Scottish Rugby Union SCOG Consultation Document & Proposals–10/12/21
In my view, this much later than expected and second, Standing Committee on Governance (SCOG) Consultation Document should be considered as one that has the potential to provide each of the six, proposed, Area Rugby Forums with the opportunity to carry out a detailed review on what participation and organisational structures are in place at present, with the objective of setting short to long term objectives, which are likely to be different for each area.
The outcome regarding the SRU governance structure, within Scottish Rugby Consultation Proposal (SRCP), is of optimum importance because it is vital that SRU member clubs and organisations continue to have the final say on any changes to the Scottish Rugby structure and policies, however, I believe that there are enough knowledgeable and committed people, within club rugby, to safeguard this position.
My focus is on the proposed Professional (PRB) and Club Rugby Board (CRB), together with the Area Rugby Forum (ARF) governance structure and what Scottish Borders rugby should be considering in its response to these proposed new areas within the SRCP.
The Constitutional review and “New Entity” proposal processes, undertaken by the Border League Committee, have provided its member clubs and organisations with some early insight into the proposed governance restructuring that will need to be undertaken if the new Governance proposals, within the SRCP, are accepted, however, I believe there are some very important factors which need to be addressed before Scottish Border, member clubs and organisations of the SRU respond to the SRCP and it would be very beneficial if a Scottish Border, unified response could be produced where possible.
I have provided, below, some questions and areas that, I believe, need to be addressed;
Question
Are Scottish Border Clubs and Organisations co-ordinating their thoughts on SCOG Consultation 2?
Question
If so, how is this being implemented?
Question
Should Super6/Semi-Professional rugby be taken out of the control of the Club Rugby Board (CRB) and Area Rugby Forum (ARF) Management?
Reasoning
There are complications either way, however, while Super6 players are being paid to play the game, so are Premier League and other League players at present. This question is one that needs to be answered in the context of considering what is the best way forward for the continuing development of amateur rugby throughout Scotland and each ARF should have input into what beneficial variances may be possible within a National playing structure.
Surely, semi-professional rugby should seek to deliver what is best to meet the objectives of retaining as many players as possible playing the game, continuously, throughout Scotland’s rugby season.
The current, Super6 fixture structure and some of the current, player contractual arrangements stop this from being achieved.
Controlled but a much easier movement of players, between professional and semi-professional, together with between semi-professional and amateur rugby must be a pre-requisite of any future semi-professional structure.
Having gathered views from many clubs at different competitive levels within Scottish rugby, I have found that the predominant concern is around the best players being pulled away from the lower placed clubs within the competitive structure and the strongest clubs becoming increasingly stronger.
The vast majority of clubs are happy for players to progress to higher levels if this cannot be delivered by their own club.
I believe that the current, semi-professional structure has a knock-on, detrimental effect on the numbers playing senior rugby and why Clubs should not hold the semi-professional licences issued by the SRU.
In my view, there is a much more, beneficial, semi-professional structure available for Scottish Rugby, which can be delivered by the SRCP and a full review of this sector should be carried out once the new SRU Governance structure has been agreed.
Governance and Playing Structure
My vision for a new, Scottish, amateur rugby structure focuses on attempting to retain everyone involved in the sport at present, together with providing opportunities to attract additional, voluntary and professional assistance to support the continuing development of the sport. There has to be an acceptable movement of players within this structure.
I am one person that has decided to return to the sport after a number of years away from it. In my view, rugby is a very important factor in the fabric of whatever local community it is part of.
When considering a new Governance and Playing structure there are fundamental factors that must be taken into consideration when reviewing what is in place at present and addressing the issues that cause negativity.
• The Border League Committee does not have a constitution and governance structure to enable it to act on behalf of its member clubs on anything other than rugby issues that are specific to Scottish Border senior clubs, Border League matters and Sevens rugby.
• Scottish Borders rugby needs an entity/body to address all issues relating to rugby union in the area.
• Rugby is suffering from the loss of management and administration personnel within the game and is having difficulty in attracting personnel to fill the roles of those lost to the game.
• From semi-junior and onto senior rugby, it is becoming increasingly difficult to retain the interest of those players that are on the margins (Players who can take it or leave it) and keep them playing the game.
• It is these players that make the difference between some clubs being able to field teams or not.
• Without positive change it is very likely that this trend will continue to increase as more social options become available to those on the margins.
• The SCOG Consultation and Proposal Document provides the opportunity for positive change and for Scottish Borders rugby to present alternatives to its proposals.
• The structure of Super6/Semi-Professional Rugby is fundamental to the well-being of Scottish rugby.
• Whatever playing structure is in place it should meet the objectives of and not undermine the strength of amateur rugby and, wherever possible, provide incentives, for everyone involved in the sport, to remain in it, together with attracting others to it.
• Scottish rugby needs to have as many players as possible involved in the game and playing regular, season long rugby if possible.
• Scottish rugby, also, needs its young and developing players to be playing regular rugby, at as high a level as possible, in order to continue their development
• Injured professional players and those players that are on the fringes of the Edinburgh and Glasgow professional squads, need game time in order to continue their development and, at times, return to full match fitness.
• The current, Super6 Licence Agreements and, in particular, the player contract arrangements do not meet the above objectives;
o Super6 players are restricted to playing this level of rugby only.
o There is no, clearly agreed and structured method for players to progress and return to their amateur clubs if reasons arise.
o Professional players cannot move freely to Super6 rugby and back if required.
o Players are not naturally retained by the Club that developed them or to the club that a player feels indebted to.
• The vast majority of Super6 players will not progress to professional rugby and a reasonable percentage will not play 80 minutes of competitive rugby, each week, for an acceptable length of season.
• It is very difficult for individual clubs, who secure Super6 status, not to place self-interest ahead of the best interests of the sport in general.
• Super6 rugby creates another level for clubs to finance and administer. It is difficult to see how this can be sustained unless there is substantial increases in financial investment or revenue generated by this level of rugby.
An Alternative to Super6 Rugby
My reasoning, behind the proposal below, is provided in articles within the website, www.ScottishBordersRugby.com ;
• Border League Meeting September 2019
• Why do we need a new entity?
• Why was Super6 introduced?
• Semi-Professional Rugby – The Way Forward
• SRU Standing Committee on Governance – 27 August 2021
Question
Should the Super6/Semi-Professional structure come under the SCOG proposed, Professional Rugby Board (PRB) or not?
Answer/Proposal
If it does, maximum discussion must take place between the Performance Rugby Board (PRB) and Amateur Rugby Board (ARB) in order to produce a playing contract and player movement structure, which enables players to move between the professional and amateur ranks.
There is, I believe, a strong, alternative, Governance structure, which addresses the number of problematic issues within the current Super6 agreement.
Proposal
• Super6 Teams become Area Rugby Forum Teams, which are the pinnacles for amateur and aspiring players within their area, together with vehicles for academy and other professional players to play as high a standard of rugby as possible, for as long as possible, while not being part of professional team match squads.
• Players would continue to train with the amateur clubs that they are registered with, on a minimum of a once per week basis and be available to play in competitive matches for their amateur club.
• Emerging coaches, performance, medical and management personnel would benefit from being involved with higher quality playing squads.
• It could be named the “Area Rugby Championship” (ARC). It could be played on a home and away basis, over a 10-12 week period, from the beginning of December through to the end of February.
• A full impact analysis should be undertaken, between the ARB and PRB, before increasing the number of teams to the ARC.
• Floodlights and synthetic/ semi-synthetic pitches can be used to provide the best possible playing conditions during these winter months (It is recognised that this competition may be competed for during our worst weather conditions but who knows what climate change is bringing to us).
• As is now, there would be no promotion or relegation, just our best, area players competing for their clubs and area of choice, alongside Scotland’s professional players, for a title that they are proud to win.
• This one step would go a long way to removing the, at times, bitter disharmony between clubs at different levels of club competition.
• These ARF teams would be funded, wholly, by Scottish Rugby Union Ltd. (SRUL), in addition to the minimum, 15% of SRUL revenue budget, which the ARB is proposed to receive, from SRUL, for amateur rugby.
• There is the potential for additional funding and revenue to be generated to support individual Area Rugby Forum (ARF) development.
• A properly constituted, ARF, proposed by SCOG, on 10 December 2021, has the potential to address and, hopefully, overcome many of the other, very difficult issues present within Scottish Borders rugby and Scottish rugby as a whole.