The One About The Super-6 Clubs' Joint Statement

THE SIX clubs who had their franchise bids selected by the SRU, and who will play in the new 'Super-6' competition, which is due to begin in a year's time, all posted the following statement on their amateur club websites over the weekend:

“All selected 'Super Six' clubs have now had a number of very positive meetings and there is good progress being made in a number of areas.

It is important to highlight that there is a collective will from the teams to work with all the clubs in Scotland to ensure that the Super Six competition provides a pathway to enhance the whole of Scottish club rugby and not just the six participating clubs.

Super 6 Club XV League Standing

All Scottish clubs were given an opportunity to bid for a franchise competing in a new part-time professional competition alongside their existing rugby club. It was made clear from the outset that the successful Franchise Club XV would play in the new National 1 based upon:

• National 1 being the right level based on player welfare and competitiveness of teams. The recent changes to the BT cup structure, where the number of competing teams was reduced to 16 due to safety concerns, being the precedent for this decision.

• Agreement that Club XV’s of all clubs should be allowed to find their own natural level within the pyramid structure of Scottish club rugby and therefore being promoted or relegated based on the rules of the competition from a league position determined by the level of performance at which they are able to operate. The primary principle behind this being the preservation of the integrity of the league structure for all clubs.

All Super 6 clubs applied on this basis and have therefore accepted their Club XV being placed in National 1.

Super 6 Squad Sizes

We are having ongoing discussions about the make-up of the 35 man Super Six playing squad and how we can work with Scottish Rugby and other clubs to ensure that those players not playing Super Six are able to play regularly.

This could potentially involve dual registration of players with championship clubs depending on the outcome of the debate on amateurism and agreement from the other clubs. We are aware of the perception of player drain on non-Super Six clubs and therefore this initiative can only be good for the players and all of Scottish Rugby.

Interaction with non-Super Six clubs

All of the Super 6 Clubs recognise they have a responsibility to support and help develop their local clubs. To enable this, all Super 6 clubs will be arranging regular meetings with clubs within their area to discuss how they can best work together for their mutual benefit. Some of these meetings are happening already.

Super 6 is designed to enhance Scottish club rugby as a whole and as the custodians of a Super Six franchise we are determined to ensure that it is positive for all clubs within Scotland- not just the Super Six clubs. We are open to discussion and would encourage you contact us if you have any specific questions or concerns.”

That ten paragraph statement is 482 words long, and it tells us nothing new about the most-divisive change to Scottish rugby in around half a century. All six clubs posted the same statement, which indicates it was produced from a central source – my suspicion is that “The Small Controller”, SRU Head of Media Matt Horler was the probable author – it certainly did not come out without the blessing of the control freaks inside the Big Top in EH12.

Let's go through it, paragraph by paragraph.

Paragraph 1. Not much to get aerated about there – unity among the six is clearly holding, so far. They are all singing off the same hymn sheet.

Paragraph 2. Now it gets interesting: To quote from this par: “a collective will from the teams to work with all the clubs in Scotland to ensure that the Super Six competition provides a pathway to enhance the whole of Scottish club rugby and not just the six participating clubs.”

OK, so the six franchises will: “work with all the clubs in Scotland.” Does that mean the six cubs will be actively going out of their way to help the clubs in the nether reaches of Caledonia who seem a good long way away from where the action is?

How will telling a stand-off with Highland or Caithness: “Sorry son, if you want a chance at a professional career, you will need to join one of the six franchises,” provide

“a pathway to enhance the whole of Scottish club rugby?”

That hypothetical number ten moving, provides the franchise club with another potential first team player, but, it certainly does not enhance the club which is losing him.

 David Rollo

Back in the day, David Rollo did not have to quit Howe of Fife to win 40 Scotland caps and become a British Lion – he could stay with his club (which NEVER made it into the then unofficial championship), he could play for his club – and demonstrate his prowess over other would-be Scotland players by playing for North and Midlands; then take what he learned in the high-performance arena back to his club.

Paragraphs 3, 4, 5 and 6: These should perhaps be linked together. The contentious part of these is in paragraph 3: “It was made clear from the outset that the successful Franchise Club XV would play in the new National 1,” paragraphs 4, 5 and 6 went on to qualify this statement.

However, it should be remembered, that statement was made by The Fat Controller. It was a statement he had no right to make, since, under the SRU bye-laws it is up to the SRU Council, in consultation with the clubs, to make this decision.

The current tranche of National League 1 clubs have, at their forum meetings, been resolute in calling for the six franchises' “amateur” clubs to be placed no higher than National League 3 in season 2019-20 – the first season of the franchises.

This single issue is probably the biggest hurdle the six clubs have to overcome.

Paragraphs 7 and 8: These refer to another contentious issue, that of the 35-man squads and the knock-on effects of this on the general club game. Again, we do not know how many of this season's Premiership squads across the six franchise-winners' core clubs will wish to, or perhaps through career issues, be able to commit to the demands of semi-professional rugby.

If we accept the premise that most if not all of the six franchise winners are already operating “semi-professional” first team squads, and they do not intend making sweeping changes as to how they operate – this ought not become much of an issue.

But, if the change to official “semi-professional” rugby calls for a greater time commitment – perhaps training during the day two or three days per week – well, there could be a considerable drop-off in numbers, additional recruiting to be done and a knock-on effect on other clubs, if players move.

Another thing about which I am uncertain – does the 35-man squad commitment mean, 35-players, plus the five or so Stage Three Academy players we hear will be going to each club, plus the, however many full-time professionals they have drafted to them; or, is it a 35-man squad, including the Academy and full-time professional players – received wisdom seems to be: it will be 30-men plus the five Academy players.

[A wee diversion here, this season's Premiership draft was announced last week, with the following result:

Ayr got 13 drafted professionals; Boroughmuir 9; Currie Chieftains 13; Edinburgh Academicals 9; Glasgow Hawks 14; Hawick 9; Heriot's 8; Melrose 8; Stirling County 14; Watsonian's 9. This means 105 professionals – 47 from Glasgow, 46 from Edinburgh and 12 from Scotland 7s were in the draft – spread around the ten clubs.

If that had been done equably, each of the clubs would have been allowed 10.5 players (I know how do you sort that out? - 10 players to each of the top five clubs, 11 to each of the bottom five perhaps?)]

There will surely need to be a fair allocation of the full-time professionals to the six franchises, which would work-out at 17.5 professionals per franchise.

So, let's do the math, as our American cousins say: 35 players per squad, plus 17 full-time pros – giving each franchise, on paper, a 52-man squad from which to select their 23-man match-day squad each week.

Those hypothetical “warehouses” each franchise is going to need, just got a wee bit bigger.

Given that last season, Glasgow played 28 matches (22 in the PRO14 and 6 in Europe, that works-out to 644 possible player appearances (28 matches x 23 man squads), spread over their 54-man squad – an average of 12 appearances per player. Yet, only 29 of the 54 players matched or bettered that figure.

Going by those figures, there should always be a sufficient number of full-time professionals and Academy players to augment the core 30-man squad. In which case, “warehousing” should not be a problem. Aye right!!

From these figures – dual-registration should not be either necessary or a problem. Again, Aye Right!!

Paragraphs 9 and 10: These deal with interaction between the Super Six clubs and the other non-Super-Six clubs around them. These are deep and dangerous waters. Scottish rugby is, like many aspects of Scottish life, still in-thrall to the old clan system. As I have said before, in my own part of Scotland, God's County of Ayrshire – there is still an element of ABA – Anyone But Ayr – around the local clubs.

The perception, right or wrong, is that the Millbrae Mob are very good at taking good players away from the lesser local clubs, but, not very good at giving back. I have heard that suggested too about some of the other franchise-winning clubs.

Sure, the six are making the right noises here, but, the proof of the pudding will come once S6 is up and running. Let's give them the benefit of the doubt at present, but, be ready for some stories of double-dealing and a one-way rather than two-way movement of players.

Yes, it might all be going swimmingly for each of the six clubs and their five new besties, but, there are still a lot of issues to be decided, and the final proof will not be known for at least a year.

As I have said before – this story will run and run.

No Shitting In The Woods From The Bear, As He Delivers Some Home Truths

YESTERDAY'S blog post about the cost of S6, elicited some very interesting posts, which I feel demand further examination.

The first one I want to touch on was a comment on my Facebook page from a definite hero of Scottish rugby: Iain “The Bear” Milne, of course a past president as well as a marvellous player for one of the six franchise winners, Heriot's.

no caption needed

The Bear had this to say:

“Firstly I’d like to make it clear that my opinions are my own and nothing to do with my club Heriot’s.

It has always been my belief that Scotland needed another tier of rugby between the Premiership and the 2 Pro clubs. My preference has always been for an Edinburgh and Glasgow A teams then possibly Districts. The Premiership clubs did not want these options and tasked the SRU to come up with a solution, this they have done. ( remember the clubs rejected an 8 team league).

The long term benefit of the Super 6 will be the development of more young Academy players fit to play professional rugby, never mind the development of more back room staff.

As professional players salaries continue to spiral it is important that we keep developing young players to play the pro game, the savings will far outstrip any cost of financing the Super 6.

The thorny issue of where the Super 6 teams play is not easy. However the Super 6 clubs have to appreciate they are in a privileged situation and have to work with the other clubs for the betterment of Scottish Rugby. They should not be allowed to proceed beyond the 2nd tier of club rugby for at least 3 years.

My main concern is the dying off of the male adult game. Despite all the money and resources being put in to youth rugby actual playing numbers in the male adult game continue to decline.

Clubs have to work together, start trusting each other and think of the big picture and produce a product that young men want. Less travel, shorter season, fun and and a game that gives them its traditional values of trust, respect, friendship and a game for ALL.

As I’ve said for over 20 years we do not have enough bad players playing the game.
Let’s put self interest behind us, now is a great opportunity to make our game great once more.

Cheers to all true rugby people. “

It is difficult to argue with the big man's reading of things. He makes an interesting point, one which has perhaps been forgotten in all the fire and fury of the S6 debate – Murrayfield seized the initiative in forcing through S6, because, as Iain points out: “The Premiership clubs did not want these options and tasked the SRU to come up with a solution, this they have done. ( remember the clubs rejected an 8 team league).”

I agree with Ian, option one: Edinburgh and Glasgow A teams, or option two: Districts are both infinitely-better options than the divisive S6 template. And, as Iain says, the Premiership clubs rejected an eight-club league, again, in my view, a better set-up than either the existing ten-club situation, or the six-club one we will have next season.

However, the real meat on the bones of The Bear's comments come towards the end, when he says:

“My main concern is the dying off of the male adult game. Despite all the money and resources being put in to youth rugby actual playing numbers in the male adult game continue to decline.”

This is serious, very serious, because, if there isn't a domestic game, if ordinary guys who will never get close to wearing the thistle don't keep playing – there will be nobody interested enough in rugby to want to go and watch Edinburgh, Glasgow or the Scotland team.

Iain is correct when he says:

“As I’ve said for over 20 years we do not have enough bad players playing the game.”

The professionals, the national squad, the professionals with Edinburgh and Glasgow, the semi-professionals with the current Premiership clubs and next season's franchises – they get their strips and boots supplied; they train in club track-suits, which are supplied.

They don't buy their own kit, they don't buy the club ties, sweaters and polo shirts. They are relatively fit, they are not the backbone of the bar takings, they don't buy the pies after the game – it's the ordinary club members who keep that major part of the Scottish rugby economy going.

Where many, long-established clubs, 50-years go were running six teams, and even 20-years ago were running four teams, today, they are running two teams, if they are lucky three. Even at regional level, today it is all about “performance”.

Very few people today are playing “Coarse Rugby.” There should have been a preservation order on that form of the game – if not invented, then certainly championed by my old Sunday Times sub-editing mate Michael Green. We badly need, as Iain Milne has realised, to bring back Coarse Rugby, if mainstream rugby is to have a future.

But, the grass-roots do not concern the “suits” at Murrayfield. They are only concerned about the bottom line – form the professional and performance arm of the game. Of course, far-too-many of the “suits” don't have a clue about Scottish rugby.

And, maybe we, the ordinary club-men and women are to blame, because, from where I am sitting, while we have a few good men still in-situ, it seems as if, of late, we have elected too-many “wankers”, to use the Chewin' the Fat description, to high office.

For instance, one current Board/Council member has not called a meeting of the clubs he represents for over a year – other than the vice-residential hustings, which were called at a time and place guaranteed to be as inconvenient as possible for them. Yet, the said senior member of the “Blazeratti” (elected officials are blazeratti – the paid executive guys are “suits”) is always front and centre in the posh seats at PRO14 games.

These sort of guys are not interested in the people who put them there – once they have a place to put their snouts in the trough.

Already, even before the new league season has kicked-off we have seen Bowl and Shield games forfeited – because clubs cannot raise teams, with a particular problem in finding front rowers.

Every season, we see more and more lower league or 2^nd XV league games called-off, but, so-long as the money is coming in to fund the professional game, the “suits” and some of the “blazeratti” are unconcerned.

You have a problem Murrayfield – when are you going to do something about it.

I Am Not Alone In Being Worried As To The Possible Costs Of Stupid-6

EARLIER this week, I mentioned being questioned by the parent of a current Scottish internationalist over the potential costs of running a Stupid-6 franchise. I posted my reply, and put costs down at somewhere north of £300,000 per season.

That post generated a lot of heat and light, with Alistair Munro, a Boroughuir member, getting particularly het-up with me. Well Alistair, you should maybe take a Valium, breathe deeply and sit down, because I am returning to the subject.

Alistair Munro - believes my figures are wrong, what will he make of these?

The concerned parent got back to me, and he tells me I have under-estimated my costs by over 100%, and produced figures to back his assessment. Here is what he says:

“The benchmark for player payment has to be the academy/pathway. The £12,000 pa grant that is dished out to stage three players is the floor on payments that any 18 year old is expecting.

“Four years ago I spoke with an (average ability) Premiership player who had been working as a self-employed tradesman; he stated that his expenses from his club for the previous season had meant that he had not needed to work that year, so we can assume they are pretty generous.

 

So let's take an educated stab in the dark and see what our super team is going to cost to run”:

Reason for cost	Actual cost	Notes
Salary of Head Coach	£30,000 per season	Based on advertised posts for a Level 3 coach
Assistant coaches	£45,000 per season	Based on three x Level 2 coaches
Players	£700,000 per season	Based on 35 x £20,000 per season average; paid as “wages”, “grants” or “expenses”
Physiotherapists	£29,000 per season	Based on 2 physios, 11 hours each per week (2 x 3 hours training, plus 5 hours match day) @ £30 per hour
Travel within Scotland	£5,600.00	Based on eight away games @ £700 per time coach hire*
Pitch rental	£2,200.00	Based on 11 home games; -hour hire @ £50 per hour
Total	£811,800.00
SRU contribution	£127,500.00	Towards playing and coaching costs
Sum needed to fund a franchise for a season	£684,300.00

These figures are based on a season lasting 44 weeks (pre-season training plus 2 warm-up games and 20 competitive games).

*It is understood the SRU will pick-up the travel costs incurred in the proposed cross-border competition with the Welsh Premiership clubs.

“There are additional costs to be factored-in. The assumption at the moment appears to be: the franchises will have the use of the “core” club's facilities. However, this is not certain. It appears the Melrose franchise will be based in Edinburgh, at their partner Napier University's campus, adjacent to Edinburgh Academy – Ayr has a similar partnership with the University of the West of Scotland and will have the use of the facilities at their Craigie Campus. These, and similar deals elsewhere will incur additional costs.

Such things as office facilities for the full-time Head Coach and the franchise club's adinistrator have to be included. Then there is the probability – team and kit managers, who may, at the moment work on a voluntary basis can hardly be expected to continue to do this, when others in the off-field team are being paid. These essential bodies may not be demanding huge payments, but. Paid they will have to be.

Add-in such items as playing and training kit, “number ones” for the more-formal occasion and an annual budget of £750,000 per season does not appear to be excessive.

Now when we – the small sub-committee driving the franchise forward - go back to the committee at our parent club we are going to find that it is down to us to find these additional funds.

The existing “core” clubs all want to if not retain their “Premiership” (this season – Championship from 2019-20) status, at least be placed no lower than National League 1 – that argument has already begun.

So, our so called “second XV” is suddenly our first competitor. If we rob the club of all its best players then the club is looking at relegation from the Championship (always assuming they are placed at that level)m or perhaps even from National 1. That's not going to play to well with the larger, amateur club committee and some of the older members.

Another challenge is - the other five franchises also have a player roster to fill, so they are going to be offering club XV players incentives to come and join them. The amateur club will find its player bill has increased. Knock-on effect is that the franchise's player bill is likely to suffer inflation as well.

We can also add in the aspiration that we will be playing at a level above the existing premiership, so we are going to need some of the 90 Academy players, plus probably importing players from the England and the colonies (this is already happening). All of a sudden that player budget looks a little light.

Now, from where is the franchise-driving sub-committee going to find their £750,000? They need to find a few sponsors or preferably a very wealthy rugby fan with a large disposable pot of money, none of whom are currently supporting club rugby. If they fail to do this, they mess things up at the levels below.

Assume that they can find the money and they sort out the home base problems, then who is going to come and watch this new level of rugby? If the franchise side plays at the parent club's ground, the fans are being asked to support the super team and the club team, or in traditional parlance the 1st XV and the 2nd XV, and we all know who they are going to watch. This would mean that the club team (2nd XV) with their increased player wage bill would now have a huge hole in their match day takings.

 Ayr's supposed new Dam Park home,before they start developing it

Could the franchises get a little closer to where the public are? Ayr are already planning to do this, by moving into the town centre from Alloway – however, a good number of Millbrae regulars already live in Alloway – it is difficult to see where some of the franchises could build a new fan base.

There are even suggestions, Melrose, if they base their franchise in Edinburgh, could end-up playing there - which will mean four teams fighting over the scraps of the red trousered rugby fans.

Let us pause for reflection here, and have a look at the monster we have lying before us, before we pull the switch and give life to our creation:

1. Super 6 is a new layer that will fit between the pro teams and the premiership
   
   
2. The pro teams are only just getting established as viable entities (Glasgow sells out, Edinburgh still has a way to go)
   
   
3. The existing premiership teams are all sailing pretty close to the wind financially, most only lodge abbreviated accounts, but the balance sheets do not show healthy reserves
   
   
4. Super 6 will weaken the premiership squads, although it may not be even across the country
   
   
5. We need over 200 "new" players to fill the super 6 squads, which will fuel wage inflation
   
   
6. Super 6 teams will have to find a new audience, or they will cannabilise their club's supporters and threaten the viablity of the club.

You might be forgiven for thinking that those oilmen in Aberdeen are cannier than you gave them credit for when they chose to pass on this exciting opportunity.”

That's what my concerned parent came-up with, and he knows his way around balance sheets and costings far-better than I, an admitted numpty when it comes to financial matters ever could.

But, there are other implications – the demand for a 3G pitch has not gone away, it may have been kicked into the long grass due to sportscotland's current penury and inability to fund such facilities – but, it has not been permanently dropped.

That's another one-off bill of up to £750,000 to probably be met, somewhere down the line.

Do the lucky half dozen Chosen Ones – and their wider club memberships, still think these franchises are a good idea?

And that is rapidly getting towards the £1 million question.

When I posted my original thoughts on these costs, as I said above, Alistair Munro jumped-in to accuse me of: "talking shite." Fair enough Alistair, you are welcome to your opinion, just as my concerned parent, quoted here, and I myself are free to voice our opinions.

The thing is, when it comes to Stupid-6 costs, as I have frequently said: "nobody knows." Everyone, from The Fat Controller down, is making it up as they go along - which is hardly good commercial practise.

Alistair Munro might be right, and I am over-estimating the costs. The player's parent might be wrong and I am under-estimating. He might be wrong in his figures. But, a good rule of thumb, and not just in house-building, is frequently voiced by Kevin McCloud in that excellent Channel 4 programme 'Grand Designs.'

 When it comes to grand designs - heed ye the words of Kevin McCloud

Kevin says: "When you set-out to realise your Grand Design, it is always safe to reckon it will take twice as long, and cost twice as much as you initially planned for>"

Might that rule also hold good for the SRU's grand design for Super-6?

We Have Been Producing Players - But, Maybe Our Coaches Didn't Trust Them Enough

THE driving force behind the introduction of Super-6 is the suggestion, the Tennant's Premiership is not fit for purpose, (provided you believe it's primary purpose is to prepare players for professional rugby – discuss).

Peter Murchie - a Warriors' centurion, now charged with making S6 work

Thus, the SRU's Performance Department has decreed – we must have S6, this new semi-professional level of rugby, in order to better prepare Scottish players for the rigours of life in the PRO14.

Fair enough, but, what nobody has yet done is assessed, how well the professional arm of the SRU has done in this matter of player development, in the past. So, every ready to shite-stir for the benefit of Scottish Rugby, Aristotle decided to take a look.

Sadly, I have not yet been able to pull together all the necessary information with regard to Edinburgh, but, I have been able to analyse Glasgow's performance in player production over the past decade.

We start at the beginning of season 2008-09. Here we find Glasgow has a player pool consisting of 28 veteran players – guys who had been there for at least a full season. That season ten “Academy” players were training full-time with Glasgow, of these: Pat McArthur, Richie Gray, Rob Harley, Ruaridh Jackson and John Welsh would go on to win full international honours; Calum Forrester made a significant contribution before injury took him to the Premiership with Ayr and into coaching, while Chris Kinloch, Dave Whiteford, Greg Francis and Gary Strain made, between them, a mere five appearances.

In the decade I have looked at, Glasgow has used 166 players - that is the number of players who have actually got on the park during a game. With rugby now a 23-man game, off the bench appearances are counted as games played. The 166 players comprise:

• The 28 veteran “core” players
  
  
• 59 “Academy” players
  
  
• 35 other Scottish-qualified players brought-in from elsewhere
  
  
• 44 non-Scottish players
  
  
• An additional 24 “Academy” players have, over the decade, been assigned to Glasgow without ever getting on the park in a serious game. This includes eight “Academy” players who were full-time with Glasgow last season but didn't get a game. Some of them will surely feature this season.

The average “Academy” player spends at least three seasons with the club, during which he will play around 41 games, an average of 11 per season.

Murchie will be assisted by Pat McArthur, the only Warrior to play in each of the last ten seasons

One of these players – Pat McArthur, spent all ten seasons I have looked at with the club, prior to dropping down to a player-coach role with Ayr at the end of last season. He is one of 11 “Academy” promotions to have made over 100 appearances for the club – Rob Harley topping that list with over 180 games – while a further seven players have made between 50 and 100 appearances.

The 35 “Scottish-qualified” players list is made-up of players such as Henry Pyrgos and Peter Murchie, whose early rugby education was outwith Scotland, project players such as Josh Strauss and players bought-in from other clubs, including Edinburgh, where they had cut their teeth professionally. Where as with Ruaridh Jackson, a player returns to Glasgow for a second spell, he is counted within his original criteria – in Jackson's case, he was one of the original “Academy” players from a decade ago.

These 35 players have tended to spend a shade over three seasons with the club, during which they will play around 42 games, at an average of 13 per season – similar figures to the “Academy”-trained Scots.

Six of these players have played over a century of games for Glasgow – Pyrgos leads the way with 156, followed by Tommy Seymour, Ryan Grant, Peter Murchie, Tim Swinson and Josh Strauss. A further six have played between 50 and 100 games, but, perhaps significantly, half of these players failed to manage 20 games for Warriors.

The 44 non-Scots players have been drawn from 14 countries, you will not be surprised to learn the most-popular recruiting ground has been New Zealand, with eight non-kilted Kiwis being recruited to the cause.

These hired mercenaries tend not to hang around for long, in spite of the delights of the West End of Glasgow. The average stay is 1.6 seasons, in which our hired hand will play 21.4 games, an average of 13.4 games per season.

 DTH Van Der Merwe - the only Warriors import to pass 100 games

Only one non-Scot has managed over a century of games – the great DTH Van Der Merwe, while just three: Aussie centre Sam Johnston – who will surely add to his 70-odd appearances this season, and the iconic “Weegies fae Fiji” Nikola Matawalu and Leone Nakarawa, have managed over 50 games.

Twenty of these forty-four imports failed to manage even ten games for Glasgow, that's 45%. Injuries can come into play in racking-up such statistics, but, when some of the imports have featured in the Premiership, they have failed to impress the locals, which makes one question the judgement of the guys at Murrayfield who are doing the hiring.

Leone Nakarawa - brought an X-factor to Scotstoun

Of course, we will always welcome stars such as Niko, Leone, DTH or Callum Gibbons, who bring an undoubted X-factor to the team, and who buy-into the team's philosophy, but, I am not the only regular Premiership watcher who feels, maybe a wee bit more promotion of home-grown talent would be better for Scottish rugby.

For instance, George Hunter and Rob McAlpine, who both left Ayr for new jobs in London at the end of last season had a tough time when first associated with Warriors at the start of their careers – neither getting much game time.

Hunter went to Ayr, where he developed into one of the best props in the Premiership, as well as doing some impressive shifts in the back two rows of the pack. Indeed, he gave some drafted professionals a going over in Premiership games over the years. McAlpine had a tough time persuading the Ayr fans of his talents, but, he too, in the last two seasons has become a genuine force and, when recalled to cover a shortage of locks by Glasgow a couple of seasons back – he did not look out of place.

Fraser Brown - cut from the pro ranks, but battled back in the Premiership

And we should not forget the likes of Jamie Bhatti and Fraser Brown, who were dropped from the professionals roster at a young age, went back to the Premiership and came back to Warriors to win international recognition.

I mentioned the 24 “Academy” players who never got on the pitch. I think we can safely discount the eight first-year boys who didn't get a game last season. Surely, a club coach who has his name on 'The Dave Rennie Shield', over which the Bay of Plenty and Counties Manakua Under-19 squads will do battle tomorrow, at Massey Park, Papakura, will be ready to give any young buck who shows a bit of promise his chance.

Of the other 16, however, five are in the Scotland Sevens squad, while another five have made significant contributions to the Premiership. None, however, has been able to fight his way back to the Glasgow squad, second time around as it were – which does not bode well for one of the ancillary sales pitches of S6 – the possibility of late developers coming through.

Youth development is an inexact science, however. Look how football celebrates: “The Class of '92” - the Manchester United youth team from whence came: the Neville brothers, Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt, David Beckham – and, in case we forget him – Robbie Savage.

Rob Harley - 186 games not out for one of the Stars of the Class of 2010-11

Well, I'll see your “Class of '92” and raise you the Warriors' “Class of 2010-11.” Step forward Stuart Hogg, Mark Bennett, Duncan Weir, Ryan Wilson, Rob Harley, Chris Fusaro, Gordy Reid and the unfortunate one – Glasgow Hawks' coach Fin Gillies, whose dreams were stymied by injury. They all made their Warriors' debut that season.

Now, if S6 brings through that level of quality more than once a decade – I will get right behind it.

Generally, I feel over the last decade,we have been producing young players good enough to play professionally, but, in the past there has been a reluctance perhaps to trust them in the PRO14, which might explain why so-many unimpressive overseas recruits have been hired.