Clubs in talks to solve problem of a fixture list ravaged by weather

Rugby clubs from all levels are continuing discussions on how to best manage the rest of the season, with postponements over the last two months having caused havoc both on and off the field.

Frost late last week and snow on Friday night meant that 39 club matches - 18 in the Premier Cup, 15 in the National Shield and six in the Regional Shield - scheduled for Saturday just past were postponed.

Those latest call-offs mean that many clubs have not played since 20 November and have a busy few months coming up to try and fit in all their rearranged matches.

Indeed, although seasons 2008/09 and 2009/10 were badly hit with delays and issues, it seems as if the current campaign will be even worse.

The inactivity over the last seven weeks has seen clubs being hit on a number of fronts - numbers at training have dropped, especially in the Regional Leagues and in lower XVs; bar takings have been hit and fixtures secretaries are tearing their hair out.

And it has led to the National League and Regional League clubs - who were already in regular contact regarding the restructuring of the leagues, which is to be discussed at this summer's Scottish Rugby agm - having even more discussions.

The winter weather is now to be incorporated into any plans that will be taken forward regarding league reconstruction, as everyone knows that no season in the future can be torn in two like the current one if club rugby is to flourish and bring in sponsorship.

For the top-level clubs, such as Ayr, who are in the British & Irish Cup as well as Premier One and the Premier Cup, the next few months look set to be full to the brim with fixtures, casting minds back to April 2010 when the Millbrae men seemed to be playing every few days to complete their season.

Ayr president Billy McHarg said: "We are used to squeezing in lots of games after what happened at the end of last season. However, it cannot keep happening and we all have to look at the season structure again in a lot of detail.

"From my point of view, the top clubs definitely need to be involved in the British & Irish Cup because it helps raise the level of our best players and that can only be for the good of the game. There have been mutterings that it adds to fixture problems, but three clubs playing in one event doesn't impact on the majority of clubs.

"I think that clubs in general need to be a bit more proactive in rearranging fixtures. For example, league matches could have been played in the clear week between Christmas and New Year and this really should have been put into action when the snow came in November."It may have meant that only one match was played, but it would have been one less needing played from now onwards."

Ayr have been proactive enough to arrange a friendly with Whitecraigs tonight at Millbrae ahead of the weekend's trip to Birmingham & Solihull in the British & Irish Cup. And Peebles were still working with Dalziel late last night to see if their Premier Cup match postponed on Saturday could be played tonight, but not many clubs have the luxury of floodlights that are good enough for matches.

Lower down the leagues, National One leaders Lasswade did manage to play one match since 20 November - on 11 December away to Greenock Wanderers - but president Ian Barr admits it has been a frustrating time.

"The bad weather has two major knock-on effects: our clubhouse has taken in little revenue since November and that is something we rely on as a club to keep growing, while player drop-off could become an issue.

"There is certainly a lot to be discussed in the coming weeks."

As well as continued informal debate amongst all clubs this week, representatives from Premier One are to meet at Murrayfield tomorrow night with solutions to fixture congestion at the top of the agenda.