And Your Points Were, Callers

I told you Stupid  6 was the future for Scottish Rugby

I HAVE received some interesting feedback from readers following yesterday's blog. A couple of these, in particular, hit nails rather firmly on the head, so I reprint these below for your consideration.

'Clubfan' – a regular contributor to the blog's comments section had this to say:

“This has been a case book study in how to hoodwink the “electorate” in this case the member clubs on the need to do something about professional rugby and open the way for external investment.

There was zero discussion about the impact of this on the wider club game. So the suits played a blinder.

What is more curious is the complete absence of any external investment in the two pro sides. It’s almost as if the investors had a look and discovered a large money pit and rapidly backed away.

I think the correct label would be donors. There is no investment in Scottish Rugby as there is no possibility of a financial return. What the SRU are looking for is someone else to shoulder the losses.

I say again - what will it take for the clubs to bring the SRU board and council into check? I fear we’ve already passed that point.”

'Clubfan' certainly makes some valid points, with which I am in full agreement. The Murrayfield “suits” might not have entirely fulfilled old Abe Lincoln's dictum about fooling all of the people some of the time – but they certainly appear to be fooling most of the people, most of the time – ergo, they are playing a blinder.

His point about the lack of investment I have touched on before. They cannot attract outside investment, so they are selling back to six gullible clubs, something they already have – the right to play at the highest level of the club game. And, by buying into the Stupid 6 franchise, these half dozen clubs are handing over controls they already have on such things as their choice of coach, to a bunch of unelected staff at Murrayfield.

'pegj' another regular btl commenter, had this to say yesterday:

“I'm getting the distinct impression that Clubs are happy to toe the party line being peddled by their Council members.

The vast majority of Clubs are run by volunteers whose primary interest is playing rugby or supporting their "local" rugby Club. When it comes to the politics side of things and what's happening in the wider game, they sink there heads and sigh, and leave it up to others, trusting that their Council reps are looking after their best interests. The only time they get animated is when something is going to affect them right here, right now.

Agenda 3, is not currently a “right here, right now” issue, whilst being told that it will mean that all Clubs will receive more investment - so that's all Clubs need to know.

Added to that, their Council reps are telling them it's ok as it won't really "affect Clubs at our level".

Oh really:

• "Fewer, but stronger" has the potential to decimate local rugby Clubs - who will decide which Clubs should survive (and get access to the increased investment), which should fold and which should merge?
• Will Clubs who lose players due to strict amateurism be monitored so they don't poach players from smaller Clubs?
• Will Clubs withdrawing from "competitive" leagues to play in "friendly" leagues affect participation payments?
• What happens to S4, S5 & S6 school players when there are no local U16 & U18 Club teams, or will it not matter because any decent players will already have been identified and fed into the local Super 6 franchise?
• What happens to schools rugby when Cashback funding runs out, and Clubs can't meet the youth rugby criteria of the minimum operating standards?

And another one, not related to Agenda 3 & funding - what happens on 25th May when GDPR comes fully into force, and Clubs "shouldn't" pass personal data to a third party (that includes the Union by the way) without having that persons "explicit consent" to do so, and without knowing specifically how the 3rd party will process that data.

So let's think about that, that's the "explicit consent" of each and every player, from each and every rugby Club in the country, and don't forget Committee member details, coaches, referees and any other volunteer who the Union has details about. Before we can get the "explicit consent", the Union needs to tell Clubs how each bit of personal data is going to be used. Reminder, this comes into force on 25th May 2018 (1 month).

Just a few of the issues which our trusted Councils reps should be dealing with, yet seem unable to answer.

Clubs need to step up to the mark and challenge their Council reps on these and many other issues, but they won't, just as they never have done.”

Some serious issues for the clubs to tackle there. As I have said from the start, this whole Stupid 6 – Agenda 3 business has been badly-handled from the start. The paid officials have been allowed to trample freely over the clubs, the Council, the guys elected to look after the interests of the clubs appear to be doing nothing, or to have been neutered by the guys they ought to be managing.

The silence of the mainstream media has been disgraceful – we are heading for disaster and, like a downhill rolling snowball the impetus toward that disaster is growing.

Of course Stupid 6 is important, but, it is important to more than just to the six clubs involved. The knock-on effect will hit every club; the ramifications of Agenda 3 will hit even harder, but, the clubs appear to be happy to let it happen.

Scottish Rugby – for fuck's sake waken up. You're on the Titanic, that iceberg is dead ahead, there are not enough life boats and while the Council and Board are First Class passengers – most of you are in Steerage.

And Captain Dodson and Bosun Johnson will not go down with the ship – which, in case you've forgotten, is owned by YOU, not by them.