I Can Think Of Someone More-Deserving Of A Red Card Than Brendan McGroarty

THE big incident during Saturday's BT Premiership programme was the utterly-ridiculous red-carding of Hawks' Brendan McGroarty at Ayr. I have no idea what the SRU's disciplinary panel will make of this, but, natural justice demands McGroarty is immediately free to resume playing, with the sending-off considered sufficient punishment.

The referee clearly boobed, admit this and pass on is my suggestion.

Of greater concern for anyone who has the good of Scottish rugby at heart is the ongoing saga of matches not being played – usually, but not always, because of a lack of front row players.

On of the minor players in Scottish rugby's media pack takes on the not-inconsiderable task of collating all the results. Big job, boring job, but, somebody has to do it, and, if he's doing this, he is not demonstrating his lack of ability to write cohesive match reports.

Each week he has tales of woe of matches not being played, usually for the front row issue mentioned above. This season already, we have seen National League games unplayed, while some clubs are struggling to field even a 2^nd XV in Resrve Leagues.

I had a look at the club results on the SRU website this morning. Across the entire list of leagues on the site, 14 matches were not played, for various reasons. Most of these, it has to be said, were low down the leagues, while a couple of them were 2^nd or 3^rd XVs meeting – because they play in what should be a “1^st XV league”.

But, this still equates to some 500 guys, who wanted to play rugby on a Saturday, not getting a game. If one game becomes two or three, some of the less-committed will drift away from the game. I already know, there are less guys simply playing for fun. When I joined Ayr back in 1968, they fielded five teams every week, some weeks six - 1^st XV, 2^nd XV A1 XV, A2 XV and 3^rd XV; the likes of Glasgow Accies Glasgow High School and West of Scotland fielded even more.

Today, Ayr fields a 1^st XV and a 2^nd XV, while the Millbrae XV caters for the play for fun guys. I accept, that particular club has a strong youth section, but, the drop-out rate between Under-18 and adult rugby is still considerable.

This needs seriously addressing by Murrayfield. Ayr, as a club, works hard at youth development and is in many ways an example to all. Quite how some other clubs continue to field teams is a mystery to me and a credit to their club officials.

Broadening the game's reach and increasing its depth is supposed to be one of Murrayfield's key functions. But, when you have a Director of Rugby, such as our current incumbent – The Lesser Spotted Johnston – who doesn't appear to know we have a strong club rugby scene, well, it isn't going to happen. And, if HQ will not nurture and grow the game, it will die.

Some club supporters are to be found, in the below the line comments section of The Scotsman's website, bemoaning the fact their particular club never seems to be allocated an available pro from Edinburgh or the Sevens squad on a Saturday, while overlooking the fact rugby appears to be dying in that particular toon, where once the game was king.

Help yourselves first, don't blame it all on Murrayfield, say I; while remembering the wise words of a certain coach/broadcaster, who is usually Wright in what he says: “Edinburgh will let you have a player, provided you send him back fit to hold a tackle bag on Monday morning”.

Maybe Dunky Hodge can change this attitude, but, it has to be said, Glasgow is far-more willing to release players to the clubs than Edinburgh. Mind you, I have noticed, some professionals really buy into playing for their drafted club while others, even experienced Scotland players, seem to deem it beneath them to have to play in the Premiership, and go through the motions.

You might think, 21 years after the game went professional, Murrayfield would have it sorted out and functioning properly, but, sadly, it has not.