Why John Jeffrey saga makes Scottish rugby look weak and like fools

Our need for a strong voice is evident - but now rugby in this country has a whisper

What is to be made of what one can only call the John Jeffrey affair? He was favourite to succeed England's Bill Beaumont as chairman of World Rugby, having served as vice-chairman. Now he has been torpedoed by his own union, his own people, the SRU. No wonder he feels “upset, bitter and betrayed".

Whatever the internal politics at Murrayfield - more of that later - Scottish rugby is obviously a loser. We were weak enough already. We may be one of the oldest unions and the first-ever international match may have been played in Scotland, but now we pack a feebler punch, than England, France, Ireland and probably Wales in the northern hemisphere, and even less of one than in South Africa and New Zealand, perhaps Australia and Argentina too. We need a clear voice at the High Tables; we'll have little more than whisper now, and probably for some time ...

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How has this come about? Jeffrey himself has spoken of "bad blood" - infighting, I suppose. It seems to date from his time as chairman of Scottish Rugby between 2020-2023. There was a good deal of argy-bargy then as a new structure for the union was being devised, and no doubt he trod on a few fingers, upset a number of folk. He was held by some to be too close to the domineering chief executive Mark Dodson and to share at least some responsibility for Murrayfield's inadequate, even callous response to the decline and death of the young internationalist Siobhan Cattigan.

John Jeffrey was not backed by his own union to be the head of World Rugby.John Jeffrey was not backed by his own union to be the head of World Rugby.
John Jeffrey was not backed by his own union to be the head of World Rugby. | SNS Group

There is, however, more to the affair than that. His spell as chairman of Scottish Rugby was a time of administrative upheaval and reform. The outcome of this was an attempt to make a clear division of the professional and amateur games This resulted in the separation of responsibilities and, to some extent, powers. Two new board were created: Scottish Rugby Limited (SRL), the executive wing of the union and a new Custodian Boards of Scottish Rugby responsible for the amateur game.

This board also has what is called oversight of the executives and while the SRL supported Jeffrey's candidature for World Rugby, the Custodian Board is said to have intervened and overruled this decision. It is not perhaps surprising to recall that Jeffrey had never approved the creation of the two boards - or at least the relations between them.

No doubt some of those who refused to support his candidacy may have believed him to be unsuitable. Others, it seems, were expressing disapproval, seeking some sort of revenge. Jeffrey is of course the first loser. He has suffered a public humiliation with no good reason being advanced. But, second - and I guess, from what I know of him, that this cuts more deeply - Scotland's standing in global rugby has been diminished.

Jeffrey has given so much to Scottish rugby.Jeffrey has given so much to Scottish rugby.
Jeffrey has given so much to Scottish rugby. | SNS Group

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We look like a country so given to infighting that we can't even back our own man. To others we look like fools; simple as that I find it sad and deplorable also because, as player and administrator, Jeffrey has given so much to Scottish Rugby, and it is depressing to seem his cast aside in this way. I have admired him as a player and, though I don't know him at all well and haven't exchanged a word with him for a long time, I am certain he deserves better than to be thrown aside in this way.

Meanwhile, to end this sad piece on a lighter note: I have been amused this week by voices raised in England calling for the creation of a British and Irish League, the English Premiership not being what it was. Well, the RFU poured scorn on such a notion almost 30 years ago and wouldn't then even contemplate an Anglo-Welsh League which they could then have had at the drop of a hat. No, the British and Irish League sailed away a long time ago, We are now happy with the URC, with our Italian friends and, after hesitation those in South Africa too. The RFU will have to solve their own problems on their own.

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