An End of Year - View From the Touchline: 27.12.17

It is that limbo time between Christmas and New Year. I stood on the stand side bank and looked at a crisp and even snow-covered Malleny pitch that had not seen any rugby action for eight weeks. The Chieftains had played away matches; twice at Ayr and with a Myreside debacle in between them. The results were close, although League victory at Millbrae was a nice Christmas present for the travelling Currie support. Let’s hope that the weather is kind to allow our rearranged fixture with Boroughmuir to take place on Saturday, January 6th.

At this time, as the old year slips away, we tend to glance back and look forward at the same time, reminiscing on what has been and wondering what the future holds. A sports club is a family of like-minded people participating in something that we enjoy doing, be this as a player, volunteer or spectator and in that context we all help to improve the club, spreading a little happiness on the way.

Friendships in sport, particularly club rugby, are deep and long lasting. In 2017, Currie RFC has seen the passing of people who have helped to make this club the family it is, and they contributed to the Chieftains success - Graham Hogg; Gus McGill; Ken Hepburn; Orla Hogg; Mrs Russell – they will all be missed but not forgotten.

I wonder if the proposed ‘Super-Six’ franchise will ever generate enough interest and bonding to create that same feeling of ‘family’ in order to sustain a half-baked cause. Talking to Currie members, it appears unlikely, and this seems to be the general feeling throughout many well-respected Scottish rugby clubs as well.

Club rugby is the backbone of the game; players improve and progress through the various levels to a possible full-time professional contract; Currie, along with many other Premiership clubs is proud to be involved with this process. There is no doubt that the development of the professional game during the past twenty years has caused problems, as administrators try to bridge the divide between clubs and the professional teams. Scotland’s two professional teams struggle to keep their squads match-fit with only twenty or so players turning out each week, and with the remainder, apart from those recovering from injury, left on the sidelines or getting only a run-out at Premier club level; not ideal for the player or the club game.

The Super-Six proposals are the hot topic of conversation with both the media and clubs. Many think that this is a dark alley down which we should not venture. It may be part of a solution for the professional game, but in no way does it address the problems that our rugby administrators have inflicted on club rugby; their stated attitude is that the clubs have a ‘community role,’ leave the performance side of rugby to us! The underlying problems for Scottish club rugby have still not been addressed, and there is no indication that the new proposals are going to sort things out. Even Edinburgh’s move to a smaller stadium has not generated ‘atmosphere’ to encourage more spectators, and the disjointed nature of the Premier League programme, from the autumn internationals forward, is so devoid of club fixtures – Currie’s last home match was on November 4th - that many loyal spectators get frustrated, stay at home and watch their rugby on TV!

Yes, our infamous weather does contribute to the problem, but when you see players sliding about in bitter muddy conditions on poorly maintained sports fields, not only should we question the skills and entertainment value, but is player safety also being compromised? Perhaps, it would be more beneficial for club rugby if a winter break took place. The elite, academy, semi- and full professional players could continuing to play on those – ‘new generation, all weather’ - pitches that are foreseen in the Agenda 3 proposals!

The only good thing arising from the restructuring document is the establishment of a larger League, although some would argue that even this should involve fourteen or sixteen clubs to give the punters a ‘full season’ of competitive matches for top club sides. Perhaps some radical changes would persuade spectators to a watch a good local rugby match again, and also encourage local boys and girls to participate in a wonderful team sport where you can rise to the top; like Ben Cairns, Matthew Scott, Luke Crosbie and Harvey Elms. Currie Chieftains look forward to welcoming you all to Malleny Park for the first Premier League match of 2018 v Boroughmuir on January 6th. IJS, 27.12.17.