The bizarre on-off relationship between the Scottish rugby’s governing body and the club that has produced more Scotland players than any other resumed yesterday when Scottish Rugby and London Scottish announced that they have found a way to work together.
Sean Lineen, Scotland’s head of age grade rugby whose already considerable reputation is currently being enhanced by the performance of the national under-20s at their World Championships, is to have a central liaison role as up to eight players are seconded from the domestic game.
Having protested vigorously about the Scottish Rugby Union’s decision to tear up an agreement with them just four months after it had been put in place amidst posturing on both sides, officials of London Scottish were forced yesterday to swallow humble pie with chairman David Reid acknowledging that concerns raised about the club’s “financial commitment and infrastructure were entirely legitimate.”
“London Scottish will now take full financial responsibility for its areas identified in the partnership, which are designed to enhance the performance environment in which London Scottish players can train and prepare,” he went on.
Those sentiments were echoed by club president Rod Lynch who said: “We regret that our recent statements and media coverage of them may have cast a cloud over such an exciting opportunity and are grateful that Scottish Rugby was still willing to continue a dialogue with us.
“We acknowledge that the concerns Scottish Rugby’s Board voiced were valid. I am delighted we have now been able to address these.”
Mark Dodson, the SRU’s chief executive, meanwhile indicated that there was a probationary element to the revised agreement, describing it as “a 12-month relationship at this time” and adding: “We had to satisfy ourselves that the club could deliver a performance environment suitable to enable talented young players to develop, before we committed further. We are pleased that the club has addressed our concerns and are now satisfied that the reduced scale of the programme matches the support the club can provide.”
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