For Super Six - Cities Could Mean No

I WAS asked today: “What will you blog about once Super Six is settled?” I don't know, but, there will be some subjet for me to get my teeth into. Although, rather like Rangers' financial and legal woes, this current play will run and run.

The big impediment to selling Super Six in the cities

I have never deviated from the view “semi-professional” rugby, is the oval-ball code's equivalent of the lower divisions in the Scottish Professional Football League, the Highland and Lowland Leagues, and perhaps most-directly-comparable to the Junior game, administered by the Scottish Junior Football Association.

In Glasgow, The Warriors are a bigotry-free version of Celtic – leading the way for Scotland in Europe. But, in terms of media coverage and ability to attract sponsorship income and supporters, they are closer to Partick Thistle.

In Edinburgh, the professional rugby team is a sort of amalgam of Hearts and Hibs, but, in terms of sponsorship, media coverage and supporter attraction, perhaps more like the Murrayfield-based ice hockey team.

Below that level, where the proposed Super Six franchises will be expected to operate – I see problems, big problems.

As I have said, semi-professional rugby will have more in common with lower division football , or for my money, junior football. A chat with the guys running such football clubs will quickly bring potential franchisees up to speed on the problems they will face.

The main one, in our cities, will be – there is no room for the Super Six franchises. Take Glasgow, which prides itself in being one of the most football-mad cities in the world.

Sure, Celtic are doing well, but, take away their European money, and the “soft” loans and “soft” financial support of their effective owner, Mr Desmond, and they would struggle.

Rangers are a loss-making entity, without a credit line at a bank, being kept afloat from “soft” loans from directors and wealthy fans.

Partick Thistle is an organisation which has learned to cut its cloth according to its needs, but, still lives precariously.

Queen's Park - if you're different enough, you will survive in sport

Queen's Park may be an acranisum in modern football – a strictly amateur team playing in a professional league. But, the men who have run the Spiders since 1867 know what they are doing, budget sensibly and their club will survive.

So – of the four senior football clubs within Scotland's biggest city, only the amateur one can be said to know its long-term future with any degree of certainty.

Look at the city's rugby clubs: Glasgow Warriors, wholly-owned and managed by the SRU, the national body; playing in a successful league and in Europe. Aye, Warriors will survive.

Glasgow Hawks – an amalgam of two lesser clubs, GHK and Glasgow Accies, without its own home – indeed, currently living a nomadic existence due to problems at its usual Old Anniesland base. This club will struggle to meet the demands of the franchise documents.

GHA – the club says it has no interest in going for a franchise, but, they have a good operation going at Braidholm. However, even though they already have plans in place for a 3G pitch, this is for training purposes. Upgrading Braidholm to meet franchise requirements will be costly, and, again, attracting sponsorhip income would be problematic. They could, however, possibly become a rugby version of near-neighbours Pollok Juniors. They will attract a good, regular fan base, but, will lack the ability to step-up into a higher grade of football.

Cartha-Queen's Park – they have much the same problems to face as GHA, but, face even-greater expense in infrastructure costs. Difficult to see them going for a franchise.

West of Scotland – great history, terrific media profile when good; good facilities, but, would need to upgrade. In the doldrums just now, and, crucially, as one Burnbrae insider told me: “No way are we interested.”

There are other Glasgow clubs, but, realistically, these are the only four clubs which might have been interested in the Glasgow franchise.

What Will Happen In Edinburgh?

Look at Edinburgh, and here the situation seems equally bleak for those within BT Murrayfield hoping to attract franchise applicants.

Hearts and Hibs, like Rangers and Celtic, will carry-on being the big beasts in Edinburgh sport. They have their ups and downs, but, they appear, like the poor, to be always among us.

For Edinburgh Rugby, see what I wrote about Glasgow Warriors.

In the capital, the Murrayfield ice-hockey team has survived for years, and has a strong base in both fans and the ability to find sponsors.

There used to be a third Edinburgh football force, but, many moons ago Meadowbank Thistle decamped to Livingston. Certainly, Edinburgh City has done well to rise, via the Lowland League, to SPFL status. They formerly played at Meadowbank, but, with the old stadium closed and beind redeveloped, they will spend the next three seasons ground-sharing with Lowland League Spartans, at their Ainslie Park stadium.

There have been sugestions that Spartans, who have ambitions towards being a multi-sport, “community” club, might be interested in applying for franchise, in a consortium with one of the existing Edinburgh BT Premiership clubs, using the artificial playing surface at Ainslie Park.

Does Super Six in Edinburgh have a Spartan future?

However, the presence of Edinburgh City as Spartans' tenants until 2020, the first couple of seasons of an Ainslie Park-based franchise might be problematic.

It is difficult to see where, other than a partnership at Ainslie Park of somewhere similar (Edinburgh University?) an Edinburgh franchise could operate.

Boroughmuir play on a council-owned pitch with infrastructure issues, ditto Currie, although they have a lengthy lease at Malleny Park, as I understand things.

Edinburgh Academical, Heriot's and Watsonians all play on school-owned pitches. Certainly Accies have ambitious plans for Raeburn Place, while, in the case of Watsonians, the current ongoing presence of Edinburgh as Myreside tenants is an issue to be considered.

The fact is, semi-professional football, at lower league, non-league or junior level, can survive in smaller communities. In the cities, this level of football struggles.

I can see the same issues arising with semi-professional rugby. The figures for franchises in Edinburgh and Glasgow – to me, do not add up.

Why go to see a Glasgow or Edinburgh franchise, which is “professional rugby-lite”, when the real thing – full-on, professional rugby, featuring international players and opponents from outwith Scotland – is available five minutes up the road? It does not make sense.

Super Six Continues To Fascinate

ANOTHER DAY, another week, and here we go again – another look at Super Six.

 The Old Firm, peacefully co-existing to dominate Scottish Sport since 1888

Rugby in Scotland comes a poor second to football, in terms of popular interest and support, and certainly in terms of the money is attracts. OK, I accept there are two giant Scottish clubs – The Old Firm - who dominate proceedings – even if, right now, one of them is only a big club in the terms of the amount of belly laughs and fun it provides. Their support and the money they attract somewhat skews the market football's way.

I tend to regard Edinburgh and Glasgow as the Old Firm of Scottish Rugby. OK, they are centrally-funded, by Murrayfield, rather than being self-sustaining commercial entities, but, they are full-time, they should be able to compete in Europe, they are our flagship clubs.

Now, it would be nice if our Premiership rugby clubs were the equivalent of our Premiership football ones. If we could regard Glasgow Hawks as the equivalent of Partick Thistle, if Ayr equated to Kilmarnock, if Heriot's and Watsonians were footballing versions of Hearts and Hibs, and so on. But, there is not the money around in rugby to justify even thinking this.

The What Happens If? Argument

Suppose Super Six happens, and, for argument's sake – Ayr, Melrose and Stirling County, the three Premiership clubs “everyone” appears to think will bite at the prospect of running a franchise, actually do apply and be accepted.

Melrose appear to, if they go-ahead and apply, to be about to spark off more Border Wars, with their long-standing neighbours thinking about the Borders franchise being a chance to reinvigorate the old South team. In the other two cases – Ayr Raiders, as Billy McHarg is hinting an Ayr franchise would be named – will be going head-to-head for local interest with Ayr United, while Stirling County's franchise will be similarly placed against Stirling Albion.

Ayr RFC, right now, is to all intents and purposes a semi-professional rugby team; their players are, if not paid for playing, receiving a very-good level of “expenses”. Ayr United, is a semi-professional football team. Ayr RFC currently sits in third place in the BT Premiership, the top level of Scottish club rugby – they are, right now, the third-best club side in Scotland (fifth-best if you include the two full-time professional sides). Ayr United currently sit top of The SPFL League One, the third strata of Scottish club football; as such, they are the 23rd-best side in Scotland. Yet, Ayr United's home attendances are higher than Ayr RFC's – averaging 1526 fans per game, while Ayr RFC's average attendance is around 650.

 Forthbank during a Stirling Albion game - busier than Bridgehaugh with County at home

Stirling County can also be considered a semi-professional rugby club, in the same way as Ayr. Stirling Albion is a semi-professional football team. County currently sits in fifth place in the BT Premiership, two places below Ayr. Albion meanwhile, lie second in the SPFL's League Two, the fourth strata of Scottish club football – as such, they are the 35th-best side in Scotland. Again, however, Albion's average home attendance of 650 is a lot higher than the 400 or so regulars at Bridgehaugh.

Another thing to be taken into account. The suggestion is, there would be six franchises, to be taken on by existing clubs. BUT, these clubs are being seen as “Regional centres of excellence” - that quote from the SRU's own franchise documents. In effect, they are expected to do the job of the District teams in the amateur days. HOWEVER, the “host” club – be it Ayr, Stirling County, Melrose or whoever, will still be expected to maintain a club side, playing in the next level down, in the “amateur” leagues, be they National or District/Regional.

So, any club taking on a franchise will need to put in a minimum of £135,000 per season, they will, inside the first five years, have to largely fund (they will we hear get some help from Murrayfield) a 4G pitch, which will set them back a minimum of £300,000. They will also have to fund in many cases, upgrading of floodlights, provision of acceptable strength and conditioning suites, and fund the several additional staff the SRU thinks they will need.

How do they do this, and still maintain a National League team? Travel costs will rise. Will sponsors, happy to back a Premiership club, playing at the top level, be happy to see their sponsorship donations split between the franchise club and the host club – given it is not unusual for sponsorship in rugby to be motivated by facts such as – the sponsoring business principal or his son is a player?

Or, as one senior club-man said to me: “The SRU are giving us £135,000 per season, I can envisage some existing sponsors, perhaps struggling in the current hard times of some businesses telling us – 'You don't need my input this season, the SRU are funding you, and, in any case – I cannot afford it'”

This, to me, demonstrates the basic weakness of the case for Super Six. Up to six existing clubs are being expected, on the back of a five-year franchise – to substantially-increase their outgoings, spend massively on their club infrastructure – floodlighting and other upgrading PLUS installing a 4G pitch, and all they are getting from the SRU will be a capped sum of money over that time – to be spent as the SRU dictates, not as the club wishes.

The SRU will have a presence on the franchise board responsible for running the franchise club, while the club board, with umbrella management responsibilities for the franchise club and the associate National League club – the current 2^nd XV if you like, will have different personnel.

Who Will Make The Key Managerial Decisions?

What happens if these two boards disagree? What happens if in appointing the Head Coach – the SRU wants to install “Alex Ferguson” at a club, while that club would rather have “Jock Stein”?

The more I see and read about Super Six, the more I see it as a further power grab by Murrayfield.

If Murrayfield and its High Performance Department want to really improve Scottish rugby at the top end – then they should be reforming one more, if not two more full-time professional clubs, playing in the PRO14. Do things better at Academy and full-time pro level, and allow the clubs to run the club game.

Super Six is not professional enough for the top level, but, it could work at club level – however, not with a mere six clubs, but with the original Super Eight concept, or, as it already works well today – with a ten-club Premiership.

This works, leave it largely alone.

Super Six - The Arguments Continue

I WAS chatting on Monday to another of the more-senior, in terms of time spent at the coal face, of Scotland's rugby writers. After commenting favourably on the Autumn Internationals, we moved on to the vexing question of the day - Super Six and Agenda 3.

 Tom Johnston of the SJFA - a meeting between him and Scott Johnson might pay-off for Scottish Rugby

My fellow hack made the telling point of how, back in1995, when rugby went professional, he had urged the then Alickadoos – the Murrayfield “suits” of the time (they were blazers back then), before they did anything – go and speak to the Scottish Junior Football Association; not the SFA, who run the senior version of “Wendyball”, but, the Juniors – the men who run “real fitba”: Auchinleck Talbot v Cumnock, Bo'ness v Linlithgow Rose, Newtongrange Star v Bonnyrigg Rose, Hill o' Beath v Crossgates and so on.

Because back then, Scottish Rugby had more in common with the Juniors than anything. Local clubs, their playing personnel drawn from local schools and from within the community – clubs, particularly in the game's Borders heartland, playing for the honour of the toon.

And that is still the case today. In fact, if anything, Scottish rugby's overall finances, down at club level, is healthier than Scottish football's. We do not have two super clubs worth more than all the rest put together, but paying ridiculous wages. We do not have smaller clubs, almost bankrupting themselves to try to compete or desperately hoping to sell a young player to an English club, in a desperate effort to balance the books.

We do not have too-many “senior” clubs, with a sense of entitlement to be there – although, sadly, we have one or two. But, all is not well with Scottish rugby.

After the Autumn Internationals, Scottish Rugby might seem to be in a good place. We are looking confidently forward to the 2018 Six Nations, Glasgow are going well, on a nine-game unbeaten start to the PRO14 campaign, while, after years of disappointment, Edinburgh are starting to play better. Our national side is ranked sixth in the world, while our Under-20s enjoyed a very good World Championship.

This great year has happened on Mark Dodson's watch, so, he and Director of Rugby Scott Johnson have every right to feel good – but, and this being Scotland there has to be a but, scratch beneath the surface, and, all is not that rosy, and, to be fair, Mr Dodson and his much-aligned Director of Rugby, Scott Johnson are not satisfied.

Home-grown talent in the minority

Look more-closely at the match-day 23 who defeated the Australians, and just under half of the players – Peter Horne, Finn Russell, Stuart McInally, Grant Gilchrist, Jonny Gray and captain John Barclay of the starting XV and replacements Jamie Bhatti, Fraser Brown, Zander Fagerson and Ruaridh Jackson came through the ranks at home – playing their school and club rugby within Scotland. Sean Maitland, Tommy Seymour, Huw Jones, Byron McGuigan, Ali Price, Darryl Marfo, Simon Berghan, Ryan Wilson and Hamish Watson of the starting XV and replacements Ben Toolis, Cornell du Preez, Henry Pyrgos and Phil Burleigh are all from the Caledonian Diaspro, or are “Project Players”, who got their rugby grounding outside Scotland.

We have a small domestic player base, the smallest of the major rugby-playing nations, so, like Avis Car Rental, we have to try harder; and this, to be fair, is what Messrs Dodson and Johnson are trying to do.

Some would rather they left well alone. “We are doing ok”, but, Mr Dodson wants better, and he sees the Super Six as one way of doing this, while worried club men see the new plan as a case of Murrayfield in general and the boys in the SRU's Performance Department, being hell-bent on expanding their influence into the club game.

Not every club works the same way, even in the BT Premiership, the top level of our club game. At that level, most – like the national side - still have a central core of players who came through the ranks, but, all also have one or two of what farmers' might dub “out-crosses” new blood bought (or brought) in to freshen things up.

 Jamie Bhatti - an advert for the Premiership' nerits

Some of us argue, the Premiership is doing ok, we point-out that Jamie Bhatti, so-impressive in the AIs, was playing for Melrose last season, and how, running the Ayr back line as a teenager helped Finn Russell develop into the player he is today.

But, the SRU Performance Department's counter-argument is, our thin veneer of top talent would be better if not spread as-thinly; if we had just six elite clubs rather than ten. This has put some noses out of joint and persuading the clubs of the superiority of this new system over the status quo is proving to be a hard sell.

The fact is, if a young player is not on the SRU's Performance Pathway by aged 15, he is unlikely to make it. The same thing happens in football by the way. Finn Russell went from Stirling County's youth programme, to Falkirk for greater experience, playing with older players, then, he was bumped-up a level to Ayr. Peter Horne went from Howe of Fife to Glasgow Hawks; Zander Fagerson from school straight to Hawks. The Performance Department has always “hot-housed” promising talent. The likes of Russell and Horne made it, one or two others fell by the wayside, but continue to perform well in the Premiership.

As are these three

As I see it, the Super Six will, if it happens and works, probably give us a good chance of bringing through more Russells, Hornes and Fagersons. It will provide a platform whereby the slower or later developers may still make it, and will mean more home-bred Scots, rather than recruits from the Diaspro or overseas talent, playing for Edinburgh or Glasgow. It may also enable players who didn't make it onto the Performance Pathway at 15, to come through later.

But, as I said above, it is proving to be a hard sell to the clubs.

Mark Dodson is determined it will happen. He has even said, if, in Aberdeen for example, no club comes forward, the SRU may consider establishing their own franchise. He means business. I have more to say on this as this week passes.

A Job Well Done - Now We Move On To The Six Nations

WELL, that's the Autumn Internationals out of the way – now it's back to purritch and auld claes until the 2018 Six Nations kick-in at Cardiff, in ten weeks' time. Of course, between now and then, our two professional clubs have some serious European games to get through, not forgetting the PRO14 grind.

Gregor Townsend - has to be happy this morning

But, right now, as we reflect on the three AIs, there has to be a justifiable glow of satisfaction around the High Performance arm of the SRU. Two out of three ain't bad, and, considering the one that got away was against the World Champions – Scotland is in a good place. But, international sport is results-driven, it's great to be Scottish just now; a loss to Wales in Cardiff on 3 February could rapidly cast a dark pall over proceedings.

But, tomorrow morning, when Gregor Townsend sits down at his desk inside Murrayfield, to begin the de-brief of the last three internationals, he has more positives than negatives to reflect on.

We went into the Autumn Tests with a huge question mark hanging over our front five – the “piano shifters” who, if they don't do their jobs, can make it very-difficult for the “piano players” in the backs to make beautiful music.

These have largely been answered. Daryl Marfo has been a real find, as has Jamie Bhatti. Three weeks ago they were perhaps ranked fifth and sixth in our loose-head propping pecking order, behind the injured Alasdair Dickinson, Gordon Reid, Rory Sutherland and Lion Allan Dell. We now have genuine depth at number one.

Stuart McInally - a brilliant Autumn series

At hooker – Stuart McInally's consistent excellence has perhaps been THE plus point of the Autumn. He was immense in all three games, and the battle between him and Fraser Brown for the number two shirt going forward will be ferocious. Young George Turner too did well, so, sadly for such a good and faithful servant, we may have, after over a century of games, have seen the last of Ross Ford in a Scotland shirt.

The number three shirt position is not quite so-bright. WP Nel, when fit, is still our first pick, but, he has, I would suggest, become somewhat injury-prone. Zander Fagerson, the heir-apparent, remains a work in progress, but, he is making genuine progress.

I admit, I am not a huge Simon Berghan fan. I do not think the big Edinburgh man is international class, but, he has improved with more game time. Thankfully, at his club, he has the benefit of the presence of Richard Cockerill, who is, slowly but surely, ironing-out the faults in his game.

Jonny Gray was immense in al three games, however, just as pleasing was the way the relatively untried Edinburgh pair of Ben Toolis and Grant Gilchrist came in and made light of the injury-induced absence of Richie Gray and Tim Swinson – the boilerhouse is another place where we now have strength-in-depth.

 John Barclay has led from the front

Our first-choice back row: skipper John Barclay, Hamish Watson and Ryan Wilson have shown themselves to be as good as any. Cornell du Preez has done well when he has come on, without exactly hitting the heights, but, the alternatives really have to step-up and put pressure on the men in possession.

I don't know what has happened to Josh Strauss, but, he will, if indeed he has no international future, not be the first player to move to Sale and disappear off the international radar. Of more concern is – what happens with the Edinburgh “bad boys” Magnus Bradbury and John Hardie. I fear, Hardie, if he has indeed been indulging in Columbian marching powder, has probably gone, while Bradbury has a lot to do to rehabilitate himself. Dave Denton too, needs a big second half of the season at his club to get back into the mix. A couple of injuries, and we have back-row problems.

Ali Price is now, surely, our first-choice nine. But, Greig Laidlaw will hopefully be back to challenge in February, while Henry Pyrgos is coming back to his best form – so, here too, we have depth.

Finn Russell is our key man – if anything happens to him, we have nobody with his attacking genius, although, to be fair, Ruaridh Jackson or Peter Horne are fair replacements, if lacking the Russell X-factor. We need a fit Russell.

 Finn Russell - as crucial a Scottish number ten as Denis Law or John Rutherford

Huw Jones is now our main man in midfield, but, here too we have great depth: Alex Dunbar, when fit, will probably start but, the injured Mark Bennett, Matt Scott and Duncan Taylor should all be available come the Six Nations, while Phil Burleigh has now been capped while Nick Grigg, Chris Dean and James Johnstone are all rapidly approaching genuine international class.

We have depth too on the wings. Tommy Seymour's current travails are, I am sure, temporary. We have alternatives here.

Stuart Hogg's late injury on Saturday may prove to be a blessing in disguise. Who would have thought we could have lost our talisman so-late, and still beat a top three nation? Certainly not me. Hoggie, like Finn Russell, is very, very special, but, we didn't really miss him on Saturday.

 Stuart Hogg, as special as Finn Rusell

So, where once, if Scotland lost a couple of players, we were in trouble, today we have one very good international side, a reasonably-good alternative XV and a third team of promise. You don't believe me:

Scotland: Daryl Marfo, Stuart McInally, Wilem Nel; Richie Gray, Jonny Gray; John Barclay, Hamish Watson, Ryan Wilson; Ali Price, Finn Russell, Tommy Seymour, Alex Dunbar, Huw Jones, Sean Maitland, Stuart Hogg.

Scotland A: Jamie Bhatti, Fraser Brown, Zander Fagerson; Ben Toolis, Tim Swinson; Cornell du Preez, Luke Hamilton, Josh Strauss; Greig Laidlaw, Peter Horne; Byron McGuigan, Duncan Taylor, Mark Bennett, Lee Jones; Ruaridh Jackson.

Scotland B: Allan Dell, George Turner, John Welsh; Grant Gilchrist, Scott Cummings*; Magnus Bradbury, Jamie Ritchie* David Denton; Henry Pyrgos, Duncan Weir; Rory Hughes, Phil Burleigh, Matt Scott, Dougie Fife; Blair Kinghorn*.

Scotland C: Gordon Reid, Ross Ford, D'Arcy Rae*; Fraser McKenzie*, Anton Bresler*; Matt Fagerson*, John Hardie, Arthur Ashe; Sam Hidalgo-Clyne, Tom Heathcote; Darcy Graham*, Chris Dean* Nick Grigg, Damien Hoyland; Greig Tonks. Plyers marked with an asterisk *, are still uncapped.

Have we ever before had such strength-in-depth.

Let's Beat The Walla-Wallabies

FOOT SOLDIERS of Aristotle's army of Scottish Rugby fans – you can relax today. I am having a break from the complexities of Super Six and Agenda 3. I will return to the subject, once Mr Dodson's marvellous filibuster of corporate double-speak, in his two-part Offside Line interview, has been translated into plain English.

Sean Maitland - back in the Scotland team this afternoon

Today, is all about International Rugby, and our BT Murrayfield meeting with the touring Australians. Since we beat them on their home turn in Sydney during the summer, the Wallabies bave been waiting to hit back, and we will need to replicate the fine form we showed against the All Blacks last Saturday, if we are to emerge with a win today.

I see this one as being yet another tight game, but, it is one we can win, but, just as surely, we could lose it. I expect to be entertained and am reasonably-confident of feeling good at the end.

Losing Alex Dunbar to head injury protocols was a late blow, but, Peter Horne will not let us down, and will offer a different threat to the visitors. It is also good to see Sean Maitland back, although I feel sorry for Lee Jones, being the man to step down – Tommy Seymour owes us for his lacklustre display last week and is maybe lucky to be starting.

I will round-up the international season on Monday, meanwhile, enjoy the day today, and, wrap-up well; it will be cold in Edinburgh.

IT CERTAINLY was not cold in Bloemfontein last night, as Edinburgh lost to the Cheetahs. Such a pity they conceded that injury-time try, which turned a not-too-bad display into a disappointing one.

Some have suggested, Edinburgh ought to have booted the ball into the crowd when the final hooter sounded. Aye, hindsight is a wonderful thing, but, fair play to the team in fancying they could, even at that late stage, keep possession and maybe take it back to a losing bonus point-winning defeat.

As Bryan Easson, who was on analyst duties alongside Hugh Dan, back in Glasgow watching the feed come in, said – Edinburgh's mistakes, of which there were many, can all be fixed, and, there were some heartening performances from an under-strength squad.

Bench strength proved critical

Sadly, in the final analysis, Edinburgh's relative lack of bench strength probably cost them the game. I hate to say it, but, one or two of the fringe players who got on last night may well be looking at being cut from the squad come the end of the season. They are simply not good enough, however, this has been a problem for Scottish rugby since way back in the amateur era.

There were some pluses, the two new South African imports, back on home turf, looked good – now, can they do it at Newport on a dreich Friday night? Some of the attempted off-loads were worthy, but, as yet, Edinburgh just cannot play the high-tempo, continuity rugby which Toony wants the two professional sides to play, mirroring the international team's style – as well as Glasgow can.

But, it has to be reflected on. The only team to go to Bloemfontein and win thus far has been Glasgow, so, Edinburgh need not be too-downhearted.

GLASGOW visit “Ospreylia” - or Swansea as it is better known, tomorrow. Dave Rennie has handed debuts to five of his 23-man squad, so how they go will be interesting.

Sami Vunisa - finally makes his Glasgow debut tomorrow

There are first starts for number eight “Sami” Vunisa – who I saw trundle around to good effect for Marr a couple of weeks back. He's a big lad, who will take a bit of stopping once he gets up to speed. Ahead of him in the pack, big Kiran McDonald also makes his first start, in a young boiler-house partnership with another former Hawks man, Scott Cummings. Scott, I feel, was well worth a run off the bench for Scotland during the AIs. His first cap is not too far off.

Siua Halanukonuka, Hamilton Burr and Kaleem Barreto are all in line for a debut off the bench. I cannot wait to hear how the Welsh commentators on Scrum V get on trying to pronounce the Tongan prop's name, while I am absolutely delighted to see young scrum-half Kaleem Barreto getting his chance, following some outstanding work with Marr this season.

 

Kaleem Barreto, in marvellous form for Marr this season and called-up by Glasgow for Sunday's PRO 14 trip to Swansea

It is never easy in Swansea, but, even with a depleted squad, Glasgow can win. I particularly hope that Lelia Masaga can show us what all the hype was about, he has probably taken longest to settle of all the newcomers this season.

Of course, all the talk in the valleys today is about the Cardiff clash between the All Blacks and the Welsh. The New Zealanders, of course, have scored more points than Wales (who are never beaten) in every Test since 1953, and even without Kieran Reid, I expect them to be too-strong for Warren Gatland's men and maintain that 60-years plus run of out-scoring the Red Dragons.

Super Six Five - The Aristotle Armstrong Solution

OVER the last four posts, I have given careful and detailed consideration to the Super Six franchise document. During this time, I have had a fair bit of feed-back, from members of the broader Scottish rugby community, and the most-common thing I have heard is: “OK smart-arse, you've had a go at Murrayfield – so, what would you do?”

If I was in Mark Dodson's shoes, I'd do this

Well, for a start, I would not do what the SRU is proposing and start six new franchises. If they want to see more players ready to play at PRO14 level and beyond – then the cost of this should come out of SRU central funds. As the SRU's plans currently stand, as per the consultative franchise document: there would only be limited financial input from Murrayfield. It seems to me, the top clubs – or at least six of them - are being asked to take a huge financial risk, with no guarantee of a return.

By all means offer a pathway whereby our new Academy graduates can be better-prepared for the tougher tasks. Well, start a third professional side, even if this team, as Connacht was originally envisaged, is a “Development” side, charged with getting younger professionals prepared for joining Edinburgh and Glasgow.

But, if the SRU must go down the road of a Super Six, and, as I have said previously – I do not see how it could work properly, then these six franchised clubs MUST become true DISTRICT teams, filling the function of the District sides of the amateur era. It will be up to these clubs, and the SRU, to make them centres of excellence – and to persuade the lesser clubs in the Districts to co-operate with them in a two-way flow of players and interest.

I would leave the BT Premiership as it is. This is a good competition, the teams play a high- quality brand of competitive, entertaining rugby; all it needs is to be “sold” better; so the mainstream media, which by and large ignores it, realised and bought into what a good competition it is.

But, I have to accept, not every Premiership player has the potential to be a full-time professional. Yes, it is good to see the Stage Two and Three Academy players, and the fringe full-time professionals playing in it, but, we need some sort of competition, as a staging point between the very top of the club game and the professional one – the gap Super Six is supposedly going to fill. OK, fill it, with the return of an old favourite. Bring back the Inter-District Championship, but, increase the number of “District” sides.

When the Inter-District Championship was going, back in the amateur days, there were five teams involved: the Anglo-Scots, Edinburgh,Glasgow, North and Midlands and the South. In the revived edition I am suggesting, it could be possible to have an eight-team competition, involving: Edinburgh, Exiles, Glasgow, London Scottish, the Midlands, the North, the South and the South West. If they play each other home and away, that's a 14-game season, more than enough additional games on top of the 18-game BT Premiership campaign.

A filtering process

Such a competition would be an ideal means of filtering out the squad for the Club International XV, and the Under-20 squad, given a lot of the players involved would be Academy students.

The Exiles would be drawn from outwith Scotland, but, excluding London Scottish, while the South-West is a team drawn from the lower geographic end of the Glasgow District – basically Ayrshire and Renfrewshire and Dumfries and Galloway. The other District boundaries are already known and obvious.

Such a competition would I think test the best of the Premiership players, plus the more-promising players from the level below. I think it would work.

I would do away with two of the three current National Leagues, below the Premiership. I can see a case for having more than a mere ten sides playing nationally, but believe rugby should be, as outlined in Agenda 3 and in the Super Six consultative documents, totally amateur. I would therefore have District Leagues, and, here again, I would split the Glasgow and North and Midlands Districts. The South West would be hived-off from Glasgow, the North and Midlands would revert to being separate Districts.

And, what I would also do, is have two separate divisions within the SRU. The Murrayfield professionals would, as they currently do, run the High Performance arm of Scottish rugby – the national team, the age group teams and the three full-time professional sides. Below that, I can see some merit in having joint managerial overview with technical input from the High Performance arm, in the Premiership, provided the clubs had the final say, while the amateur game should, as happens in football, be administered by a separate organisation.

The Clubs Must Have Their Say 

Football has the grass-roots game managed by in particular the Scottish Junior FA, I would like to see a Scottish Junior Rugby Union doing a similar job in our game. The SJFA is run by a skeleton staff inside Hampden Park, National Secretary Tom Johnson, Assistant Secretary and Treasurer Ian McQueen and a small office staff. The bulk of the organisation is done by the volunteer officials of the three Regional Associations – the West, East and North of Scotland Junior FAs. These volunteers come from the clubs – the clubs are in-charge.

They organise and run the leagues and cups – apart from the National Scottish Junior Cup – they allocate the referees, look after most of the finances, run the disciplinary procedures and so on. It works in football, it could also work in rugby.

  How It Might Look

Premiership: Ayr, Boroughmuir, Currie Chieftains, Glasgow Hawks, Hawick, Heriot's, Marr, Melrose, Stirling County, Watsonians.

National League: Aberdeen GSFP, Cartha-Queen's Park, Dundee HSFP, Edinburgh Academical, Falkirk, Gala, GHA, Jed-forest, Kelso, Musselburgh, Selkirk, Stewart's-Melville FP.

The clubs in these two divisions would be allowed to pay their players – there should be a presumption of semi-professionalism abroad in the Premiership, and, a movement towards the infrastructure expected of the proposed Super Six.

Clubs at this level should have 4G pitches and good spectator facilities. They should, as now, have access to the fringe professionals and Academy students.

Taking current league memberships and positions into consideration, the truly-amateur local leagues might, initially, look like this:

Edinburgh District Division One: Broughton FP, Corstorphine Cougars, Dunbar, Forrester, Haddington, Lasswade, Linlithgow, Livingston, Murrayfield Wanderers, Portobello, Preston Lodge, Ross High.

Edinburgh District Division Two: Barnton, Dalkeith, Edinburgh Northern, Edinburgh University Medics, Inverleith, Leith, Liberton, Lismore, Penicuick, RDVC, Trinity Academicals.

Glasgow District Division One: Allan Glen's, Cambuslang, Dalziel, East Kilbride, GHK, Glasgow Academicals, Greenock Wanderers, Hamilton, Hillhead-Jordanhill, Oban Lorne, West of Scotland, Whitecraigs.

Glasgow District Division Two: Birkmyre, Clydebank, Cumbernauld, Glasgow University Medics, Helensburgh, Lenzie, Loch Lomond, Paisley, Strathaven, Strathendrick, Uddingston, Waysiders-Drumpellier.

Glasgow District Division Three: Bishopton, Cowal, Hyndland, Isle of Mull, Lanark, Lochaber,Police Scotland Glasgow, Shawlands FP.

Midlands District Division One: Alloa, Blairgowrie, Carnoustie HSFP, Dunfermline, Glenrothes, Grangemouth Stags, Hillfoots, Howe of Fife, Kinross, Kirkcaldy, Madras, Panmure.

Midlands District Division Two: Aberfeldy, Angus Development, Arbroath, Bannockburn, Bo'ness, Crieff and Strathearn, Dundee University Medics, Morgan, Rosyth, Stobswell, Waid Academy FP.

North District Division One: Aberdeenshire, Aberdeen Wanderers, Banff, Caithness, Ellon, Garioch, Gordonians, Highland, Mackie Academy FP, Moray, Orkney, Perthshire.

North District Division Two: Aberdeen University Medics, Deeside, RAF Lossiemouth, Ross Sutherland, Shetland, Stornoway, Strathmore.

South District League: Berwick, Biggar, Duns, Earlston, Gala YM, Hawick Harlequins, Hawick Linden, Langholm, Moffat, Peebles, St Boswell's.

South-West District League: Annan. Ardrossan Academicals, Carrick, Cumnock, Dumfries Saints, Garnock, Irvine, Kilmarnock, Millbrae, Newton Stewart, Stewartry, Wigtownshire.