Super Series to be scrapped - with the six franchises ‘returning to club rugby’

Super Series clubs react to news as domestic rugby braced for yet more change

Scottish rugby’s Super Series is to be scrapped, leaving its six core clubs facing an uncertain future.

The competition was launched in 2019 in an attempt to bridge the gap between the club game and the professional level and aid player progression. And while players such as Ross Thompson and Tom Jordan used it as a springboard to establish themselves in the pro game, the jury remains out as to how successful it has been.

Originally called Super6, it attracted controversy from the start when three of the six clubs chosen to compete were from Edinburgh. This was despite the SRU pledging to select no more than two clubs from any one region in the franchise information document sent to clubs ahead of the bidding process, No club from Glasgow was picked, much to the fury of Glasgow Hawks who had submitted a bid. There was also no representation from Dundee, Aberdeen and anywhere further north.

SRU chief executive Mark Dodson at the launch of Super6 in May 2018. He is surrounded by representatives of the six original clubs, back row L-R, Chris Laidlaw (Boroughmuir), Nick Sutherland (Heriot's), Ross Graham (Watsonian FC), Craig Jackson (Melrose), and front row L-R, Ross Bundy (Stirling County), and Steven Longwell (Ayr). Picture: Alan Harvey/SNS

The half-dozen teams picked were Boroughmuir Bears, Heriot’s, Watsonians, Ayrshire Bulls, Stirling Wolves and Southern Knights. The latter sprang from the successful Melrose bid, with the Southern Knights name introduced in an attempt to broaden their appeal to the wider Borders region.

The clubs have been run on a semi-pro basis, with each club initially having a budget of £125,000 to spend on a 35-man squad of part-time players with full-time coaches. The first game took place on November 8, 2019, with Boroughmuir hosting Stirling at Meggetland. But the first season was cut short due to Covid, which also claimed the second campaign. The first championship final was eventually played in November 2021, with Ayrshire Bulls beating the Southern Knights. Subsequent finals were won by Watsonians and Stirling.

The competition has been modified to include a Futures XV of promising young players but the new team found themselves on the wrong end of some heavy defeats. A Super Series Sprint was also introduced, a shorter version of the original competition which was played in the spring. Clubs were informed this week that the final Super Series Sprint will be played next year.

In a statement the Super Series clubs said: “We, the current Super Series Clubs, are obviously disappointed that the Scottish Rugby Union Club Rugby Board and Performance department did not recommend to the Scottish Rugby Limited Board that Super Series continues. We do however accept the decision and look forward to competing in the upcoming Sprint Series.

“We were informed of the decision on Wednesday 14th February. We were surprised at the lack of consultation through the process and the detail in what comes next, however, we have confidence in Keith Wallace [Scottish Rugby vice-president and chair of the Club Rugby Board] and Stevie Gemmell [Scottish Rugby’s technical and operations director] delivering a transition plan that sees Super Series clubs supported through what will be a very challenging period. We have received assurances that there will not be a detrimental impact on the six clubs as they return their business and rugby models fully back to club rugby”.