Dopey Dozen Named - Those Who Fail The Tests Will Be The Lucky Ones

WE are as yet, some way away from: “Weel, ye ken noo,” but we ken noo the identities of the 12 clubs willing to “bet the farm,” as our American cousins have it, on the pending disaster that I call Stupid 6.

 Six o' ye are doomed - is Fraser's message for the 12 applicants

Ayr, Boroughmuir, Currie, Dundee, Edinburgh Academicals, Gala, Glasgow Hawks, Hawick, Heriot's, Melrose, Stirling County and Watsonians have thrown their hats into the ring to be handed the poisoned chalice which is a five-year franchise to run a semi-professional rugby team at the new super-duper pinnacle of the club game in Scotland.

Pardon the pessimism, my “We're awe doomed,” Private Fraser impression; but, there is no way that I can see whereby this hare-brained scheme can work. I maintain my initial impression, formed last night when the “lucky” dozen applicants were named – the really lucky ones will be the six whose bid fails the forensic scrutiny of Chairman Sir Bill Gammell and his selection board of sportscotland high heid yin Stewart Harris, National Coach Gregor Townsend and Murrayfield “suits”: the Ayatollah Dodson, head bean counter Andrew Healy, Technical Director Stephen Gemmell and Head of Women's and Girls' Rugby Gemma Fay.

Bill Gammell, several £billions ago

 

Quite the best first reaction I have seen came from a “below the line commenter” - “RayCCB”, who commented on The Scotsman's story this morning about the “Deluded Dozen.” He commented: “As a shrewd and successful businessman and entrepreneur, I fully expect Bill Gamell to look at the accounts of the majority of these bidders and ask what the hell are they playing at! “ I'm with you there Ray.

When the Ayatollah announced the Stupid 6 notion, at the end of a somewhat fractious AGM back in August, his vision was of one franchise in each of the traditional Districts – North and Midlands, Edinburgh, Glasgow and the South, plus two “floaters”. (I rather like the notion of “floaters”, because the whole thing is shite) to me. The initial impression was that there would be a North Franchise, a Midlands one, and that Ayr, who were always seen as probable bidders would take-on a franchise based on SWARC, Bill Nolan's forward-looking South-West Area Rugby Clubs; leaving someone else, probably Hawks, to take-on the Glasgow franchise.

Melrose were always seen as the likely standard-bearers in the South, while the rumours of an alternative multi-club bid to revive something akin to the old “South of Scotland” team of the amateur era have been still-born. Then there was Edinburgh; what was likely to happen there was anyone's guess.

My heart goes out to the board tasked with picking the six final franchise winners. There are more questions to be answered than obvious solutions, and, I fear they will be damned if they do and damned if they do nothing.

For a start – the good folk in Aberdeen, perhaps demonstrating the Granite City's long-held reputation as canny with their cash have done the sums and said: “No thank you.” Now, this might have something to do with the impression abroad that the clubs up there do not get on. I'd like to think, they saw this scheme as flawed. But, Aberdeen has long been seen as the place the SRU wanted a presence. For years there have been hopes of the longed-for third full-time professional side being based there. Now, when push has come to shove – the oil capital of Europe cannot even support a part-time professional club.

Potential conflicts of interest

But, let's look at the composition of the review board. Chairman Gammell of course, won his Scotland caps out of Heriot's FP. This compromises his independence when it comes to judging that club's bid. Harris, although his sporting background is in basketball rather than rugby, is a Dundonian; this is Scotland, cue: “Aye, he'll be backing the Dundee bid.”

Townsend is, as we all know, a “Braw Lad” of Gala, further grounds for accusations of bias there, while Dodson has so much personal prestige riding on making this plan work, well – can we be sure he will be listening when the flaws in the plan start to become obvious?

Five of the twelve bids are from Edinburgh clubs. I cannot see any way whereby the capital's rugby public can support one full-time PRO14 team, plus two part-time franchises. There are questions of pitch usage over several of the bids. I can see some clubs being initially pissed-off when their bids are rejected, but, for me, they will be the lucky ones.

Then there is the nest of vipers which is the Borders. Three big clubs have bid, and two of them look likely to be disappointed. Who gets the short straw job of telling them?

On paper, Ayr look to have the strongest bid, however, they will have to spend a lot of money on infrastructure, and while, I am certain the canny Billy McHarg has done his homework, and reckons he will be able to jemmy the additional funds he believes need to be released to make things work from the Murrayfield coffers, nothing is certain.

There are already doubts over the financial viability of the Hawks and County bids, ditto the ambitious Dundee bid, where, as elsewhere, the tribalism of Scottish rugby clubs will come into play.

I simply cannot see how the many pitfalls, real and imagined, which stand between the basic notion of six “super” clubs and having these clubs playing, can be overcome.

A bridge too far

OK, it may well be, as a bridge between the “amateur” club game and the professional game at PRO14 level, the current Premiership does not work – I accept that. But, I repeat the question I have been asking since August – is it the Premiership's job to be this? I see the Premiership's “job” as being the platform for Scotland's best non-professional players to perform on, and, as such it works.

For me, taking the raw promise of young players and polishing these diamonds is the job of the SRU's Performance Department. Not every player they take on in the raw state makes it – the Premiership provides them with a safety net. A very few of these thrive, develop later and can go back to the professional game. Most play contentedly away in the Premiership.

Asking six clubs to risk the “farm” on doing a job the Performance Department should be doing is just not on for me. This scheme will fail, and the cost of failure will be huge.

Agenda 3 - A Bloody Big Freight Train Heading Right For The Club Game

I HAVE been aware for some time that, once S**** 6 is done and dusted, attention will turn to Agenda 3, which will be such a shitstorm it will make the upsets at the top end look like a minor local difficulty.

Having been somewhat distracted by the battle at Premiership level, I have not, until this week, been paying as much attention to Agenda 3 as I perhaps should. Well, today, I logged onto the SRU website and had a look at what will be expected of clubs, at all levels, going forward.

A whole new ball game for the clubs

Under Agenda 3, the Club Participation Agreement (CPA), to which all the clubs signed-up at the start of this season is being phased-out, to be replaced by the new Club Sustainability Award (CSA). This comes in two parts, the Club Minimum Standards (MOS) and CSA, replacing the participation and sustainability elements previously contained in the Club Participation Agreement.

The other funding elements continuing such as travel, player insurance, club development officer and referee expenses are continuing.

This change has been made to help clubs develop in sustainable ways by:

• Introducing needs based funding. If your club is doing more to develop rugby opportunities in your local community, you need more support.
• Setting clear defined levels - through bronze, silver and gold criteria - for clubs to achieve and providing incentives to reach these.
• Separating the non-negotiables (MOS) and the negotiables (CSA).

If your club meets the demands of MOS, it will continue to receive financial support from Murrayfield, however, how much a club receives from CSA, is dependant on how much work they put in.

The Union has produced guidance notes on CSA, which says:

“Scottish Rugby recognises the hard work clubs undertake to develop rugby in their local communities and will support clubs to develop and achieve the following:

• Strong playing opportunities for men and women from social to 1^st XV rugby.
• Provide quality, safe and fun environments for children and young people to develop in the game.
• Support local primary and secondary schools to develop rugby.
• Develop and support coaches and match officials.
• Good governance with strategic direction for the future of the club.
• Quality facilities.
• Community clubs that are an integral part of their local communities.”

All well and good, except, if you read through the notes, clubs will be expected to jump through a lot of hoops – for what we see as, not a lot in guaranteed returns.

Provided a club meets the Minimum Operating Standard (MOS), they will receive £1500 for season 2018-19, £1250 in season 2019-20 and £1000 in 2020-21.

The discretionary Club Sustainability Award (CSA) has to be applied-for by June, 2018, and lasts three years. Provided a club's application is approved, that club can look forward to receiving each year:

Gold Standard £10,000

Silver Standard £ 5,000

Bronze Standard £ 3,500

The clubs meeting the criteria will receive their award in two tranches, in October, with the balance in May, when they have achieved the standard they sought.

The three CSA levels have been created based on five important on-field areas –

coaching, male adult teams, women and girls, youth development and match officials

- and one strategic area to form the six strands. To achieve a bronze, silver or gold award

level, clubs will have to meet all the six strands for that level.

The levels have been set for the next three years starting in season 2018-19 with the

criteria and rewards for the following three-year cycle levels to be circulated at the end of the second year (2019-20) to give clubs adequate notice.

The guidance notes includes an interesting grid of what is expected of each club to gain the requisite award at each level. It is well worth a look, and laudable though the aims of Agenda 3 are, I can see problems ahead at every level.

Will the new demands catch fire, or set fire to the "beacon" clubs?

For a start, since the eventual S**** 6 (remember, I said I wouldn't mention this again), we have to assume, and I believe it is a fair assumption, clubs seeking this new status should be “Gold Standard” clubs. After all, the Ayatollah himself is seeking that these special six clubs set the standards and “be a beacon” for those below them.

Well, I do not think many, if any, of the bidding clubs meets Gold criteria right now. Let's just look at the number of teams they will be required to have:

1. Three adult male teams
2. One women's team
3. Two girls teams
4. Thirteen youth teams across the rugby community – split six mini and seven secondary.
5. One or more Level 1 qualified referees per club team
6. Minimum of two female referees
7. Two or more active Society referees
8. A referees' secretary
9. A strategic plan
   Be Financially sustainable

That of course is the Gold Standard, Silver and Bronze requirements are naturally fewer and less arduous. Bad enough to be trying to get your sums to add up for S**** 6, without, at the same time, having to bring a club up to Gold Standard.

The coaching requirements for the Gold Standard are interesting too:

1. A Club Coach Co-ordinator
2. 50% of the mini-rugby coaches qualified to Level 1
3. 50% if the youth and adult coaches qualified to Level 2
4. Level 3 coach at Under-18 and adult
5. A qualified Strength & Conditioning Coach
6. Two female coaches

You have to applaud the SRU's determination to try to raise standards and improve Scottish Rugby, but, the effort from the clubs to make the Union's vision work will be substantial, some clubs will, I am certain, fail to meet these demands. Truly, we live in interesting times in Scottish Rugby.

I Have Said All I Will Say About Stupid 6 - For Now

WITH a little over 24 hours to go before the portcullis slams down on Stupid 6 franchise applications, I suppose I should cease this carping from the sidelines, allow those clubs who will take their initial interest as far as actually completing and returning franchise documents to Murrayfield to go off down the road to perdition and simply use that time-honoured phrase, beloved of Scottish mothers: “Well, Hell mend ye!”

Our national team is fifth in the world rankings, Glasgow is seemingly heading for the PRO14 Grand Final, Edinburgh appear to be following them into the play-offs, oh aye, and – WE BEAT ENGLAND. Now, from my many years on the football beat, it is this last wee fact which worries me, occasional hammering the bigger, stronger bully next door, invariably I find, leads to a few return beatings – we are in a good place. But, we are Scotland, so we should prepare for incoming.

We Scots know, from long and bitter experience - the present sunny period will not last, we will soon be back to our seemingly preferred option: with the wind in our faces; so, when it comes to the governance of Scottish rugby, we ought to be seeking something better. Fair play to the SRU for trying, but, for me, Stupid 6 is not the fix we need.

 Supreme Leader Ayatollah Dodson - five more years

Good luck to the clubs who get the length of having Ayatollah Dodson and his “clerics” go through their bids with a fine-tooth comb, but, if you think Murrayfield will move far to overcome the clear deficiencies in the original franchise document, if you think the “suits” will cheerfully hand-over that money of yours which you have given them by your ticket and peripherals purchases, if you believe you will receive a greater share of the television and assorted income which accrues from the national side – then I fear you will be in for a gigantic gunk.

Ayatollah Dodson, sitting on a supine board, with a Council below that which is short on talent, and having just been awarded a new five-year contract, I would presume with a nice wee pay rise in there, may be at the zenith of his powers, master of all he surveys. He is, perhaps, the most-powerful Scottish sporting administrator since Jim Farry presided over Scottish football – and I don't see a wee bunnet-wearing accountant with a mid-Atlantic accent coming out of left field to dethrone him any time soon.

No, I shall say no more about Stupid 6 for now. But, I will have my popcorn ready to enjoy the moment when it all, as it surely will, starts to unravel. Aye, Hell mend ye is I believe the correct response.

TO OTHER matters. The Scotland Under-18 squad for this week's inaugural 6Nations Under-18 international tournament in Wales. Coach Iain Monaghan has named a 2-strong pool, which is:

 Scotland Under-18 Coach Iain Monaghan

Forwards: Thomas Jeffrey * (Peebles), Mark Wilson * (Duns), Daniel Gamble * (Kelso / Merchiston Castle School), Alex Pleasants (The Henley College / Wasps), Rory Jackson (Edinburgh Academy), Scott Clelland* (Ayr), Cameron Henderson * (Strathallan School), Cameron Brown (Kelso), Jack Hill (Sedbergh School), Tom Morris (Dollar Academy), Archie Smeaton (Yorkshire Carnegie / Hymers College), Gavin Wilson* (Dumfries Saints), Connor Boyle* (Stewart’s Melville College / Stewart’s Meville RFC), Rory Darge* (Borders College / Melrose).

Backs: Kristian Kay (Stowe School / Wasps), Jamie Dobie* (Merchiston Castle School), Nathan Chamberlain (Bristol / SGS College), Robbie McCallum* (Loretto School), Dan Lancaster (Yorkshire Carnegie / Bishop Burton College), Scott Robeson (George Heriot’s School), Paul Cunningham (George Watson’s College), Jack Blain* (Stewart’s Melville College / Stewarts Melville RFC), Matthew Currie (Merchiston Castle School), Rufus McLean (Merchiston Castle School), Charlie Hudson (St Peter’s, York), Femi Sofolarin (Dulwich College / Harlequins). *BT Sport Academy Player Supported Player.

Good luck to the boys, but, I noticed something about this squad, and that is the total absence of Stirling County players. As it happens, County are in Italy on-tour over the Easter break, which may explain their lack of representation. If that is the case, fair enough; however, I would have thought an Under-18 team which went through their season in the SRU's much-vaunted Mitsubishi Shogun Conference unbeaten, then added the Scottish Under-18 Cup for good measure, would have some sort of representation in a national Under-18 squad.

Ayr, who were second in the table, provide a single player, hooker Scott Clelland, while 19 of the 26 places go to boys who are at private schools – which perhaps indicates the school tie, whether old or current, still has a certain cachet around Murrayfield.

The “suits” have spoken for some time about a level playing field, and bringing the club/state school sector up to the level of the private schools, with their specialist coaches etc. Clearly there is still work to be done.

Of course the “Teachers' Dispute” of the 1980s played havoc with state school sport, and not just rugby. But, come on, that was over 30-years ago, it is long past the time we stopped hiding behind that hoary old excuse for the comparative lack of state school names in squads such as the current Under-18 one.

I remember a Scottish Schools squad: “The Scottish Thistles”, going off to South Africa back in the early 1970s. Back then, that was a distinct no-no, as the Saffers were in international purdah. Any way, those doughty class warriors at the Daily Record decided to have a go at the SRU, the Scottish Schools RU and anyone else they could by condemning the tour.

 They duly despatched a photographer to Glasgow Airport to photograph the party leaving, and, next morning, there was a picture of a few of the lads, happily posing for the paper. I cannot remember the full text of the caption, but, it was something along the lines of: “these young gentlemen from some of Scotland's poshest private schools are off to play rugby in South Africa and Rhodesia.....” Trouble was, ALL the boys pictured, such as Sid House from Greenock Academy and Tony Adair from Ayr Academy, (pictured above sporting a lot more years, a few more pounds and a lot less hair than back then) were actually pupils at STATE schools. In the 1970s, the split was more even.

The fact the pendulum has swung so far in favour of the private schools since the 1980s is probably another stick with which to beat the SRU.

The Way Ahead For Wales Has Lessons For Murrayfield

HAVE A LOOK AT THIS BOYO

THE above was the gist of an email I received from my spy in Cardiff this morning. So, I had a look, and thought – there are lessons here for Murrayfield.

Geraint John with Warren Gatland

The piece in question is an interview which Simon Thomas of the Western Mail did for Wales Online with Welsh Rugby Union Head of Rugby Performance Geraint John (their equivalent of Scott Johnston – except, Geraint has a bit of street cred). The whole article can be seen on Wales Online at:

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/inside-story-behind-welsh-rugbys-14462517

Background:

Like the SRU, the WRU were concerned at the perceived gap between their Premiership and the four Regional teams – Cardiff Blues, Dragons, Ospreys and Scarlets, who compete against Edinburgh and Glasgow in the PRO14. However, whereas Murrayfield simply said: “The Premiership is not fit for purpose,” and decided to introduce Stupid 6, the Welsh went about solving the problem in a sensible and methodical way.

As Geraint John explained: “We appointed consultants and gave them a couple of aims.

We wanted a vibrant, sustainable club rugby model and we wanted the level below the regions to support the player development pathway to make Wales successful at the 2023 and 2027 World Cups.

Those were the two key objectives - Wales to be successful, but also a vibrant club system.”

They set about things thoroughly: “We did workshops with the Premiership and Championship clubs and with the regions. There were online surveys of clubs, supporters and players, with the media being asked for their views as well.

The consultants spoke to other countries to find out what was going on around the rugby world and they looked at other sports,” John revealed.

The consultants came back with their key findings and those went to a steering group that had two representatives from the Premiership, two from the Regions, two from the executive board, two board members, two independents.

An internal WRU steering group produced a model – in reality a case of fine tuning the consultants report. The findings were – Wales needed a performance model and a club model. The question was whether the club model could fit the performance model. That was probably the major discussion.

Wales's way ahead:

Following the consultation period, it was decided the best way forward was to establish four Regional Under-23 teams, a new level between the Premiership and the Regional sides (who will be responsible for the new sided), while there will also be a cut in the number of Premiership clubs, from 16 to 12.

Geraint John explained the thinking: “The feedback from the surveys and the consultants report was - there was a massive gap between Premiership and pro rugby. We tracked training sessions and games and the performance model wasn’t right below regional rugby to support player and coaching development.

Nothing against the club model. That’s week-in, week-out rugby and that’s what the club people wanted. They didn’t want the gaps in the season or the conferences that have been there.

“Performance models are different. You need a competitive period and you need performance blocks, where they train and do the physical and skill preparation.

“The club model of two nights a week does not satisfy a performance model. We haven’t got the facilities, the staff, the infrastructure in the clubs to support a full performance model.

So it had to go into the regions, which is why the consultants went with the U23 model.”

In addition to seeing their Premiership reduced in size, the Welsh Premiership clubs will lose the Performance element of their annual central funding from the WRU, this money will be retained to help pay for the Under-23 teams.

The SRU do not allocate a similar sum to our Premiership clubs for their use of drafted professionals and Academy players, it should be noted. The new plans in Wales will also see WRU cash allocated to their Championship teams – the Welsh equivalent of our National 1, to help close the gap on the top clubs.

There is also confirmation of ongoing talks with the SRU and the IRFU to instigate a sort of Celtic Cup, for Premiership clubs, to replace the British & Irish Cup.

The Wales Online piece makes interesting reading. It demonstrates that Scotland is not alone in having concerns about the gap between club rugby and the full-time professional game, and how to best bridge that gap.

The Welsh model may not be perfect, but, to me it certainly makes far more sense than this half-baked, hare-brained Stupid 6 nonsense which the Murrayfield Ayatollahs are trying to foist upon us.

And, significantly, the Welsh took the trouble to consult the clubs, to get specialist consultants in, and to think the thing through logically.

I urge you to log onto Wales Online and read the Thomas piece. There is much for the SRU and Scottish rugby in general to learn there.

The key changes announced today by the WRU

* Regional U23 teams to be introduced from next season;

* Around 10-12 matches to be played in two blocks in September/October and April, with inter-regional fixtures, plus a cross-border competition against Irish and Scottish sides;

* U23 teams to have squads of around 35 predominantly Welsh-qualified players, with scope for some overage players to be involved;

* Teams to have dedicated coaching and conditioning staff from within the regions;

* From November to March, U23 players to stay in the regions, play for Wales U20s, Wales 7s or Premiership clubs

* Selected players to have a four-week development block in December;

* Anglo-Welsh Cup likely to be scrapped;

* Welsh Premiership to be reduced from 16 to 12 teams from 2019-20, with a straight home and away format followed by end of season play-offs for the top four;

* Four clubs to be relegated from the Premiership at the end of next season, with Clubs from the top two flights to vote on whether the Championship table-toppers should be promoted automatically or whether there should be a play-off with the 12th-placed Premiership team.

* Ring-fencing to be removed, with promotion and relegation between the Premiership and Championship to be reintroduced from 2019-20;

* Relegation based purely on league position, with no guarantee that each region will have a club from its catchment area in the Premiership;

* Four teams to drop down from the Championship into the WRU national leagues as part of the reorganisation;

* U23 teams to be financed out of money currently spent by the WRU on Premiership and Championship clubs;

* Funding to Premiership clubs to be cut over a four year period from £90,000 to around £50,000 from 2019;

* Precise funding to be based on specific criteria, such as coaching and facilities, with the current A licence being revised;

* Parachute payments to clubs relegated from the Premiership;

* Funding to Championship clubs to go up from £4,000 to £15,000 over a period of time;

* Alternative game times, such as Thursday or Friday evenings, to be considered for Premiership matches for broadcasting opportunities and to avoid clashes with the regions and Wales;

* Plans for a cross-border competition to be set up for Premiership clubs;

* The WRU National Cup, involving Premiership and Championship clubs, to be retained;

* A Commercial Manager to be appointed to service the Premiership/Championship and source sponsorship and broadcasting opportunities;

* North Walian side RGC to continue to compete at club level, with insufficient depth at present for them to enter into the U23 competition.

While The SRU Puts Up Diversionary "Squirrels" - The Guys At The Clubs Are Seriously Worried

I'VE BEEN a naughty boy again, and the SRU's Media department “forgot” to send me a copy of their weekly media schedule; thus, I missed yesterday's “squirrel show,” when they put Head of Women's Rugby Gemma Fay up to talk to the nodding dogs of the mainstream media – the guys who jump when told to “sit” and “stay,” and who are too well-trained to mention Stupid 6 or Agenda 3.

 Gemma Fay - a genuinely great lady, but, yesterday "A Squirrel"

Picture SNS

Lovely lassie Gemma, a real role model to girls in Scotland. Ah kent her faither tae. I am sure, within the constraints which will be placed on her by the misogynists among the Murrayfield Ayatollahs, she will do a good job. But, when you see a hack, who will complain privately about newspapers and journalists being bullied to toe the party line by Murrayfield, toeing that party line and writing-up his puff piece on Gemma and women's rugby – while singularly failing to ever mention Stupid 6 or Agenda 3 – well: shakes head silently.

Meanwhile, here on the front line, I got some interesting feed-back on yesterday's post. As always, the readership can see the flaws in Stupid 6, and aint afraid to list them.

One of the first btl (below the line) comments we received yesterday said:

“The sell around "even stupider" & "fewer but stronger" has already begun even without any recent official announcements.

Talk to a Council rep and you might hear the suggestion for Clubs withdrawing from league competitions as perhaps some form of recreational rugby would be more appropriate.

Fewer leagues Clubs = fewer Clubs to distribute participation monies to.
Fewer Clubs getting participation monies = more Clubs struggling to survive.
More Clubs struggling to survive = more Clubs folding.

The Agenda 3 documentation includes "Every club in Scotland will benefit from this increased and sustained investment" - guessing the bit they missed out was that there just won't be as many Clubs.

The more our discussions progress, the more I begin to ponder the question, "how few, is few".”

Next up an official with a club asks this pertinent question:

“Whither National 3?

Imagine a scenario - too many clubs playing national rugby (especially given how super 6 will suck in players to that level) that we need to reconsider the number of national leagues.

Given the real hurdles getting out of the Regional 1 leagues - there is only one promotion place for each of the three regional league winners, that places inordinate barriers to ambitious clubs.”

I must admit, I have long felt, a Premiership plus three National Leagues is probably one division too-many.

I can almost see Murrayfield trying to impose a football-style "apartheid", with certain clubs being labelled as "Senior" clubs, while the rest are "Junior", except, these junior clubs will not have the support of a Junior Rugby Union. And, never the twain shall meet. So, no more Ayrs, Curries, Marrs or Stirling Counties emerging from the ranks.

The next commenter came-up with:

“Thinking about the super 6 squads. Will all of the Melrose 1st team move over to the franchise? I think not.

The big unknown is how many academy players will pop up in the franchises - and are they actually good enough to play at that level.

So let’s be generous and say 15 of a current clubs squad can make the grade. They still need to fill another 20 slots.

We could have the amateur arm of the franchise (or is it the part time arm of the amateur club?) playing in National 1. So this franchised club will need 70 players to put out a “part-time professional” side and an amateur one. Never mind any other teams they have.

Can’t see any flaws in this approach at all.”

A commenter, describing himself as: “A Cynical Second-row” asks:

“Interestingly the Super 6 documents says: 'Stage 3 players not already with a pro side will be available to a franchise and some stage 2, but not all, will be.'

Looking at: http://www.scottishrugby.org/bt-sport-scottish-rugby-academy-0

gives us 27 stage 3 players and some number of the 48 stage 2 players (by my reckoning) to fit into 210 slots in the 6 squads.

If we take 12 of the stage 2 players, the franchises have to find 171 players, that's the first XV of every premiership club plus 21 further players.

• Will all of them want to do it?
• Will all of them be able to do it?
• Will they want to do it if it means trekking to Aberdeen or Dundee?”

Another reader asks a different question:

“If Dundee win a franchise, which league will their amateur arm play in - they're currently in National 1.

For a part-time professional squad of 35, how many of their current squad will be good enough and how many will need to be imported on an average of around £90 a week?”

Our “Cynical Second-row” then came back with:

“Something that occurs to me is whether we'll be seeing the return of the brown envelope, not in the true club game, but in the franchises.

If payment is limited to £12k including benefits in kind is there not an incentive to offer those players who in the £12k grade a little extra to come to your franchise over another, especially if you're not as geographically attractive.”

Given, the SRU has already admitted, during the initial setting-up phase of Stupid 6, the majority of the players will come from existing Premiership playing rosters – five of the ten clubs are based in Edinburgh – and there will probably only be one Edinburgh-based franchise; it stands to reason, a lot of players will need to be prepared to travel if they wish to continue playing at their current level.

“Another Disgruntled Club Official” raises yet another salient point when he writes:

“The very pertinent point about the "knock on effect" of Super 6 as has been highlighted by many including current Boroughmuir Head Coach Peter Wright.

The rather bizarre answer that we've had from Dodson is that he believes the opposite will be true because Super 6 will only have 210 players playing in it, whereas the current premiership has roughly 300 players playing regularly. Failing to recognise that if, for example, Ayr have a team in Super 6 and National 1, then they are going to need to recruit a whole load of players from somewhere as Ayr 2s certainly wouldn't be up to National 1 standard.

So where are these players going to come from? Either Ayr's 'club' side will plummet down the leagues while the club itself focuses on their Super 6 franchise or else they will need to get players from somewhere else, no doubt arriving from clubs who are already struggling for numbers.

Another question I would be asking if I were Ayr or any other club looking to take up a franchise is what happens if this fails? What is the contingency plan for these clubs? Will they automatically be placed back in the leagues at 'Premiership' level? Would the clubs 'left behind' allow it?”

The original commenter, right at the start of today's piece, came back on that one with:

“No back-up plan required, just "burn the boats":

https://medium.com/@zacharysexton/burn-the-boats-1093e8a4601c

However, I'd argue in a "burn the boats" strategy, you wouldn't have an amateur team parachuted into a league you thought wasn't fit for purpose.”

“Another Disgruntled Club Official” then asked a question which a few others have come up with:

“I just wonder if any clubs bidding have asked. Like, what happens if one or more teams pull out during the 5 year process?

Maybe, because whoever is funding it tells their club that this is a monumental waste of my money. Hardly an unlikely scenario. I just wonder if anyone bidding has asked Dodson what happens in these types of circumstances that may be outwith their control?”

There is a precedent for a "professional" club failing. Remember what became of the "professional" London Irish/Scottish/Richmond side. If memory serves me correctly, London Irish survived as a professional entity, Scottish and Richmond had to rebuild from the lowest level in London Rugby. They have yet to get back to where they were, and, I would say never will.

OK, that was in England, but, the same thing could happen to a failed franchise here.

A reader, calling himself: “Clubfan” made this salient point:

“Dundee are an interesting case study:

 

• They are woefully short of cash to fund the bid.
• They recognise the geographic challenge they have in enticing players to Dundee.
• They estimate only four or five current first team players are at the standard for Super .
• They will need to drop their Seconds if they get the franchise.

On the above they could compete in National 1 as it would be their current team.

I would also contend that Dundee rugby is subject to internecine warfare and there is no love lost between the clubs.

Morgan look terminal as they drop into Midlands 3. Harris only have one team. Carnoustie have picked themselves up since giving up their Caley 1 place. The Uni only have the Medics side playing in Saturday rugby. Panmure mid table in midlands 2. Stobswell regularly losing by 80+ points every week.

If the Dundee HS rejects then go play for the other sides then all well and good but how likely is that?”

“Another Disgruntled Club Official” then returned to the debate with this interesting observation:

“Another question is whether the clubs in National 1 after next season will be content with having 6 clubs in their league who are effectively 2nd XVs?

And does this not encourage the 'warehousing' effect because players will have little reason not to migrate to the clubs who host Super 6 franchises? After all, they will be playing in the second top tier and probably top tier of the amateur game.

With no financial incentive to play for one club over another, the fact that one club is directly connected to a Super 6 Team will be a big draw for ambitious players or indeed any player looking for a new club.”

I have the distinct impression, this debate still has a long way to run.