Netherdale deal still hanging over McKie

AS THE Scottish Rugby Union strives for a solution to the ongoing feud with Edinburgh Rugby Ltd, it emerged yesterday that the governing body is still dealing with the fall-out from its decision to axe the Border Reivers.

Gala RFC confirmed that they are locked in dispute with the SRU after the union attempted to withdraw from a 20-year agreement to play professional rugby at Netherdale. Gordon McKie, the SRU chief executive, initially claimed that escaping from the 20-year ground-share deal, signed when the SRU restored the Reivers to Netherdale in 2002, would not be a problem and would come with a negligible cost.

Written into that agreement was the responsibility of the SRU to provide a second training pitch, behind Netherdale, and to work monthly on the upkeep of the main pitch, laid by the same firm that laid Murrayfield.

The SRU had demanded detailed proposals from clubs wishing to host the Border Reivers in 2002 and Gala beat off the challenge from Hawick largely due to the ambitious plans they had for redeveloping Netherdale.

Scottish Borders Council offered to help with a 200,000 loan for the training pitch last year, but the SRU board turned this down. As the SRU sought to cut expenditure, the maintenance work also dropped off in 2006 and led to surface problems, which forced the late switch of a Heineken Cup fixture to Murrayfield. This year the SRU stopped work altogether after deciding to close the Borders team.

However, McKie has since found that his confidence in walking away from the deal was misplaced and was forced to tell the recent AGM of Scotland's clubs that there will be continuing costs associated with the agreement. If the SRU are held liable for the cost implication of the remaining 15 years, as Gala RFC insist is the case, this could represent more than 500,000.

A statement from Gala RFC yesterday read: "Gala RFC and the SRU signed a ground-share contract in 2002. That contract was for a 20-year term. With the closure of the Border Reivers, the SRU have indicated that they wish to minimise their future liabilities while acknowledging that they are bound by the contract to 2022.

"Gala RFC's position is that we are willing to discuss certain aspects of the contract with the SRU while protecting Gala RFC's interests. One formal meeting was held in May and we assume there will be further discussion."