Radical Examination of the Pro Team Strategy
The SRU have announced a radical examination of its' pro team strategy, with the suggestion that they may base one of their team in England.
Scotland currently have three fully professional teams, based in Edinburgh, Glasgow and the Borders. The Edinburgh team was franchised out last year, whilst the Borders team is struggling on the park and in the stands with crowds substantially lower that what the SRU had stated as an acceptable baseline.
I'm guessing that the implications of this review is that the SRU will confirm the need to have three pro teams in order to develop the necessary talent for the national squad, however the ongoing difficulties of the Borders will be dealt with by disbanding this team and changing the focus of that investment to a team based in England, with the assumption that it will be London Scottish who get the investment.
Whilst being based in England, London Scottish is already a Member Club of the SRU. However, following a flirt with pro rugby in the 90's they reformed and joined the regional leagues.
You would expect London Scottish to command a far bigger paying audience than that which the Borders currently enjoy, and I would think London Scottish in the Magners league, playing the likes of Munster and the Scarlets, would be a significant draw.
No doubt there will be significant disagreement within the traditional rugby grounds around the Borders, but so far this team has just not worked in the professional era.
The other question is whether the SRU will also do something with the Glasgow team. It wasn't too long ago that there were a couple of interested parties looking at a franchise for this team, both of whom were looking a change from the current Hugenden venue.
Scotland currently have three fully professional teams, based in Edinburgh, Glasgow and the Borders. The Edinburgh team was franchised out last year, whilst the Borders team is struggling on the park and in the stands with crowds substantially lower that what the SRU had stated as an acceptable baseline.
I'm guessing that the implications of this review is that the SRU will confirm the need to have three pro teams in order to develop the necessary talent for the national squad, however the ongoing difficulties of the Borders will be dealt with by disbanding this team and changing the focus of that investment to a team based in England, with the assumption that it will be London Scottish who get the investment.
Whilst being based in England, London Scottish is already a Member Club of the SRU. However, following a flirt with pro rugby in the 90's they reformed and joined the regional leagues.
You would expect London Scottish to command a far bigger paying audience than that which the Borders currently enjoy, and I would think London Scottish in the Magners league, playing the likes of Munster and the Scarlets, would be a significant draw.
No doubt there will be significant disagreement within the traditional rugby grounds around the Borders, but so far this team has just not worked in the professional era.
The other question is whether the SRU will also do something with the Glasgow team. It wasn't too long ago that there were a couple of interested parties looking at a franchise for this team, both of whom were looking a change from the current Hugenden venue.
Labels: business of sport, rugby, sport, sru
posted by pegj at 8:58 AM
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