Iain Morrison: Pro teams need big guns to avoid their Waterloo

Published on Friday 17 December 2010 17:52

Fans of Scotland's two pro teams are beginning to know what Napoleon felt like on the long retreat from Moscow, as yet another European campaign ends in humiliating retreat in a snow-bound landscape before Christmas is properly upon us.

Even before yesterday's match Glasgow had already lost at home to Toulouse and Edinburgh were second best in their opening three matches, so the chance of either Scots side qualifying for so much as the Amlin Cup is about as likely as Prince Charles joining the student protesters in Parliament Square. It's a nice thought but it's just not going to happen.

If there is fault it lies not necessarily with the clubs, who still claim the odd top-class scalp for their mantelpiece, but with the governing body which has failed to put in place the financial structures to allow Edinburgh and Glasgow to hold on to their best players. Only that way can they compete with a mature and experienced group rather than having to rebuild the squad each and every season.

The funding gap with most of the Heineken opposition is substantial and it can grow to spectacular widths against the richest of the French clubs. Edinburgh's chairman Jim Calder sees no obvious and immediate solution to the problem of our pro teams' lack of progress in Europe, but he has started one initiative to raise some much-needed investment for the capital club.

"I am amazed at just how well our pro teams do given the budgets they operate on," said the former Grand Slam flanker. "We are where we are and with the low crowds and the lack of sponsorship money it is left to the governing body to fund the two clubs."

In an effort to find fresh sources of revenue in these cash-strapped times, Calder has started what he calls Edinburgh Rugby's Business Club: reaching out to and engaging with Edinburgh's business community. The concept is based on something similar in Bath and the capital club has had its first lunchtime meeting.

"We had about 40-50 from the business community turn up at our first lunch meeting and while not everyone we invited was able to attend, we didn't get anyone saying that they thought the idea was a stupid one. We had Rob Moffat and some of the players speak, which lets the members get an insight into what Edinburgh Rugby is all about.

"To be honest we are working out which direction to take the model next but we are planning another lunch meeting in the new year. We are reaching out to the business community, trying to take rugby out of Murrayfield and into the city. It's an important initiative because I think that there are some great sponsorship opportunities available in the coming years.

"Look at the clubs from France, who all host five or six different sponsors on their kit. We are delighted to have a really strong brand like Aberdeen Asset Management on our shirts but obviously there is room for more."

Calder declares himself hugely encouraged by the quality of rugby that is available every other Friday night at Murrayfield. He also declares himself amazed by the vocal contribution of the relatively small number of fans that do their best to produce some atmosphere in the empty expanse of Murrayfield. According to Calder, the stadium conundrum is being approached from the wrong perspective.

"Instead of looking to move to a 7,000-seat stadium which isn't going to suddenly appear when someone waves their magic wand, I'd rather spend my time trying to get the (crowd] numbers necessary to make Murrayfield a good place to play," says Calder. "We manage to do just that in the derby matches over the holiday season and if we could work out how to hang on to those fans for the rest of the season we'd have a brilliant atmosphere for every home game."

It is easier said than done but interest in rugby ballooned in Ireland following the European success of Munster in the early years of professionalism and something similar could happen in Scotland if/when the pro teams get the wherewithal to compete. As the Edinburgh business community knows, sometimes you have to spend a buck to make a buck.