yesterday. He was intrigued, as we all were, by the news of the SRU's investment in Old Glory DC and wanted to add his twopence-worth.

This chap is a regular summer visitor to the land of the free and the home of the brave, and he has serious reservations about MLR's (Major League Rugby's) chances of success in the already crowded American professional sports market. He bases these misgivings on a couple of big issues:

1. The distances involved, with only 12 franchises spread across the entire nation, the players are going to spend an awful lot of time travelling and living in hotels.
   
   
2. The big money in American rugby already goes to Sevens rather than 15-a-side, because, Sevens is an Olympic sport, and the Americans are getting rather good at it.

As he says: “The established professional sports organisations – the NBA, NFL, NHL and MLB (Baseball) all realised years ago, the constant cross-continent travel drains players and is costly, so, they work largely on an area basis:

The American Football Conference

Here are the four regional divisions for the American Football Conference (AFC):

• East Division: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, New York Jets
  
  
• West Division: Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers
  
  
• North Division: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers
  
  
• South Division: Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans

The National Football Conference

The National Football Conference (NFC) is divided into the following regional groups:

• East Division: Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins
  
  
• West Division: Arizona Cardinals, St. Louis Rams, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks
  
  
• North Division: Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings
  
  
• South Division: Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The regular NFL season sees each team play 16 games: its three divisional rivals home and

away (6 games), plus 6 other teams from inside its own conference and all four teams from a division of the other conference.

The play-offs then feature the eight divisional winners, plus the net four teams with the best record (the wild card teams) who play down until you have the AFC and NFC Champions, who contest the Super Bowl.

MLR rugby does not have that national coverage, so, may struggle to fund its operations.

Then there is the Olympics dimension. I remember, back in Seattle in 1986 while there with the touring SRU squad, being told by a leading American rugby administrator of the time: “Rugby in the USA will struggle until the game gets Olympic status. Companies in the USA will get involved in the four existing professional sports – American football, baseball, basketball and ice hockey, but, they will not go near another sport, unless they have a personal involvement, or that sport is in the Olympics.

“Once we are in the Olympics, just watch us take-off.”

Sadly for rugby, it is Sevens rather than Fifteens which is in the Olympics, so, that is where the money – and the development - in the USA will go.

Will Old Glory bring New Glory Or Be A Money Pit For The SRU?

WHAT'S IN IT FOR US? That is the most-common reaction I have heard when rugby men in Scotland speak about the SRU taking a minority share in Old Glory DC, the new Washington-based expansion franchise, due to kick-off in MLR (Major League Rugby), when its 2020 season begins in February next year.

Old Glory - at the moment, a badge and a dream

The SRU is putting-up around £500,000 to buy its minority holding in the new franchise. That might look a lot, but, in reality, it works out at around £3000 per Scottish league club. A handy wee sum, but, not earth-shatteringly so.

Of course, the way the Scottish Rugby Union is now structured, the SRU board runs SRU Plc, which is the commercial arm of the business. The SRU Council runs (or is supposed to run) the actual game of Rugby Union. The management model is: SRU Plc makes the money, which the SRU spends.

Old Glory DC is very-much a work in progress, have a look at their website, you will not find much information on it. So, I am, like everyone else in Scottish rugby, able to perhaps think creatively about this move.

The new club still does not have either a Director of Rugby, or a Head Coach, and only lists three signed players. Might this be an area in which the SRU can have significant input? There are several coaches already employed by the SRU in full-time roles, who are perhaps due a shot at a Head Coach role – Kenny Murray and Mike Blair at Glasgow, Duncan Hodge at Edinburgh, to name but three. Might this be a means of giving guys like these a chance to show what they can do.

Could there also be player movement, as is already happening through the link-up with Nice on the French Riviera? I appreciate, the six Super-6 franchises will be keen to recruit from this source, but, might we see some graduates from the Forsoc Scottish Rugby Academy being sent to DC?

The SRU has yet to make the announcement, but, on the Old Glory DC website, there is advance notice of a match to be played, in Washington, between Old Glory DC and the Scotland Under-20 side. This game will take place on Monday, 27 May, in Washington. This is the annual Memorial Day weekend, a public holiday in the USA.

I just wonder how many of the “suits” will be able to talk their way onto that particular trip.

The fact is, the SRU really MUST let the clubs and the Scottish Rugby community as a whole have an idea what this move is all about. There have been too-many surprise deals presented as a fait accompli by the current junta inside BT Murrayfield.

It is time they told the PBI who run the clubs, buy the merchandise and more-importantly the match tickets what is happening. The time for secrets is past.

Boroughmuir's Calum Anderson might never have to take a more-important kick

then this one, which won the Scottish Under-18 Cup for his side, on Sunday at Murrayfield

IN YESTERDAY'S blog post, I did a quick run down of the weekend action, EXCEPT, I forgot to mention the two Youth Cup finals, the Under-16 one, in which Stirling County edged out Biggar, and the Under-18 one, won in the most-dramatic of circumstances by Boroughmuir.

They took a 12-0 lead against Ayr/Wellington, only to see the West Coast side bounce back to take a 14-12 lead. Then, with the seconds ticking away, 'Muir were awarded a penalty, which stand-off Calum Anderson stroked home to allow the Meggetland boys to add the National Cup to the Shogun Conference which they won earlier this season.

OK, being an Ayrshireman, I was hoping Ayr/Wellington could win, but, I am actually pleased to the guys at 'Muir, who have really put a lot of effort into making their youth policy work. For everyone, coaches, volunteers and sponsors, this return on their input in time and money is very welcome. Well done to them.

I GOT myself into a bit of hot water a few weeks back, when I offered up the view that Glasgow Hawks' future was a bit uncertain. President Kenny Hamilton, and one or two other prominent figures in the club wasted no time in telling me I was being unduly pessimistic and that Hawks were already planning for the new season.

Well these plans firmed-up on Monday, with the news Assistant Coach Andy Hill was stepping up to become the main man, in succession to Fin Gillies. Andy is a club stalwart, a good number eight as a player and I wish him and Hawks well in what will be a competitive Tennent's Premiership next season.

 Scott Wight - back in rugby as Head Coach at Selkirk

Another new Premiership coaching appointment has also been announced, with the news Scott Wight is back in the game, as Head Coach at Selkirk.

The Premiership split looks like being:

• Three West teams – GHA, Glasgow Hawks and Marr
  
  
• Two Edinburgh teams – Currie Chieftains and Edinburgh Academical
  
  
• Four South teams – Gala, Hawick, Jed-forest and Selkirk
  
  
• One team from Caledonia – Aberdeen Grammar

The new-look and somewhat controversial National League 1 will line-up:

• Three West teams – Ayr, Biggar and Cartha-Queen's Park
  
  
• Four Edinburgh sides – Boroughmuir, Heriot's, Musselburgh and Watsonians
  
  
• Two South teams – Kelso and Melrose
  
  
• Three Caledonia clubs – Dundee HSFP, Highland and Stirling County

As things stand, it's a case of: “furrit tho we canna see, we guess and fear,” as to how season 2019-20 will unfold – I suspect we will see a larger than normal amount of player movement, as some of the twenty-somethings who have been familiar figures in various Premiership sides will have a serious decision to make: “Do I commit to at least one season in Super-6, or do I put my long-term career goals first and either switch to a Premiership side, or drop into my club's NL1 squad?

I suppose it will all depend on what deal they are offered – I have yet to find anyone who thinks NL1 will be “strictly amateur” next season. There will, at the very least, be: “generous expenses deals” on the table for those who are not willing to commit to Super-6.

As A Sunday Couch Potato - I Was Entertained

Thoughts on a European Sunday, spent watching BT's rugby coverage:

Formidable!!!

• Finn really is a class act, so-many of the good things Racing did in that hugely-entertaining game against Toulouse, stemmed from his genius.

• From the same game – Richie Gray is well and truly back. Let's hope he can stay healthy for the World Cup, he will be a definite plus for us if he is in our squad.

• From the Clermont v Northampton game: get Rory Hutchison into the Scotland squad quickly. Apart from a terrific solo try, he produced some great touches around the park.

• From the same game, didn't Glasgow dodge a bullet, when they off-loaded Teqele Nayavorovo. He came with a great reputation, which he failed to live up to. Watching him for Saints yesterday – he's a penalty waiting to be awarded against him. And, the way Penaud skinned him to score was embarrassing.

• Still at Clermont, the English commentators were becoming very-agitated at some of George Clancy's decisions. Welcome to our world.

THE CALENDAR has wound round to April, we are now in British Summer Time – the nichts are fair drawin' oot, but, for a lot of club rugby, the season is all but over. I know we never can plan too far ahead, due to the vagaries of our winter weather, but, don't you sometimes wish we could get our seasonal calendar better arranged?

There are still one or two loose ends to be tied-up in Clubland this month, so, I though I would flag-up some of these:

• We already know – Marr, Jed-forest, GHA and Selkirk will join Currie Chieftains, Edinburgh Accies, Glasgow Hawks and Hawick in next season's Tennent's Premiership.
• But, the identity of the final two clubs in next season's top ten has still to be discovered. It's a case of two from three, with Aberdeen Grammar, Gala and Musselburgh the sides in contention. Grammar will book their place, if they beat Dundee HSFP, at Mayfield in their final match.

After that, things start to become interesting. Musselburgh have it all to do; they must beat Kirkcaldy a Beveridge Park on Saturday, while a bonus point would definitely be handy. That would put them one point behind Gala, and set up some cracking games for Saturday 20 April.

On that date, Gala go to Marr, while Musselburgh visit Jed, and the results of these two games will sort out who wins the league, and who claims sixth spot.

There is a bit of outlier involved. If Kelso can beat Jed on Saturday, that will hand the league to Marr, and clear-up at least one of the unanswered questions

At the foot of NL1, Hamilton have gone, but bottom club Kirkcaldy still have a chance of survival. If they can beat Musselburgh, they will go on to 34 or 35 points, which offers a chance of survival, if Kelso can do them a favour, by beating Cartha-Queen's Park, who have 32 points, in another possibly intriguing 20 April fixture.

Biggar have already won National League 2, but, who goes up with them to NL1 and the challenge of the Super-6 amateur sides next season? As things stand, Highland are favourites. They and Stewart's Melville each has 77 points, but, the Inverness boys have two games in hand over their capital rivals. So, wins over Peebles and Howe of Fife would mean they could travel to Inverleith to face Stew-Mel, in a game scheduled for 27 April, without a care in the world. Otherwise, it's squeaky bum time.

In National League 3, Gordonians and Newton Stewart have clinched the top two spots and should be going up, however, we keep hearing of possible league reconstruction at this level, so, who knows what might happen here.

No harm or disrespect to the clubs in this division, but, I remain convinced, a Premiership and three National Leagues is a case of one division too many.

IN THE regional leagues, kudos to Strathmore, who have already won Caledonian League 1 with a perfect 15/15 record. In fact, I understand their loss to Greenock Wanderers in the National Bowl semi-final on Saturday was their only defeat this season.

In East Regional League Division 1, Berwick have already clinched he title, with an almost perfect record – 17 wins and 1 draw in 18 games. But for an old romantic like me, the good news in the East is – Langholm has begun to climb back up the leagues, by finishing second in East 2.

However, if you want to see a league with it all to play for, look no further than West Regional League 1. Here is the current state of play:

Team	P	W	L	D	F:A	Diff	TB	LB	Points
East Kilbride RFC	21	18	3	0	765:325	440	13	3	88
Allan Glen's RFC	20	18	2	0	847:261	586	14	1	87
Greenock Wanderers RFC	18	15	2	1	759:264	495	13	1	76
Garnock RFC	20	15	5	0	701:301	400	13	3	76
Irvine RFC	20	11	9	0	584:455	129	10	2	56
Annan RFC	20	9	10	1	419:557	-138	6	3	47
Stewartry RFC	22	8	14	0	539:625	-86	7	3	42
Kilmarnock RFC	22	7	14	1	466:603	-137	9	3	42
Strathendrick RFC	19	9	10	0	356:566	-210	4	0	40
Cambuslang RFC	22	5	16	1	403:927	-524	8	1	31
Cumnock RFC	21	3	18	0	300:880	-580	5	2	19
Dalziel RFC	19	2	17	0	328:703	-375	4	3	15

Given they have three games in-hand over league leaders East Kilbride, and two in-hand over second-placed Allan Glen's, you cannot write-off Greenock Wanderers' chances of a late promotion run from third place.

Kilbride need to beat Garnock, in their final league fixture, on Saturday; a win will put them on 92 or (with a bonus point) 93 points. This is a total which both Glen's and Wanderers can surpass – provided both keep winning.

The entire West 1 season could come down to 80 minutes, on 20 April, when Wanderers play hosts to Glen's at Fort Matilda. Now, that will be a game worth watching. Pity I have already reserved my spot on "Hecklers' Hill" at Fullarton for that afternoon.

Belated congratulations too, to Lenzie, who have posted a perfect 17/17 record in winning West 2.