Scotland Skipper to Skip SRU ?

[hopep]

Just got this report as a consequence of the SRU v Edinburgh debacle.
Scotland - not the strongest in 6N rugby - seems intent on self combustion.

Pity

http://www.rugby365.com/story/0,1888...483767,00.html
Paterson ready to walk away
Monday 09th July 2007

Chris Paterson: Ready to leave his country

Scotland captain Chris Paterson is reported to be set to walk away from Edinburgh in the wake of the fresh bout of fighting between the franchise owners and the SRU, and could be on his way to Perpignan.

French media have already detailed a proposal put to Paterson by the Catalan club, and he was out of contract at the end of the current season anyway.

But after Edinburgh's resignation from the SRU, the IRB regulations prevent Edinburgh from playing in any competition because of non-affiliation, meaning Paterson would be forced to look elsewhere.

Paterson's agent refused to comment on the speculation, saying only that he had done nothing wrong.

[Burgs]

To get an idea of the scale of the situation, have a look at this years Six Nations Squad for Scotland and remember that Border-Reivers have now folded and Edinburgh have resigned from the SRU!

Border Reivers 7
Kelly Brown
Chris Cusiter
Bruce Douglas
Ross Ford
Scott Gray
Ben MacDougall
Calum MacRae

Edinburgh Gunners 15
Mike Blair
David Callam
Marcus Di Rollo
Rob Dewey
Phil Godman
Dougie Hall
Allister Hogg
Allan Jacobsen
Alastair Kellock
Scott Murray
Chris Paterson
Craig Smith
Hugo Southwell
Simon Taylor
Simon Webster

Glasgow Warriors 9
John Beattie
Andrew Henderson
Alastair Kellock
Rory Lamont
Scott Lawson
Graeme Morrison
Euan Murray
Dan Parks
Jon Petrie

Leeds Tykes 1
Gavin Kerr

Leicester 1
Jim Hamilton

Perpignan 1
Nathan Hines

London Irish 1
Robbie Russell

Northampton 1
Sean Lamont

[hopep]

Ok Burgs, so thats about 22 players with no team/contract.
Their RWC squad would be pretty much the same I imagine.

I can't see it having a real impact on RWC performances. But where will these guys play next season? If they go to an English club they'll have the same (club first, country second) type of contract. Can't see the SRU has enought time before the season starts to revive the Borders or another franchise.

I though Scotland were about to turn a corner.
Just so annoyed a money men stuffing up players.

[Burgs]

Trouble is hopep is those 20 odd would be either currently not training or training without insurance and certainly not training with the WC Squad.
They are still contracted to Edinburgh so they would have to negotiate their way out of that contract an to another European club.
This is a massive blow to any chances they may have had in France.

[Em-Forcer]

Burgs - as far as I can gather, Edinburgh reckons their players are still unionised and insured - but I don't know what union they're referring to...

However, it's such a shame that the new plan to have Scotland's national players signed to Scottish clubs has hit such a brick wall, just as it was starting to pay off. I know we haven't had the results, but it has felt like there was the beginning of a structure from school rugby to club, super-club and national.