It's Monday - So The Question is: How Did We Lose That One?

I FIRST signed-on with the Tartan Army back in the black and white TV days of the 1950s – when the superior-sounding Englishman Peter West and not 'The Voice' was BBC's first-choice rugby commentator. So when it comes to “Disaster for Scotland” headlines, “I've had a few, and then again too many to mention,” if I can rewrite 'Ole Blue Eyes'' biggest number. But, as calamity follows disaster, it doesn't get any easier.

Our troubles at the lines-out yesterday was not a one-off occasion, we've been messing things up at the touchlines for years. OK, George Turner may be our third-choice hooker, but, it's not as if the two injured guys ahead of him in the pecking order are absolutely guaranteed to hit their jumpers every time – maybe, instead of importing third-rate players for the two pro teams, The Junta should be recruiting a topflight line-out coach and putting him to work.

Yesterday's defeat was coming from the moment we equalised. You just knew, once Ireland had restarted and got the ball down into our 22, one of our guys would do something daft and Johnny Sexton would nail the match-winning penalty. It's the Scottish way – yesterday, maybe not snatching defeat from the jaws of victory – but, failing to grab opportunity when it happened. We are simply the best at doing this.

I am starting to have a nagging fear, that maybe Italy will end their long, long run of defeats, by turning us over on Saturday. Right now: “furrit tho' Ah canna see, Ah guess and fear.”

Roman Poite's performance further convinced me, international rugby refereeing is now too-much work for a three-person on-field team; we need more eyes up close to the action.

I didn't think Poite had a poor game, indeed, he made some very-good decisions. However, he was lost at the scrums, twice pinging WP Nel, who had Cian Healy in all sorts of bother at every scrum. On the other side, Rory Sutherland surely booked his Lions place. Sure, Tadgh Furlong produced that wee Fred Astaire cameo, ball in hand, but, the world's best tight-head was getting nothing out of the Hawick man when the scrums went down.

Poite, however, like so-many referees, allowed Ireland to do what they do better than anyone else at the breakdown – seal-off to prevent the opposition challenging for the ball.

Next up is the young Italian team. Against Wales, they put together some purple patches, but still lost heavily. They badly need a win and have surely, in view of our past two games, got it into their heads – they can win at Murrayfield on Saturday. I fear a disaster, an edgy game between two sides, low on confidence and desperate for a win – this is setting itself up for those “Disaster For Scotland” headlines being brought out.

Let's try to be fair to our dear friend, Owen Farrell, who showed he can tackle properly, with one or two textbook efforts in helping England beat France on Saturday. And, since so-much of this blog post has been about referees – decision of the weekend was surely Joy Neville spotting that crucial Maro Itoje try for England.

As a Scot, I just wish she had got it wrong, but, she didn't, dammit.

Did anyone else notice who the referee's “waterboy” was, at Murrayfield, yesterday? It was in fact oor ain Hollie Davidson; I fancy Hollie, Ireland's Joy Neville and England's Sara Cox are not far away from being given a tier one men's international in the near future.

AND FINALLY, no Inverdale, Davies or Guscott in the live broadcasts at the weekend. OK, we still had to endure Woodward and th obligatory myopic Englishwoman, but, without The Three Stooges, it was great.

I'd Rather Get My Wine From Stellenbosch - My Props From Hawick

I HAVE been involved in Scottish Rugby for over 60-years. In that time I have seen many outstanding players in navy blue. OK, in recent years, blatant selectorial bias has cut the numbers significantly, but, since I first became aware of the British Lions – back in 1955 – a whole host of outstanding Scots have worn their red shirt.

Take prop forwards alone. Hughie McLeod and Tom Elliot, two proud Border callants were on the 1955 Tour. McLeod was one of the outstanding forwards in New Zealand and Australia in 1959. His long-time partner-in-crime David Rollo, was on the 1962 Tour.

The 1970s are recognised as The Golden Decade for the Lions, with the series wins in New Zealand in 1971 and South Africa three years later. Ian McLauchlan was loose-head in all eight tests in those two tours, while Sandy Carmichael would surely also have been a Test Lion, but for the brutality in Canterbury in 1971 and the sterling form of Fran Cotton in South Africa three years later.

In the 1980s, Iain Milne and David Sole joined the ranks of Scottish Lions' props, before Paul Burnell and Peter Wright in 1993 and Tom Smith in 1997 joined the ranks of Scottish Lions' props.

This millennium, Smith toured for a second time in 2001, Euan Murray in 2009, Ryan Grant in 2013 and Allan Dell had a cameo as cover in 2017.

That's a proud record, which we have high hopes of seeing extended this year – if the Tour happens, with Rory Sutherland already pencilled-in in many observer's preliminary Tour squad. His red card against Wales has put a question mark against Zander Fagerson's name, but, if he can get straight back up to speed when he returns, then he could still claim the tour place that was assuredly his, before his suspension. There have also been suggestions that, since he is the best pure scrummager in British Isles rugby, there could be a place on the tour for WP Nel

But, I fear if Sutherland and Fagerson are picked, they could be the last pure-bred Scottish Lions, given South Africa rather then the South of Scotland, seems to now be the SRU' destination of choice when seeking to recruit new props for the centrally-owned PRO14 teams.

Certainly, Messrs Dell and Neil, along with Oli Kebble and Pierre Schoeman have been good for for Scotland, but, given recent recruiting moves, I think we could be seeing a return to the days when Edinburgh's line-out calls were made in Afrikaans. Where does that sit with the SRU's need to grow and encourage the game up here. Recent recruiting appears to be on the basis of anyone but a Scotsman. This is not good enough.

I have never had a problem with Scotland capping players from the great Caledonian Diaspora. I have reservations about some of the Saffers, Aussies and Kiwis who have come in and qualified for Scotland through playing for our clubs, but, I accept – they have used the rules and shown their commitment.

Then, just yesterday, we had Glasgow Warriors hiring an Argentinian fly-half. As I have been saying for months – The Junta are taking the piss.

However, the current fashion for seemingly preferring non-Scots, who might hang around for five years and qualify, to young players who have come through the Scottish club system – that's a definite no-no for me.

Mind you, to be fair to the decision-makers in EH12, we have seen some Scottish talent being promoted, with Peter Murchie being called up from Ayrshire Bulls to replace Kelly Brown in the Warriors' coaching staff, then Al Kellock replacing Nathan Bombrys as the High Heid Yin – in commercial-speak, Managing Director – at Scotstoun.

Big Al has been quietly learning how things work on the commercial side of the game, since hanging-up his boots. He's a Glasgow man to the core and while his appointment is yet another example of SRU internal promotion, nothing wrong with that. If the talent is there – use it.

THIS WEEK'S wee story, about England calling-up Wayne Barnes and Matthew Carley to work with their training squad, in an effort to cut down the high number of penalties which England has given away in the Guinness 6 Nations, thus far this season.

Makes sense I suppose. You call-up the best internaitonally-active referee, and one of the worst – ergo, hopefully, the squad will have an idea what is the median of match officials expectations of them, when it comes to obeying the Laws.

Mind you, I don't think a few of the England squad are the sharpest knives in the box, but, if you're Eddie Jones or the RFU Old Farts, doubtless, the thinking will be: “Their discipline has been so poor, anything would be an improvement.”

IN MY last blog post, I paid tribute to Marr's Arthur Dunsmuir, following his passing. A bit late, certainly, but, today I want to pay tribute to another gret rugby man, who has gone off to the clubhouse in the sky – Sandy Bryce.

Whether as a strong-running winger with Dunfermline and the North and Midlands, as a referee good enough to be handed the flag in international matches or as a stalwart of Stirling County, both on the rugby pitch at Bridgehaugh or on the cricket square at Williamfield, Sandy was a weel-kent face around Scotland.

He joined County from Dunfermline, when the club was nowhere near the standard it is today, and he was one of those who drove-up those standards and helped in County's rise.

As a coach, he started with the youngsters, and was in at the beginning of forming what is today, Scotland's outstanding club development programme. He later moved up to coaching adult teams, with equal success.

As a bastion of the County agricultural community, Sandy also played his part in developing and caring for the Bridgehaugh pitches.

In tributes to him, his ability to make coaching simple, his concern for the players under his care and his sheer enthusiasm for the game were all stressed.

He did everything with a smile. The game of rugby union football has lost a great enthusiast. RIP Sandy.

Farewell Arthur - One Of The Very-Good Guys

I HAVE a soft spot for Marr Rugby; (it's a bog just off the drove road between Muirkirk and Sanquhar). But seriously, with a couple of exceptions (you know who you are “Jack and Victor”) they are as fine a body of men as you could meet across the world of rugby – and the Troon Ladies are very-special as well.

 

 Arthur Dunsmuir - front row center, at Marr RFC's Fullarton ground

Marr remains, first and foremost, a genuine rugby club, largely free from the erse holes, wearing pink and black ties they didn't really earn on the park, you find elsewhere in Ayrshire.

My thoughts are with the Fullarton crew at the moment, as they mourn the passing of one of their own, since Arthur Dunsmuir has graduated to the great clubhouse in the sky.

Arthur was Troon Royalty. He was a past captain and president of Marr, and, during his tenure as Captain of Royal Troon Golf Club, he had hosted The Open in 2004 – you don't get greater honour than that in Troon.

Needless to say, he had learned the game at Marr College, going on to be a stalwart of Marr College FP, as Marr were known until 1971. The way things worked in Troon was simple – the likes of the late Brian Gilbert, and later John Sharkey, taught the basics of the game at the College, then you received your real rugby educatin from the likes of Arthur, with the club.

He was a Master of the Dark Arts of the Front Row, forming a fearsome trio with Tony McGuffie and Jake Connell. His lessons in how to play in the front five were passed on to some distinguished youngsters – Peter and Gordon Brown, and Billy Cuthbertson.

They moved on the star for Scotland, and in Broon's case, the Lions, Arthur remained in Troon, passing on the torch, as player, captain, coach and club official.

As a brash young forward myself, I received some bumps and a few hard knocks from Arthur in the white heat of Ayrshire inter-club games. He was a great competitor. If you took liberties with Arthur, he would respond in kind, but, when the final whistle blew, he was wonderful company in the clubhouse and a generous host in the Fullarton bar.

In their rise to their current exalted position within the club game in Scotland, Marr has had its share of set-backs. When times got tough, however, such as after the disastrous clubhouse fire, Arthur was one of the first to answer the call and get things sorted out.

Indeed, older Marr members will tell you, when Marr were struggling down in the regional leagues, it was Arthur, at an age when few were seen in a tracksuit, who came out of retirement to coach the club and set it on its way.

He was an inspiration and his coaching legacy is being carried-on by son Keith, still, today, one of the main men around Fullarton.

My sincere condolences to everyone at Marr RFC, and to the wider Dunsmuir family. We have lost one of the very-best of the good guys with Arthur's passing.

I well recall the last thing Arthur said to me – at one of the excellent pre-match Fullarton lunches. It was: “Most of the stuff you write is still shite, but, now and again, you get something right, so, keep it up.” I will try Arthur, I will try – and thanks for the advice.

I ENJOYED Friday night's Gallagher Premiership offering from BT Sport. Leicester v London Irish wasn't one of those WOW!! games, but, there was enough good rugby to satisfy.

What it did have was another bravura performance from the man who has now succeeded Nigel Owens as the world's best referee. Wayne Barnes has come a long way in the game – we used to rank him alongside the likes of George Clancy, but, today, he's clearly the top man.

He had one or two tough calls to make last night, but, he made them with clarity and precision and, to me, he got them right – even the red or yellow card calls.

Given the low standard of English referees at the moment, Wayne's Rugby World is in a different galaxy, he has become a class act.

I STARTED in Ayrshire, so I will finish there, down the coast slightly at Millbrae, where there is a mix of jubilation and sadness, at the news, Pete Murchie (pictured below), has been snapped-up by Glasgow Warriors, to replace the departed Kelly Brown on their coaching staff.

 

Since the FOSROC Super6 was put into cold storage at the start of the Covid crisis, Pete has been, if you like, auditioning, up at Scotstoun. He has clearly impressed Danny Wilson and been given the gig on a permanent basis. It is a return “home” for the Warriors' playing centurion and as such, he's a good fit for the club.

He will be sorely missed by Ayrshire Bulls, however, and it will be interesting to see who Billy McHarg and Glenn Tippett bring in to fill their coaching vacancy.

Pete has done well in his time at Millbrae, I wish him well in his new role up the road at Scotstoun.

Let's Not Waste This Chance To Put Things Right

TCD GAVE a press briefing last week, which has got some of the usual suspects rearing-up. I of course, being permanently on the naughty step at BT Murrayfield, was not invited to participate in the briefing, so, my views are coming second-hand.

The Usual Suspects want the bulk of the CVC money from that company buying into the PRO14 and the Guinness Six Nations handed over to the grass roots side of Scottish Rugby.

Get a life guys – this isn't going to happen.

As I have written before, the SRU's management model is very clear:

• They run the national team.

• That team generates the income which funds rugby in Scotland.

• This is (in theory) done by playing the type of entertaining, free-flowing rugby which fills BT Murrayfield and in-part, encourages the TV companies to wish to invest in the Six Nations.

• The national team is under-pinned by the two full-time sides which play in the PRO14.

• There is a responsibility on these teams to play the same type of entertaining, free-flowing rugby as the national side – to prepare players for playing internationals.

• They also have a duty to make people want to turn up at BT Murrayfield and Scotstoun to watch them.

• Below there, there is the FORSOC Super 6 competition, which is a bridge between the general club game and the full-time game. It is mainly a development league.

• Below that is the club game. This is where the future players are captured and nurtured.

I repeat, for the SRU to do as the Usual Suspects wish, and give the bulk of the new money from CVC to the fourth tier of their management model – is simply not going to happen.

The SRU is a two-tier organisation. The Scottish Rugby Union is, a co-operative of individual clubs, however, the trading activities of the SRU are undertaken by the Union's wholly-owned trading arm: Scottish Rugby Union Ltd. The elected and in particular the paid officials of the Union, therefore, have to safeguard the trading arm, since it is via this trading arm that the activities which generate the money which underpins the financial security of the game are managed.

So – nae chance of the clubs getting a massive hand-out; more so, because of the particular problems of Covid. Protecting the finances of Scottish Rugby Union Limited must be the priority.

However, this fact does not mean the Board, who run the trading arm, can have carte blanche to do as they like. The grass roots must be protected, but, not to the detriment of the trading arm.

By the same token, the activities of the trading arm, inasmuch as the finances of the S6 clubs and the two PRO14 clubs, has to be rigorously monitored – they cannot be allowed to spend, spend, spend as they wish. The Union's stakeholders, the clubs, have to have oversight of how the Union's cash is spent.

This means the SRU Council members have to be more vigilant and assertive than they have been of late.

For many of the Usual Suspects who make BTL (below the line) comments on here; all would be well with Scottish Rugby, if we reverted to the old amateur days' model of club rugby, feeding into the District teams and from there into the Scotland teams. Dream on boys – aint gonna happen.

It would probably be better if, like the Irish and Welsh, we had four rather than two Scottish teams in the PRO14. But, I doubt if there is enough cash lying about in Scotland to fund the other two teams. I am, however, equally certain, anyone trying to start-up even one additional full-time team to play in the PRO14 would find the control freaks of The Junta putting insurmountable obstacles in their way.

I still reckon we could have a third PRO14 team, more-son if, as Connacht was at first, it was a development team. With three full-time teams, we could have tie-ins for each one to two of the S6 clubs, who could – in their turn – have tie-ins with two clubs in a 12-team Premiership.

Below that, we could have the grass-roots, purely amateur clubs, playing in Regional Leagues.

This would leave us with:

• Level One – Scotland

• Level Two – Edinburgh – Glasgow – Team 3

• Level Three – Ayrshire Bulls – Boroughmuir Bears – Heriot's – Southern Knights – Stirling County – Watsonians

• Level Four – Aberdeen GSFP – Biggar – Cartha-Queen's Park – Currie Chieftains – Dumfries Saints - Dundee HSFP – Edinburgh Academical - Gala – GHA – Glasgow Hawks – Gordonians - Hamilton Bulls - Hawick – Highland - Jed-forest – Kelso – Kirkcaldy - Marr – Musselburgh – Newton Stewart - Peebles – Preston Lodge - Selkirk – Stewart's-Melville.

Before the squealing: “How come he's put them in and not us,” etc., starts; I merely went down the list of league clubs from season 2019-2020. If we do go down the road of having “Performance Clubs,” playing in the National League and above, and “Community Clubs,” playing at an all-amateur regional level, then entry to the Performance level would be subject to each club meeting certain criteria as regards facilities at their grounds, grandstands, floodlights, pitch quality, number of coaches, and so-forth. Some on the Level Four list might not qualify, while clubs not on that list could.

Ideally, I would want to see those Scottish-based players who were in the full Scotland squad given central contracts and divided equally between the three full-time teams. They would, however, only play for them in certain matches.

The matches involving the three full-time teams, would be tiered:

• Tier One – Games in Europe and games against the top three other sides in the club's PRO14 conference, plus, if applicable the PRO14 play-off games.

• Tier Two – The other PRO14 conference games.

Since there is no relegation in the PRO14, the bulk of the full-time squads should therefore be Scottish-qualified players. I do not think we can afford to compete for the superstar, X-factor Southern Hemisphere players, but, should instead only import SH players who are already Scottish-qualified.

I would encourage upward and downward movement between the three full-time clubs and the S6 clubs – to give all the players a chance of as much game time as possible.

Similarly, I would enable and encourage upward and downward movement between the S6 clubs and the Level Four clubs.

I feel there is a definite case for enlarging S6 to at least an eight-club tier.

I feel the SRU should also be looking at the case for resurrecting an an A-Team Six Nations competition. I also think there is a case for entering the Scotland Club XV, selection for which is limited to S6 and Level Four players, into the European Nations Cup.

The aim would be to, in time, gain promotion to the Trophy tier, the second level of the competition – currently contested by: Germany, Lithuania, Poland, Switzerland and Ukraine.

Further down, at Regional level in Scotland, I feel there is a case for reintroducing Inter-Regional games, similar to the old Inter-District games, as a means of encouraging and recruiting to a higher level, those players who were late developers or missed out on a chance of breaking into Performance Rugby, when teenagers.

The regional leagues should be more-localised, with a return of the old County and Regional Cups to maintain interest. And, while we are at it, lets put Seven-a-side rugby on a more-organised and encouraged level than it has ever had.

There is also, I believe, a case, as happens in Ireland, for less centralised control of the community game, let each Region have more autonomy than it currently enjoys, bring control closer to the grass roots, get more people willing to be involved. It would make for a healthier game.

And, fund it properly. Of course, the Performance game would still need to be funded properly, but, with good house-keeping and firm oversight, we could make the money go further.

And, by making changes, we could break-up some of the mini-empires within BT Murrayfield, which are holding back Scottish Rugby.

I know the Governance Review Group has been quietly working away during the Covid pandemic, we need to see what they have to say – then we need a wide-spread debate, as to how we move forward.

Covid has offered the chance of reflection, let's not waste that chance.

Interesting What You Find In Archives

 WHILE digging through the Glasgow Herald Google News Archive of 1970, I chanced upon a brilliant piece of work by the esteemed Bill McMurtrie, (pictured below).

 

The preliminary work had just started, which led to the first official leagues in Rugby Union – which began in 1973, At the time Bill wrote the piece, in December, 1970, there was much debate as to which clubs would go into the proposed 16-team First Division, i.e., what were the top clubs in Scotland.

What Bill did was, he went over the past five years of final Unofficial Championship tables. He excluded Ayr, who had been accepted into the Championship in 1968, and Leith Academicals, accepted in 1969, to give him his final five-year league table, which reads:

Club	P	W	D	L	Wins %
Jordanhill College	82	68	3	11	84.7
Hawick	125	102	7	16	84.4
West of Scotland	112	86	5	21	79
Melrose	123	90	11	22	77.2
Edinburgh Wanderers	108	79	5	24	75.4
Heriot's FP	115	75	9	31	68.2
Gala	116	73	6	37	65.5
Edinburgh University	79	49	2	28	63.2
Glasgow High School FP	111	68	0	43	61.2
Langholm	101	59	5	37	60.8
Watsonians	105	60	4	41	59
Glasgow Academicals	114	61	1	52	53.9
Royal High School FP	119	60	5	54	52.5
Edinburgh Academical	102	49	9	44	52.4
Dunfermline	80	38	5	37	50.6
Boroughmuir	100	46	6	48	49
Hutcheson's GS FP	79	32	4	43	43
Kelso	121	47	7	67	41.7
Stewart's College FP	104	60	4	40	40.3
Aberdeen GS FP	79	28	2	49	36.7
Musselburgh	99	31	9	59	35.8
Trinity Academicals	71	22	4	45	33.8
Kelvinside Academicals	99	30	5	64	32.8
Selkirk	109	30	5	74	29.8
Glasgow University	90	24	4	62	28.8
Jedforest	126	32	1	93	25.7
Hillhead High School FP	98	24	2	72	25.5
Melville College FP	103	19	4	80	20.3
Allan Glen's FP	81	14	2	65	18.5
Greenock Wanderers	73	7	2	64	10.9

If we look at those top 30 clubs, 50-years ago, and what has become of them in the intervening half century we find:

• Four clubs – Boroughmuir, Heriot's, Melrose and Watsonians have been “promoted” to the new Super 6 competition.

• Three amalgamations: Jordanhill College and Hillhead HSFP, Glasgow HSFP and Kelvinside Academicals and Stewart's College and Melville College FPs have come about.

• There was another amalgamation – when GHK and Glasgow Accies agreed to feed players into Glasgow Hawks. Hawks remain a Premiership outfit today, but, GHK and Accies have now reverted to being separate, rival clubs.

• If we take today's Premiership as the equivalent of the Unofficial Championship of 1970, only ONE Top Ten club from back then is still in the top ten today: Hawick

• If we take National League 1 as being equivalent to positions 11-20 in the Unofficial Championship, we find: Gala have dropped there from being a top-ten club and Kelso have maintained their status as a top-20 club.

• Glasgow High School FP, a top-ten club in 1970, have dropped to being a top-20 club today, where, they now sit as GHK following their amalgamation with Kelvinside Academicals.

• Glasgow Academicals, a top-20 club back then, have maintained that status, as have Stewart's College FP. However, thanks to their amalgamation with Melville College FP, Melville have actually risen in status.

• Aberdeen Grammar,who only just squeezed into 20^th position back in 1970, have maintained that top-20 (in performance) status, today they are a Premiership club, as are Selkirk, Jed-forest and Musselburgh, who were placed in the 21-30 tier back in 1970.

• Edinburgh Wanderers and West of Scotland, top-10 clubs in 1970, are today in National League 3, as are Greenock Wanderers.

• The two University sides – Edinburgh and Glasgow, have opted out of the SRU leagues, to mainly concentrate their efforts in the UK-wide NACS Championships for university and college sides, while another five clubs have fallen from top-30 status to Regional League level, over the past 50 years.

So, the overall picture is, of the top 30 Scottish clubs back in 1970, 24 are still through amalgamation and some consistency ranked among our top 30 clubs today.

However, perhaps we should have another look at Bill McMurtrie's excellent table, and think again what it tells us. That was a five-year table, and the clubs did not play every other club on the list within that time scale.

Working from memory, I believe a club was admitted to the Unofficial Championship, when it had 18 fixtures with clubs already on the list. (Perhaps one of the elder statesmen who reads this blog – John Roxburgh or Brian Simmers maybe, could enlighten me on the number, but, from memory it was 18).

So, let's look at the established clubs – the ones with the greatest number of games played – since those were the Establishment of the time.

This list reads:

Club	Games	Games per season
Jed-forest	126	25.2
Hawick	125	25
Melrose	123	24.6
Kelso	121	24.25
Royal HSFP	119	23.8
Gala	116	23.2
Glasgow Accies	114	22.8
West of Scotland	112	22.4
Glasgow HSFP	111	22.2
Selkirk	109	21.8
Edinburgh Wands	108	21.6
Watsonians	105	21
Stewart's College FP	104	20.8
Melville College FP	103	20.6
Edinburgh Accies	102	20.4
Langholm	101	20.2
Boroughmuir	100	20

These 17 clubs, each having 20 fixtures per season. (Another three clubs – Kelvinside Academicals and Musselburgh, both on 99 games, and Hillhead High School FP on 98 games, could also have a reasonable claim to Establishment status.

The final league tables of season 2019-2020 reveal that the top two club leagues – the Premiership and National League 1, the modern day equivalent of the top 20 of 1970 (only now we have 22 clubs) is revealing.

Eleven of the 22 clubs in the 2020 tables were in the 1970 top-20, a 50% survival rate. However, if we look closer, we see that the top 20 clubs (in terms of established fixtures rather than performance) in 1970 were split: 8 Edinburgh clubs; 7 Borders clubs; 5 Glasgow clubs.

The performance-based split for 1970 is slightly different, the top-20 clubs being: 8 Edinburgh, 5 Borders, 5 Glasgow, 1 Midlands, 1 North

Today's performance-based split is: 6 Edinburgh clubs; 6 Borders clubs; 6 Glasgow clubs; 2 Midlands clubs; 2 North clubs.

This is clearly a fairer division of strength, but, that can probably be explained since, in the days of the Unofficial Championship, the clubs controlled their own fixture lists, and it made sense to prefer more-local fixtures

Does this stability in status demonstrate that the club game is in a healthy state, or, does the fact Ayr, Stirling County, Currie Chieftains, Biggar, Marr, Highland, Cartha-Queen's Park and Dundee HSFP, have broken through in the past 50 years, indicate a healthy and competitive structure, largely brought about by the SRU running the leagues as the meritocracy it was never in the old days?

I feel, the SRU really has to conduct an in-depth consultation with the clubs and decide, once and for all, if we allow clubs to rise and fall according to their player resources and how well-run they are, or, do we say, as I feel we should: “We have a small, well-run performance rugby game, and a broader community game. The performance game fits-in with our 'fewer but stronger' ideal, and we organise this accordingly, with strict criteria for clubs which have to be met. The community game, we support as the starting point in the game, but here, enjoyment and local rivalries rather than winning is the aim.”

We really have to do something and right now, with no actual rugby being played below full-time level, is the perfect time to decide where we are gong, and how we mean to get there.

Once again, apologies for the formatting errors - I simply cannot get a handle on inserting tables with this new edition of Blogger.