March 27, 2004

Three pro teams to continue

Posted by Editor on March 27, 2004 08:32 AM | 2 comments | Print | E-mail author
The SRU have lifted the threat of extinction from Scotland's three professional teams and issued each with new budget plans for the new season.

The new budgets are thought to take a radical new line of much lower wage proposals and a bonus system for players which is heavily linked to results.

According to today's Scotsman, David Mackay, the SRU Executive/Unitary Board chairman, explained that agreement had been reached that all three teams were vital to the future of the game in Scotland, so finally quashing concerns that Borders might be axed.

In admitting that there was always the possibility that the strategic review of the game currently being carried out may have determined a pro team was to be cut, he said: "All along we said that there were no sacred cows and that we were looking at the whole thing. We have now done enough of the strategic review to be able to say that we should have three pro teams and the board and the committee are united in continuing to develop the strategy along the lines we are doing just now.

"There was also talk of a fourth team returning and that aspiration remains, but it is not realistic short-term. It remains part of the blueprint for the future."

This news will be welcomed by Glasgow who are desperate to know what money they can offer existing players and new targets.

Mackay added: "Phil Anderton [chief executive] will be communicating with the pro team chief executives now and the process of discussions with core players has already started.

"As I said to some time ago, we have looked at a new system and we’ve changed the structure to different bands where they are highly-incentified towards victories and different levels of victories. The process has started and I would hope the pro teams feel they can now move on - it has been a frustrating period of waiting for us all."

You can read David Ferguson's article here

Comments
Posted by Moody Blue on March 30, 2004 06:37 PM | Reply to this comment

Had a brief chat with Gordon McIlwham on Friday night after he was subbed. He said there were 16 Munster Pro players missing and a fair proportion of their squad that night were club players. More interestingly he said, he had noticed no difference in ability or training between Ireland and Scotland. There wasn't any more money in the game over there - if anything guys got less over there, and a lot of their pay had to be earned through win bonuses. He also said 'to be honest,the guys never talk about money - they just love playing rugby'. Maybe it's that passion that's the missing thing in Scotland just now

Posted by hugh on March 31, 2004 01:30 PM | Reply to this comment

Another factor is that it doesn't matter where you finish in the Celtic League the pro teams get into Europe not much pressure to perform there

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