Help Sitemap Home Skip Navigation Contact Us Disability Statement

 
 
Saturday, 4th July 2009 Change Date

Premium Article !

Your account has been frozen. For your available options click the below button.

Options

Premium Article !

To read this article in full you must have registered and have a Premium Content Subscription with the Edinburgh Evening News site.

Subscribe

Registered Article !

To read this article in full you must be registered with the site.

Sign In
Register

Liberton shell-shocked as SRU throws club out of cup for failure to play tie



Click on thumbnail to view image
Click on thumbnail to view image
Click on thumbnail to view image
Click on thumbnail to view image
Click on thumbnail to view image

Published Date: 13 February 2008
By GARY HEATLY
LIBERTON rugby coach Cliff Service today expressed his "shock" after the club were thrown out of a national cup competition because they failed to play a tie while the majority of their first team squad were on a pre-arranged trip to Cardiff to take part in a long-standing fixture.
The SRU Championship committee announced late last night that it has disqualified seven clubs who did not fulfil Scottish Hydro Electric Cup or Plate ties at the weekend.

Strathclyde Police, Hawick Linden, Langholm, Hawick Harlequins and Duns h
ave been thrown out of the main Cup event, while McLaren FP were disqualified from the Plate along with Liberton.

All but six of Liberton's first team squad were in Wales at the weekend playing in the annual match against Llandaff North, which has been played for the last 35 years, and taking in the Wales-Scotland Six Nations match.

Service said today: "We were not told that we had to play (the already delayed East Plate round one tie] against Gala YM last weekend until Thursday, the day that we left for Cardiff, so there is no way we could have fulfilled it at such short notice and I am shocked that it has come to this." However, as away international weekends are now standby dates the Kirkbrae side were disqualified because round two of the East Plate is due to be played this coming Saturday.

In a letter to the clubs, the committee stated: "This was a very difficult decision for us to take."





The full article contains 269 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 13 February 2008 10:54 AM
  • Source: Edinburgh Evening News
  • Location: Edinburgh
 
1

maroon to the core,

Falkirk 13/02/2008 13:15:49
Well done SRU. This really helps club rugby at grass roots. Clubs that already get no assistance from you but plenty interference. We must be the only sport that punish grass roots players for supporting the national team. Saying that maybe the plan is to keep rugby supporters away from watching the debacle that is the National team.
Ridiculous!!!
2

The Honest Lad,

Musselburgh 13/02/2008 14:11:06
Musselburgh RFC were put in a similar position at the weekend with a League game against West of Scotland. We had 20+ players away to Wales to support the national team and we were forced to play the game as West did not agree to move it to the Ireland weekend as we only had a couple of players away then instead. The net result was a 64 -0 gubbing with the Burgh having to field a 45 year old, a colt and range of experienced players from 1st to 3rd fifteen level. I believe Jed were put in a similar position by Selkirk who also saw an opportunity to play against weaker opposition and pick up an easy 5 points. The real loosers in all off this were Biggar of course who are chasing the other promotion spot to Premier 1. The Championship committee basically told us that both clubs had to be in a agreement to move the fixture of which West refused. I wonder what there response would have been if one of the inexperienced players broke a neck or something! Absolutely disgusted that the SRU / Championship Committee made this game go ahead.
3

Fast Phil,

13/02/2008 14:56:13
I have a degree of sympathy with the clubs however they knew the rules of the competition before entering.

The clubs voted at the AGM to use international weekends as standby and no Sunday rugby then they
(the clubs involved) can't complain when those rules are applied.

Plenty of posts on the Scotsman site on this.

Is this a news article or a mischevious "lets bash the SRU and further divide the Rugby public"?

4

Big Smoke,

13/02/2008 15:23:00
and the SRU have a duty to look after Scottish rugby on the clubs behalf, Do they?
5

,

13/02/2008 15:28:09
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
6

The Super Woofer,

Edinburgh 13/02/2008 15:29:56
Or, "it's just a few diddy teams, so why should we care? What kind of fuss can they really make?"

No Cup Rugby for the Sad Seven for next year.

I'm looking forward to this year's AGM already...
7

Lets get a grip,

sometimes here, sometimes there 13/02/2008 16:43:44
"All SRU premiership One games were called off last Saturday, as they were in the previous Scottish Six Nations game. What's been said about these games and the players who were down in Cardiff?"
NOTHING, as has been stated previously, the CLUBS didn't want league games on International weekends and NO games on Sundays. These were set aside for standby games and NO games on at begining of the season not last week FFS.
They knew months ago that these were set aside, of course some players of these clubs were wanting to go to the away Internationals, but if they weren't going to play them on these dates when were they going to get fitted in.
8

Paddi,

13/02/2008 16:54:52
These dates have been designated as standby dates.

Why not have a go at the likes of West and the other clubs that insist on playing on these dates, these clubs break the spirit of the completion they are the true villains of the piece not the SRU.
9

,

13/02/2008 19:24:03
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
10

major1,

13/02/2008 19:53:50
Its amazing how quickly the SRU moved against Liberton but wont take any action against Meggetland for fielding unregistered player or players registered to other club during league matches. The little clubs get a kicking again. Hard lines Liberton. Dont let it get you down
11

Bandit6,

13/02/2008 20:45:07
Having thoroughly enjoyed my few games at and against Llandaff North when at Liberton in the early 80's, I do hope this decision by the SRU doesn't put an end to such ties. These associations are what rugby is all about!
12

Manic Maroon,

Guid Auld Galae 13/02/2008 20:56:25
No apologies for duplicating this from main article on it.

Keep this bit short - absolute disgrace, especially when they should be doing eveything the can to encourage people to support them.

What would the SRU have decided had these (and more) games been frozen/waterlogged? Ban all home Clubs? As a supporter of one of the Clubs to benefit from the decision (Gala YM) I would still support giving them all another chance.

As has been previously stated a lot of the Clubs at a similar level will only have 1 team and it could only take a half dozen guys to scupper them fielding it.

What to do about it? Apologies up front, but if we were a bit more French we would make sure those in charge knew how we feel. Now, burning something is out of the question unless you want to sacrifice your tickets, but how's about this:

Those of us going to Murrayfield for the English trouncing refuse to sing the anthem. Bear with me - they made a big deal about turning off the music etc before the French game and letting our voices be heard so lets reverse that and leave the place in silence as a mark of our displeasure. Simple, easy to encourage and no-one needs to have completely wasted their tickets. Lets face it no-one up here is likely to want to but them from you.
13

Hobbit5,

13/02/2008 21:51:58
Fascinating interviews on the subject at www.scottishrugbyradio.com covering both sides of the story. David Mackie from the Committee agrees that changes should be made
14

Big Smoke,

13/02/2008 22:02:53
Lets all turn into rugby league clubs and leave the SRU to twiddle their fingers and pick fight with themself in a really empty Murrayfield!
15

CARLOS THE JACKAL - BLIMEY, HE KNOWS IT ALL,

Revving the burning Jeep - as you dither... 13/02/2008 22:35:12
Let's face it - double standars abound in the vicinity of the Roseburn Refuge for the Criminally Incompetent and the Terminally Insane, whilst any outfit crazy enough to go off on a mini-tour to support the Scotland rugby team needs its (collective) head(s) examined. Ergo, this sanction is fully justified.

Just don't mention the SRU's policy for youth rugby at Howe of Fife RFC.
16

,

14/02/2008 22:47:37
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
17

WeirNorfolkandGoode/WNG - Advocates & Legal Agents,

Say it fast / faster - Weirnorfolkandgoode... 14/02/2008 23:23:13
aka SRU - eh???

Let's all go look at www.savescottishrugby.com

 

Comment on this Story

 

In order to post comments you must Register or Sign In

 
 
RSS Feed of this article's comments
Delivery formats: RSS, Atom, Javascript & Email
 
  

 
 


Sister Newspapers:
Press Complaints Commission

This website and its associated newspaper adheres to the Press Complaints Commission’s Code of Practice. If you have a complaint about editorial content which relates to inaccuracy or intrusion, then contact the Editor by clicking here.

If you remain dissatisfied with the response provided then you can contact the PCC by clicking here.