Should We Take A Fresh Look At The Lions?

HAVING had a few conversations with the late Gordon Brown, who had a player's perspective, and several journalists who were lucky enough to cover a Lions Tour, I honestly believe the current restricted Tour is all wrong.

The real challenge about Lions Tours of the past was always the provincial games, taking-on good but not necessarily great players with something to prove – rugby's equivalent of their Rocky moment. And, like Stallone's great character, they often came out swinging.

The likes of big Alan Tomes was never a Test Lion, but, he could tell you of games which he and his fellow “Dirt Trackers,” as the midweek team were dubbed, found as hard as internationals.

The tourists also got to experience some of the culture of the nation they were visiting. Ok, occasionally they would arrive at a one-horse town, Nowheresville South Africa or New Zealand, just after the horse died. But, years later, meeting-up with fellow Lions, that was a good: “Do you remember?” moment.

I recall, for instance, the Glasgow Herald's Bill McMurtrie telling of, during a two-day drive through New Zealand's North Island, stopping for lunch in a small town, entering the only hotel, to discover Tennent's Lager on-tap. The local brewery had a tie-in with the Glasgow company. That little touch of home on the other side of the world stuck with Bill.

Today, the Herald doesn't even have a Rugby Correspondent who could enjoy such a moment, and, the main Lions party tends to settle in main bases in big city, five-star hotels.

Also today, it's all about the Tests. Too-much pressure about games which, in the bigger picture of international rugby, are unimportant. The reality is, international rugby is all about the Six Nations, The Rugby Championships and, every four years, the Rugby World Cup.

For me, The Lions are now over-commercialised, over-hyped and no longer relevant. Now, maybe if we over-hauled the Lions concept, allow the best of our club players or non-internationalists, to go off on longer tours, against hosts of a similar standard – that might be a concept worth looking at.

As I have often said, I refuse to pay Uncle Rupert's tariff to watch sport, so, I am stuck with the Channel Four highlights package. Much as I love wee Lee Mackenzie, I thought last night's programme was pretty shitty – not enough game footage and too-much of the panel. Could do better.

Now we move on to the Second Test, where we are sure to see a fierce Springbok backlash. Assuming Dan Biggar is missing under the HIA protocols, it will be interesting to see if Warren Gatland rushes Finn Russell back to wear the number ten shirt, or if he takes something of a punt on Marcus Smith? I doubt if he will go with Owen Farrell at ten, preferring to keep him back for bench duties, giving his ability to cover all three midfield positions. That said, Farrell's kicking might get him into the starting XV, it will be interesting to see what happens.

WHEN I started “Aristotle” the idea was that I could more-or-less anonymously, comment on matters rugby. This notion was quickly under-mined and I was outed early doors. The blog title has stayed, however, but I still write elsewhere under my own name.

Last week, in the run-up to the First Lions Test, I did a fun piece for The Offside Line. The stuff was factual, but, it was never meant to be taken as serious comment, it was a light-hearted “left field” look at the game.

As such, the piece was well-received, with a lot of positive feed-back, which was exactly what David Barnes and I were looking for.

BUT, and what a pity there had to be a but, the piece passed some six feet over the head of that great, all-knowing, all-seeing, commenter on matters rugby – The Dreaded Silver Croc, or to give him his Sunday name, Ron Sutherland.

Ron let himself down badly with some petty and ill-informed comments on the post. Well, he is a Fifer who has moved to 'Pailmerkland.' More to be pitied than criticised.

GOOD to see the FOSROC SUPER6 sides completing their pre-season warm-ups at the weekend, with some closely-contested matches. Things get under-way on Friday night, while I will be getting my first view of live rugby for a long time, at Millbrae on Sunday, when Ayrshire Bulls entertain Watsonians.

Bring it on.

LAST WEEK the SRU quietly produced a new refereeing initiative. Over the next three years they are aiming to make the world of Scottish refereeing a lot better.

Scottish officiating, certainly at the top level, has been in the doldrums for years. We haven't had a “world-class match official” of the calibre of the great Alan Hosie and Jim Fleming this century. Now however, with Mike Adamson leading the charge among the men, and Hollie Davidson for the women, we are fighting back.

Certainly Wee Mikey and Wee Hollie get most of the headlines, but, guys such as Ben Blain, Sam Grove-White and Fin Brown are not far behind. Some big hitters are involved in the new initiative, which I wish every success.

One of the big areas of concern in refereeing circles concerns touchline abuse of officials, and this is somewhere where the clubs really have to up their game, to the extent of, if necessary, telling the club's self-appointed refereeing expert to either: “Shut up or Fuck Off.”

I've been involved in rugby since the bad old days of yore, when every club had its own tame “home official.” You knew with guys like that on the whistle, you were going to get nothing and would have to kill to get a draw.

These officials are fewer these days, and I can honestly say, in recent years, I have seen one or two whom I wished could do better, but, I have only encountered one official who I was convinced was “bent” and a “homer.” To be fair, in his case, he was also an “awayer.”

Remember, no referee – no game. We need to nurture and support the men and women with the whistles and flags.

Inter-Districts: Maybes Aye, Maybes Naw, But Not At The Level Its Supporters Crave

 JUST as I expected, the high heid yins at BT Murrayfield have said: “You're not on lads,” to the AGM motion calling for a return to Inter-District play at the expense of Super6 rugby.

In the Union's latest circular to club officials, outlining decisions taken at recent Board and Council meetings, Murrayfield makes it clear – they would welcome an Inter-District competition – if desired by the clubs – but at a level below S6, which they still see as a crucial part of the Union's High Performance Rugby strategy.

That is a view which I have long held. I also note the Union has, albeit belatedly, confirmed, the funding for S6 comes from the High Performance budget, rather than the Community Rugby one.

The view from HQ is that any introduction of an Inter-District competition should be dealt with through the normal season structure consultation process and their view is that such a competition replacing S6 would not be in the best interests of ensuring there is a player development pathway in place.

The SRU briefing paper also mentions the Glasgow Hawks AGM motion calling for greater transparency on how the Scottish Government financial support re Covid is to be spent.

It seems pretty straight-forward to me. However, the Union apparatchiks point-out, if they or the clubs were to be stopped spending some of the money in hiring non-Scottish-qualified players, it could leave them open to possible legal action under the 2010 Equality Act. However, the Union will put forward a simple amendment designed to get round this thorny issue.

As I think I have said before on this, we could always go back to Chick Young's 'Eight Diddies Act' in football – the old rule where by a Scottish club could only field three non-Scottish-qualified players in any one XI. It doesn't stop a club hiring non-Scots, but, they can only play a limited number in the team at any one time.

For instance, in England, the RFU are now insisting on 15 “England-qualified” players in each match-day 23-man squad. That equates to 65%, which, for my money is a wee bit on the low side. They used to have a 70% rule in place.

The third motion up for discussion is the Haddington one, calling for the abolition of the in-house legal department at Murrayfield. This one, The Junta is going to fight.

Cynic that I am, I get the impression, perhaps old 'Howzat' is threatening to spill the beans as to where the bodies are buried, if he looks like getting booted out.

Interestingly, as with the other motions, the suggestion is – this should be a matter for the Governance Review Committee, should they ever get around to reporting on their ongoing deliberations. Did they bring in Stuart Hogg to kick that particular can down the road?

The suggestion is, if the in-house legal team is disbanded, it could incur costs of upwards of £1.5 million per year. Over to some of the well-heeled lawyers on various clubs for a view on that particular hot potato. No, let's not bother – some might think that was doing things on the cheap.

I HAVE become somewhat detached from The Lions over recent tours, with the way Scottish players have been side-lined to a degree.

Sure, I am delighted to see us getting guys into the starting XV and on the bench, but, I don't see myself searching-out somewhere showing the game live tomorrow night. I will continue my policy of refusing to pay Uncle Rupert's levy to watch the game, I will wait for the Channel four highlights package.

I do think, however, there has still been an element of politics at play in the XV. I would start Mish every game, but, I think the English Media Mafia would have taken-out a contract on Gatland, had he not picked their golden boy Curry.

Wyn Jones v Sutherland was another toss of a coin call for the starting shirt, but, at least Rory knows, he will get on. It's not a bad team, weakened by the Finn Russell injury, and I feel, the odds slightly favour the Bokke.

 

 

BY THE WAY, not that the Test Series will need it, but, there's a wee extra edge to tomorrow's opening Test, since the Unofficial World RugbyChampionship is also up for grabs.

The Unofficial title is arrived at by taking the boxing concept of: you win the world title, you keep it till you lose, then whoever beats you is World Champion until they lose. Scotland won the first international, back in 1871, to become the first World Champions. Extrapolate that result forard over the years and you find, when the Lions beat ll Blacks in the Third Test in 2017, they became the latest champions under that system. Now four years later, the South Africans have a chance to add the Unofficial title to the Official one they won in 2019.

David Barnes has the full listings – compiled by an old rugby hack with too-much time on his hands - and is hoping to run a story in TOL, so, I will not cramp his style here, but, read it when it appears, there are some fascinating results in the listings.

FINALLY, good luck and go well to two Scots whose Olympic Games participation has gone somewhat under the radar.

I refer to Sam Grove-White and Hollie Davidson, both of whom will be on refereeing duty at the Games, in the Rugby Sevens tournament.

It's Sam's second straight Games and a first time in the Olympic goldfish bowl for wee Hollie – good luck you two.

There's A Coach Going Out - So What.

OPINIONS are like arseholes – everybody has one. So, for what it is worth, here's mine on Richard Cockerill's sudden departure from Edinburgh.

“Leaving by mutual consent” is a football cliché. There's been a major fall-out, probably over money, TCD has almost-certainly told Cockers: “This is what's happening, like it or lump it.” Cockers has decided to lump it and a wee mutual face-saving exercise has been carried out.

I like to see Edinburgh winning, except when they are facing Glasgow, so I am not overly perturbed at this parting of the ways, in fact, the departure of the former Leicester Tiger gives the SRU a great chance to do what they have not done well in the professional era, and promote a Scotsman to the top job.

Mike Blair will be favourite, given the state of the SRU finances post-Covid will more or less force them to go for an in-house appointment. He certainly deserves his chance and if he gets the gig – I wish Mike well.

The state of the Union's finances is a major issue. I am fed-up trying to explain the realities of life to those Glasgow and Edinburgh fans who think like fitba fans, demanding big name signings both on the park and in the technical area – this is not a path the SRU should be going down.

As I have repeatedly written, the way the SRU's finances are managed, the bulk of their income comes from the international A squad; this is the one Scottish side capable of filling all 67,000 seats at Murrayfield. The two full-time professional sides are Scottish Rugby's equivalent of Rangers and Celtic – existing on the sort of crowds attracted by the likes of St Mirren and Livingston. That's a circle which cannot be squared.

The SRU also has a duty of care to the entire game in Scotland. Now to me, a large part of that is to encourage Scottish players. As I have repeatedly written, I have no objection to the SRU, the two professional clubs, and even the six Super6 franchises recruiting Scottish-qualified players from beyond Scottish rugby. We've got a shallow local talent pool and have to use any other talent at our disposal. BUT – I don't think we should be recruiting non-Scottish players or coaches.

Again, I've been writing this for ages. It makes no sense to me to recruit Pacific Islanders, or other non-Scottish-qualified players to play in the United Rugby Championship, a competition in which there is no promotion or relegation, and one which is being used by the SRU to prepare young Scottish players for the rigours of the international arena.

Appoint a Scottish coach, and let him show what he can do with native talent. Toony proved himself at Glasgow. Tell the public straight, we are going with Scottish-qualified and developed players, and the more guys we can bring through who are from Edinburgh, the better for rugby in the capital.

Cockerill going is not a disaster, it is an opportunity – grab it with both hands.

And, while I am on the subject. More than 24 hours have now passed since Cockerill's departure was announced. To their credit, Edinburgh has announced his departure on their club website, but, Stuart Rutherford, their media manager, is as good an operator in his field, as his distinguished father John was on his particular rugby field.

However, if you go to the Scottish Rugby official site for your news – no mention. But, as regular readers will know, my view of the SRU's media department is: of the many sections of Scottish Rugby “Not fit for purpose,” the media department is aboon them aw when it comes to not functioning properly. Has Buddy the Elf gone walkabout again?

I Am Not Worried About Cockerill Going.

OPINIONS are like arseholes – everybody has one. So, for what it is worth, here's mine on Richard Cockerill's sudden departure from Edinburgh.

“Leaving by mutual consent” is a football cliché. There's been a major fall-out, probably over money, TCD has almost-certainly told Cockers: “This is what's happening, like it or lump it.” Cockers has decided to lump it and a wee mutual face-saving exercise has been carried out.

I like to see Edinburgh winning, except when they are facing Glasgow, so I am not overly perturbed at this parting of the ways, in fact, the departure of the former Leicester Tiger gives the SRU a great chance to do what they have not done well in the professional era, and promote a Scotsman to the top job.

Mike Blair will be favourite, given the state of the SRU finances post-Covid will more or less force them to go for an in-house appointment. He certainly deserves his chance and if he gets the gig – I wish Mike well.

The state of the Union's finances is a major issue. I am fed-up trying to explain the realities of life to those Glasgow and Edinburgh fans who think like fitba fans, demanding big name signings both on the park and in the technical area – this is not a path the SRU should be going down.

As I have repeatedly written, the way the SRU's finances are managed, the bulk of their income comes from the international A squad; this is the one Scottish side capable of filling all 67,000 seats at Murrayfield. The two full-time professional sides are Scottish Rugby's equivalent of Rangers and Celtic – existing on the sort of crowds attracted by the likes of St Mirren and Livingston. That's a circle which cannot be squared.

The SRU also has a duty of care to the entire game in Scotland. Now to me, a large part of that is to encourage Scottish players. As I have repeatedly written, I have no objection to the SRU, the two professional clubs, and even the six Super6 franchises recruiting Scottish-qualified players from beyond Scottish rugby. We've got a shallow local talent pool and have to use any other talent at our disposal. BUT – I don't think we should be recruiting non-Scottish players or coaches.

Again, I've been writing this for ages. It makes no sense to me to recruit Pacific Islanders, or other non-Scottish-qualified players to play in the United Rugby Championship, a competition in which there is no promotion or relegation, and one which is being used by the SRU to prepare young Scottish players for the rigours of the international arena.

Appoint a Scottish coach, and let him show what he can do. Toony did this at Glasgow. Tell the public straight, we are going with Scottish-qualified and developed players, and the more guys we can bring through who are from Edinburgh, the better.

Cockerill going is not a disaster, it is an opportunity – grab it with both hands.

An Expert Is Someone Who Knows All There Is To Know About Fuck All

WHAT FOLLOWS is one of my occasional rants against the iniquities of the modern world, one which, particularly where the media is concerned, is almost an alternative universe to an old hot metal hack such as I. Be prepared for possible bad language, bias, and lack of reason – you have been warned.

This week is going to be difficult for those of us who care about this great game of rugby. Between now and Thursday, when Warren Gatland will put us out of our misery by naming the actual team, the air waves will be polluted, the internet jammed, a Finnish forest will bite the dust to supply the newsprint as everyone and his sister pronounces on the match-day 23 which Gats will name for the First Test.

Test team selections are opinions, and, like arseholes, everybody has one. One thing I can guarantee, hardly any of the prophets will correctly guess Gats' 23, 'twas ever thus.

I took a tortuous and roundabout route into sports-writing, the only job (other than keeping goal for Scotland) I ever wanted. But, I had my first sports story published in 1968 and am still on the tools – so, I think I know what I am talking about – because somebody once was fortunate enough to get picked for his country, or for the British Lions, does not make him any more of an expert than someone who has reported on thousands of games, of all standards, over many years at the coal face of journalism.

Indeed, some of the sharpest rugby brains are to be found around the ropes at places such as Hawick, Pontypool, the forest of Dean, South West France, or in any small town in New Zealand or South Africa. Some of these guys could lose the so-called “experts” on their sport.

And not just men. The late Dod Burrell – Gala international full-back turned international referee, had a great story about being summoned to the touchline at Mansfield Park, during a heated Borders Derby, to be told by “Old Mary” a weel-kent supporter of her beloved Greens that: “Burrell – when Jake Young's deid, you'll be the worst referee in Scotland.” Mary, he believed, had forgotten more about rugby than most people had ever learned.

When it comes to commenting on rugby today, we up here in Scotland are at a distinct disadvantage – particularly if, like me, you are old enough to know better.

As schoolboys, going off in our short trousers to Murrayfield, to get a ringside seat in the Schoolboys Enclosure, we would purchase our programmes and read the wit and wisdom of Jock Wemyss. We listened to the man who, when it came to match callers is undoubtedly the G.O.A.T. - Bill McLaren, “The Voice of Rugby.”

On Monday mornings, we would read in The Scotsman, the measured views of Norman Mair. Norman didn't write match reports – he produced well-crafted essays on the game. His Monday match report on Scotland's 1971 Twickenham Calcutta Cup win breaks every rule in the newspaper-writing book, but, is a fantastic record of a great occasion.

Norman was an international hooker, who got into journalism via school-teaching. Perhaps the only later internationalist to have followed successfully in his footsteps is another hooker, England's Brian Moore, who got into journalism via the legal profession.

Bill McLaren was denied a seeming-certain Scotland cap by illness. However, while working at the chalk face as a PE teacher, he forged a second career in journalism and broadcasting – he had lived real life, he didn't merely step from the dressing room to the press box with no training or experience.

Another great Scottish rugby writer was Bill McMurtrie of the Glasgow Herald. Bill went into the family business of journalism. His father was a distinguished local newspaper editor and I recall Bill once writing; “The McMurtrie's have been reporting on rugby since before the Kaiser's War.” Bill was not as great a wordsmith as McLaren or Mair – but, few of us were. But, his research was exemplary, his record-keeping immaculate and his commitment to his craft absolute.

Bill also, when the Herald management slackened-off on his choke chain, could come up with some wonderful word pictures – who could forget his flight of fancy which had supporters of GHA, the club where he was secretary for some years, causing disturbance in Barcelona while supporting their club in the European Rugby Cup final, brilliant stuff.

When Bill was in his pomp, no rugby player in the West of Scotland farted, but, the Herald knew about it. He later went on to become a highly-respected SRU “blazer” and, for my money he's the best President the SRU never had. These modern players turned commentators could never amass the sort of background experience the likes of Bill had accrued.

Another thing which is against today's commentators is, it's very easy to sit there, in front of a live microphone and just speak. Also, the way in which the bean counters have done a slash and burn job on the subs desks, any old pish which you may input to your lap top has a chance of making it into the paper.

Back in the day, when you had to dictate your copy down a crackling 'phone line, to copy takers such as the Record's legendary Tommy McGhee, who could bring your wilder flights of fancy down to earth with a well-timed: “Is there much more of this pish?” your rough copy had to be fairly-smooth to start with.

The likes of Tommy or “Blinky” Thomson at The Herald kept you honest and your mind on the job. The late, great, Hugh Taylor, had a great story about “doing a runner,” dictating a match report live while the game was unfolding before him, from Nice to Tommy back in Glasgow.

According to the finest sports writer to come out of Kilmarnock, he could hardly hear himself because of the cacophony from the French fans surrounding him; yet, Tommy got it all down first time.

I wonder too, how some of today's precious media stars would cope with anonymous voices on the other end of a telephone, such as the Belfast Telegraph copy taker, who cautioned the great Malcolm Brodie, on the line from Buenos Aires with his report on the 1978 World Cup Final: “I heard you the first time Malcolm,” after the bold Brodie began his piece: “Ole, Ole, Ole.”

And finally, trained, experienced journalists, are not beyond calling it like it is – unlike the retired sports stars turned pundits. We are not close friends with the players and are therefore free to criticise if we feel criticism is merited.

While, unless we are working for one of the last remnants of 'Fleet Street,' we are not obligated to talk-up the English players to the detriment of those from the Celtic countries; or mindful of the Welsh dictum, nobody but us can play rugby – that makes for more-honest commentary.

What Is Happening With Scottish Front Rows - And They Are Not Even Scrumming?

I AM really concerned for the future direction and management of the Scottish Rugby Union, given Dominic Mc Kay, for my money the only one of the salaried high heid yins to have a working brain cell, was allowed to de-camp to Celtic.

I just ask myself – who is making the decisions these days? That thought was further added to with the news Murray McCallum (pictured below), having been freed from tackle bag holding duties with Edinburgh, has earned a short-term contract at Glasgow Warriors. To me, it doesn't make sense.

 

McCallum, I feel, was for some unknown reason side-lined by Edinburgh. He arrived as a tight-head, then efforts were made to convert him to a loose-head, then he all but vanished from the Edinburgh scene, was freed, and is now at Glasgow.

Also moving along the M8 has been Simon Berghan, who was ahead of McCallum in the Edinburgh pecking order. So that's two ex-Edinburgh tight-heads coming in for Darcy Rae, who has gone off to Bath, from whence Jamie Bhatti (again ex-Edinburgh), has made the reverse journey to Scotstoun – where he is replacing the Hong Kong-bound Alex Allan..

For my money, Darcy is the best prop of the five, although, if McCallum can indeed play both sides to the required standard, then he is worth his weight in gold.

It may also be that McCallum's is indeed a short-term deal, as cover for Zander Fagerson, who will surely deserve his time off following his Lions' trip. However, regardless of this, he is part of a major propping reshuffle which has seen six props leave the club to be replaced by the three new boys, McCallum Berghan and Bhatti. Just what is going on?

WHILE I am being a grumpier than usual old git this morning, can I say, even with the additional Scottish representation this year, I am struggling to get behind the 2021 British and Irish Lions.

It just seems to me the money-making side of the Lions concept has completely overwhelmed the rugby side, I am struggling to muster any enthusiasm for this tour.

It doesn't help that there is no 100% Scottish media presence. Gone are the days when The Herald and The Scotsman had the money and the desire to send their rugby correspondent on-tour, so what we get now is wire copy, or stuff from English media outfits, who have their own agenda.

In the black and white days of the 1950s, Lions' tours were generally covered by two giants of Welsh journalism, JGB Thomas and Vivien Jenkins. They were like Bill McLaren in their ability to mask any bias in the interests of telling the story to a British audience.

But, as the song says: these days are past. Now, if the journalist is English, as most are, it's written from an English perspective, to an English audience. Ditto if the man with the lap top os Irish or Welsh. So much for Boris Johnston's notion of a four nations approach.

Also, the whole Covid thing has put me off. I reckon they should bring them home, save a lot of money and a lot of bother.

In any case, having listened to tales of being put-up in pretty basic hotels in one-horse towns miles form civilisation, only for the tourists to be totally over-whelmed by the warmth of the welcome from the locals – that's what Lions' tours should be all about. But now, they base themselves in big cities, travel out to the game then come back, seldom meeting the locals or seeing the coutnry, so-compressed is the schedule these days. Not for me thank you.

I REALLY am looking forward to what should be my first live rugby match for about 18 months, the Ayrshire Bulls v Watsonians, FOSROC Super6 game, scheduled for 1 August.

My interest was heightened by this week's announcement that World Rugby's laws revision will take effect from that date, so, we will see the 50:22 kicking to touch law, the goal-line drop-out law and the other laws revisions which have been tried-out recently, coming into general use.

It should make for some interesting rugby as the coaches do what coaches have always done, and try to find ways to circumvent the new laws.

I still believe, there is another way to create space – which has been given as one of the reasons for the 50:22 law – bring back real rucking and force forwards to get into the breakdown, on their feet, thereby creating space to be attacked further out.

S6 - It's a Neil Diamond Thing - Money Talks

FOLLOWING my last post, I received the following Facebook message from Rangi Jericevich of GHA:

“Aristotle, with the greatest respect you are completely misunderstanding and misrepresenting the argument when it comes to whether a representative system would prove more productive, more supported, more commercially viable and an overall better product than Super Clubs.

I outlined in my article on TOL my fears for the long term growth of our game by persisting with a super club model and no one who supports the continuation of S6 has sought to counter this.

Because it's evidently true and something that should be of major concern. But on the specifics of why representative rugby would be a better model, Ayr and Melrose both decided to brand their teams with regional identities.

Super 10 may as well be a reversion to the Premiership with promotion and relegation. This idea that Districts is a reversion to what it was on the amateur era is nonsense. Rather the only difference is that these high performance teams would have regional identities and no single club affiliation.

Hardly radical, hardly controversial and as far as the players and coaches go, hardly any different from what they have with S6. But the important difference that can not be ignored, is the political reality that clubs have been in competition with each other for, in some cases, over a century.

This ill thought out, shambolically implemented competition is not good for Scottish rugby. The frustrating thing for me and many more, is that there is an obvious alternative which Ayr and Melrose have as good as acknowledged with their pseudo regional identities.

The first priority here in terms of improving standards simply has to be the GROWTH of our sport. Do you think the Manchester consultants who were asked to sit down and come up with the plan for Super 6 had this in mind? What frustrates me with some of your recent comments Aristotle is you apparently now no longer support the democratic principles of the SRU and are content to allow Mark Dodson to continue to run roughshod over our domestic game, whether it's Super 8 or Super 10 or Super 12 with two divisions, he can just do whatever he wants can he?”

I will, perversely, begin at the end. I do not accept that Mark Dodson can just do whatever he wants. I also support the democratic principles of the SRU.

However, here's the rub, the Scottish Rugby Union is now an organisation with a split personality. On one hand you have the SRU as the national governing body of the game of Rugby Union, and on the other hand you have Scottish Rugby Union Ltd., a limited company which handles the commercial operations of the game in Scotland. SRU Ltd is run by a board of directors, the SRU is run by its Council, which also has oversight over the activities of Scottish Rugby Union Ltd.

As I have written before, several times – the management model run by Scottish Rugby Ltd – the arm of the SRU supposed to make the money - is that the main driver of income is the Scotland team. This is dependent on this team making itself a product which attracts consumers, either as purchasers of tickets to fill Murrayfield, by buying Scotland merchandise and products and by attracting sponsorship and other commercial income such as broadcasting revenue.

Because this is a business, that's properly the province of Scottish Rugby Ltd. This company is also responsible for the activities of the two full-time professional clubs, Edinburgh and Glasgow, which play in the United Rugby Championship and for the Performance Rugby teams, such as the Scotland Sevens sides and the age group squads.

The FOSROC Super6 sides also come under the remit of the Performance Rugby Department. This is tacitly understood by everyone, the trouble is, when the notion of S6 was first mooted TCD tried to kid us all on it was a “Club” competition. It never has been.

Another thing the SRU high heid yins will never admit is just how small Scottish Rugby is, in comparison to Scottish Football. We as a game do not have the financial muscle of our round-ball cousins and, therefore, we have to be cleverer when it comes to how we pay for the game.

Money talks, so, obviously inside Murrayfield the side of the business which makes the money is the more-important.

Let's say we go to Districts. We therefore have six centrally-funded District teams, where we now have the six franchises. OK, as things stand, each of the six franchises receives central funding, to pay the salary of the Head Coach and other staff. This funding is £137,500 per season. The rest of the costs of running the franchise are down to the individual club.

If the six franchises were replaced by six Districts - £137,500 per District would not even wash their faces. The fact is, S6 saves the SRU money. If we did go back to Districts, it would immediately add considerably to the costs of Performance Rugby. The SRU would not merely be paying for six Head Coaches; assistant coaches, strength and conditioning coaches, physiotherapists. Over 200 part-time players, plus the administrators and support staff whose services are today covered by the six franchises would transfer across to the SRU.

That massive increases in centrally-funded payments would cut into the cash available for Rugby Development and the ordinary clubs. Scottish Rugby would be worse-off with Districts.

Another wee point is, each District would need a central hub. OK, I accept an Edinburgh team would probably play out of Legoland, as I prefer to dub the new mini-Murrayfield, the Glasgow side could well play out of Scotstoun, but what happens elsewhere?

I can already hear the mutterings if SRU cash was given to an individual club, to upgrade its ground and facilities to what would be required for District games – better pitches, floodlights perhaps, improved facilities for entertaining sponsors etc, plus the demands of the media.

Just think back to the unrest in the Borders when Netherdale was named as the Border Reivers' home.

Rangi accepts the efforts of Ayrshire Bulls and Southern Knights to form a regional identity, a move which the other franchises have not followed. This failure is one of the several small points where the SRU fell short when setting-up S6. I have to agree with Rangi, the way S6 came into being was indeed: “ill thought out and shambolic.” I do think it can be sorted-out, but, damage has been done.

I feel too, all this talk about growing the game – has little to do with S6. S6 is a means of raising the standard in performance rugby. A reversion to District play would see that level as still a means of raising the standard in performance rugby.

Performance rugby is the wee bit at the top of the game. Real growth in the game will only come via having, to use Iain Milne's excellent phrase: “encouraging more bad players.”

When I stopped playing for my own club, Cumnock, we were fielding three XVs every Saturday, and most weeks we had almost a full XV standing watching – we were very close to being able to field four XVs every week.

At the same time, Ayr were fielding five XVs, and had players available but not picked. Now, this was before replacements, so, we at Cumnock, in the District Leagues, had at least 45 players playing every week, while Ayr, playing at the top of the national leagues, had 75 players playing every week.

Today, Cumnock only fields two teams, even with the maximum number of players on the bench, 46 players, while Ayr, including Ayrshire Bulls, fields three XVs – 69 players maximum – and that is almost-certainly an over-estimate. And how many of them will play the full 80 minutes? There has been no growth there.

I feel we have to tackle two points:

1. We assume there is a higher fall-out of players between youth and adult rugby – why?

2. Once we know the whys, what can we do to reverse this trend?

I look back to the amateur era. Back then, the lower XVs in most clubs had at least one “coaching XV.” Here you had experienced, often veteran players, no longer able to commit to the training load necessary for the first team, but still having the skills. Alongside them you had young players straight out of the school or club youth sides. They had the engine, but lacked the gearbox. These young guys did the running for the older brains, who in turn looked after them and passed-on their accrued knowledge.

I don't see that type of team being so-prevalent today, maybe we should be making efforts to bring them back.

Certainly their demise has nothing to do with S6.

Another possible innovation about which I feel strongly is, we might look at inventing a hybrid game, similar to recreational ice hockey, in which some of the more-physical aspects of the performance or professional game are outlawed.

This might seem like sacrilege, but, how about bringing-in the Rugby League “play the ball” rule after the tackle, thereby doing away with the ruck. Others might have other innovations they could suggest.

Finally, Rangi speaks about raising standards. As I have said before, rugby is going the way of football. If a young player is not in an Academy system or a pathway by the time he enters his teens, he probably isn't going to make it to the professional game.

He might, if he's a prop, who, like football goalkeepers, tend to mature later still have a chance if not snapped-up as a youngster. S6 will give these late developers and unlucky guys who missed the cut as young players a second chance.

And that's where there is a case for District teams – as a showcase for such players, who then had a chance of getting a Super rugby contract.