Two notes below for info, first one explains background, including governance issues; second one sets out arguments from Forum of Scottish Rugby Supporters (whoever they might be) against further restructuring. Malcolm MacDonald hopes to attend the meeting on 26 Nov. Happy days!

1. WEST REGION COMPETITIONS COMMITTEE

Notes for West Region League clubs’ meeting at Cambuslang RFC on Monday 26 November 2012

The meeting has been called to allow the West League clubs to consider the Championship Divisions’ clubs’ proposal to change their league format from two parallel divisions to two linear divisions, each of 10 clubs. A previously suggested proposal for divisions of 12 clubs is not on the table.

The linear-division proposal was discussed by the Scottish Rugby Council’s Season Structure Working Party (SSWP) earlier this month. The SSWP decided that each of the other forums (Premiership and National League) and clubs in each of the three Regional Leagues should have the opportunity to make comment on the Championship proposals before the end of this month. The SSWP, taking account of the views from the forums and the Regional Leagues, would then present a proposal to the Council meeting on 5 December. The proposal, if endorsed by the Council, would then be presented to the Scottish Rugby Board for approval.

During the West League clubs’ meeting in August, when the prospect of the Championship clubs’ proposal was raised, several voices expressed concern about yet another change in the structure. Stability in the league format was wanted. That view was again put forward at the Scottish Rugby Roadshow at Old Anniesland in October.

Because of those views, along with the Championship proposal, the SSWP will recommend that a moratorium be defined to seek to prevent any further change in league structure. The possible term of that moratorium has not yet been defined by the SSWP, though four or five years has been suggested.

Concern had also been raised that the Championship proposal is not being presented for decision at an SRU annual general meeting. So, before the SSWP meeting earlier this month, Douglas Hunter, convener of Scottish Rugby’s Standing Working Party on Bye-Laws and Governance, was asked for advice on that point. In response, reference was made to the following from the Governance SWP’s 2012 report which was presented to the agm in June: “The Group notes the regularity with which the topic of league restructuring is brought before the AGM. The result of this is that significant time is devoted to this topic which we do not believe is the best use of the opportunity for such a gathering.

We simply wish to point out that it is by no means a necessity that this topic is brought before the AGM and suggest that such matters are best dealt with by the individual club groupings themselves followed by the relevant approvals through the Council’s Season Structure Working Party, the Council and the Board. A significant merit of such a procedure would be the avoidance of voting by member clubs on a topic with which they are not immediately affected.”

The proposal does not affect the already declared arrangements for promotion and relegation between the Championship divisions and the Regional Leagues. Each of the three Regional League champions will be promoted to the Championship whereas three clubs will be relegated from the Championship to the appropriate Regional League as defined in the SSWP’s report which was approved by the SRU’s 2011 annual general meeting.

I trust that the above is helpful information before the West League clubs’ meeting on Monday. I would, of course, be pleased to try to answer any question you (club officials) may have before the meeting.

Bill McMurtrie 22 November 2012
Convener
West Region Competitions Committee

Note 2 from FOSRS arguing against restructuring

Dear Colleague,

I am writing to you on a matter of concern regarding the leagues. As you may know, FOSRS circulated the initial paper calling for a change to the league structure. After wide consultation with the clubs, the SRU’s Season Structure Working Party proposed a similar switch to a more modern ‘pyramid’ league system, which was approved by the 2010 AGM by a handsome majority, despite opposition from principally Premier 3 clubs.

However, just as clubs are settling into the new leagues and finding their feet, the same clubs are back again, wanting to turn the clock back to the old linear system that they were defeated on!

Their proposal is to change the Championship leagues from having parallel East and West divisions to instead having a ‘linear’ Championship Division 1 and Division 2. In this way, Scottish rugby would go from having two national-level leagues to having four.

I am writing to explain why we think this proposal is not at all in the best interests of Scottish rugby.

As a regional club, you may of course think that it is all a bit academic, if they want two linear leagues, let them get on with it! There are however very good reasons why all regional clubs should oppose this move.

It is wrong in principle

Playing nationally involves a lot more travel time, cost to the clubs and higher frequency of players dropping out because they do not fancy or are unable to undertake frequent long travel. That is the reason no other principal rugby Union has four national leagues. This was one of the key considerations in the SSWP proposing, and the AGM adopting, just two. It is all that is needed in a ‘pyramid’ league structure such as we now have.

It undermines the authority of the AGM

The AGM is the senior decision-making body in Scottish rugby. It has already debated the leagues issue at length over two annual meetings and reached a decision. It is entitled not only to expect but indeed to require clubs to comply with its decisions.

The Championship clubs are of course perfectly entitled to take the issue back to the AGM and try again. However, that is not what is happening here. They appear intent on ignoring the AGM decision and endeavouring to get changes made via the Murrayfield back door. (The question of the SRU’s involvement in this vis a vis governance is one we have taken up with the SRU at a senior level).

It would cheat regional league winners out of promotion to the Championship

Instead of stepping up to the Championship, as proposed and endorsed by the AGM, the winners of the regional leagues would instead go into a meaningless ‘national division 4’, whose only claim to fame would be having sky-high travel bills to the nether parts of Scotland, as you will see from the travel figures below.

It would increase travel by more than 50%

It would make players, coaches and match officials in the Championship leagues – and also of course ALL clubs promoted or relegated to them in the future – travel further, pay out a lot more than they need to and play more long-distance away games than most want to.

Clubs should be under no illusions on this point. The mileage in the former Premier 3 and National 1 leagues was 36,00 miles a year. With the switch to the Championship leagues this season, it has been slashed by more than half to just 16,000 miles - a very welcome bonus for the clubs resulting from having East and West leagues.

If the Championship clubs succeed in their pitch, it would, based on current league standings, RISE sharply again by more than half to 25,000 miles – and to a ludicrous 43,000 miles were they to succeed in increasing to 12-team leagues, which is also a key plank in their agenda, though one they have parked on one side just now.

It would make promotion and relegation slower for everyone

It would simply insert an extra rung on the league ladder that every other club ascending or descending the leagues had to climb over. A stated goal of the SSWP proposal was to make progress up and down the leagues faster, by reducing the number of league levels. This would have the opposite effect and lead us back to the slow old linear league ladder scrapped by the AGM.

And it will NOT make it ‘easier’ for regional league winners in the Championship!

An argument being advanced by the Championship clubs, which you will no doubt hear at your meeting on Monday, is that having a national division 4 would be GOOD for the regional clubs, because it would make it easier for them to step up to the commanding competitive heights of the Championship.

It is certainly most unusual - and some may think a trifle presumptuous - to claim that a league is too good for those winning promotion to it! The reality is that the three likely regional league winners, all undefeated so far this season, will very likely shoot up the Championship league without needing any fiddling with the league structure to assist them! We feel sure that this fact will be borne out next season.

This whole proposal is not only entirely without merit in our view, it is also plain wrong just about every way you look at it. It begs the question: what is motivating the Championship clubs here and why are they so determined to gainsay the AGM’s decision and ignore their own heavy previous defeat on this issue?

From many informal chats with Championship officials, I think the answer can be stated quite frankly. By re-jigging the rules, ten clubs can claim to have been ‘promoted’ to Championship Division 1. They may not have succeeded in actually winning a promotion on the field, but that will not stop them creating an artificial advantage and bragging rights.

Equally important, the creation of a Championship Division 2 will provide a safety net for these clubs, so that they can avoid or at least delay relegation to the regional leagues, with what they perceive to be ‘loss of status’.

The problem with this is that the clubs have already decided, via the AGM, on the shape and purpose of the new league structure. The days of senior clubs fiddling with the league system to give themselves an advantage, as at so many past AGMs, are well and truly over.

At a time when Scottish rugby is trying to move forward, the Championship proposal would be a regressive, backward step. We therefore hope that you and the other regional clubs will not be swayed by false arguments and questionable governance advice and will stick to the well-established procedure – if the Championship clubs want to change what the AGM agreed, the only acceptable course open to them is to bring the issue back to the full AGM and put their case.

Kind regards,

Roy Comfort

Vice Chairman,
Forum of Scottish Rugby Supporters
www.fosrs.org.uk