Scotland to introduce a 3rd Professional Team

[iINDOMINUSxx]

according to posts from in the loose the Caledonia Reds are starting a campaign to raise money to introduce a 3rd scotland rugby Team heres a site if you want to find out more http://www.caledoniareds.com/

any thoughts ?

 

[LittleGuy]

Scotland do not have the player depth to introduce a 3rd team to the rabo(or equivalent level) at this time. Glasgow are doing OK, but Edinburgh are pretty poor. A 3rd team would likely weaken both those sides dramatically. Unless they want to bring in a whole pile of imports.

 

[Gavin]

Scotland do not have the player depth to introduce a 3rd team to the rabo(or equivalent level) at this time. Glasgow are doing OK, but Edinburgh are pretty poor. A 3rd team would likely weaken both those sides dramatically. Unless they want to bring in a whole pile of imports.

Or perhaps strengthen the Scottish club sides by bringing back players who are playing elsewhere, also giving a chance for more Scottish players to get game time. Look at how the Melbourne Rebels developed in the Super15.

 

[Peat]

Scotland do not have the player depth to introduce a 3rd team to the rabo(or equivalent level) at this time. Glasgow are doing OK, but Edinburgh are pretty poor. A 3rd team would likely weaken both those sides dramatically. Unless they want to bring in a whole pile of imports.

Problem is they'll never built the depth with 3 teams either. A 3rd team built up on good imports, bringing home the likes of Beattie and the best of the club game might have something to offer. Might.

 

[LittleGuy]

There are a few quality guys playing outside of Scotland on the side but it really isn't that many, not at Argentine/Georgian type levels of non domestic players. I think 9 of the 36 man team for the 6N don't play in Scotland and I'd say 4-5 of those guys are very much in the "cash out" stage of their careers where they are picking up more lucrative deals in France/England that I think the Scottish system would be very hard pressed to match especially with a third franchise stretching already thin resources.

They could gather a few of the lower tier players back from England I suppose, the guys that are fringe national team guys or are playing in the RFU championship, but I'm not sure how well they'd do in a Raboesque league's talent level. I would picture this side really being a Connacht level side at best(and more likely a Zebre type side) and is that really a good use of the Scottish system's resources at this time? The Italians are in a similar boat and are taking the exact opposite action by focusing on the domestic club scene.

The Scottish club scene is pretty much tapped out already and I doubt that a third side would gather up anything much of value out of there, take a look at their results in the British and Irish Cup this year, they were ghastly Ayr being the only side to offer anything of remote value in their pool.

 

[Draggs]

Or perhaps strengthen the Scottish club sides by bringing back players who are playing elsewhere, also giving a chance for more Scottish players to get game time. Look at how the Melbourne Rebels developed in the Super15.

Because Edinburgh signing so many Saffas isn't the problem.

 

[j'nuh]

Good idea. If the Pro12 get the Italians back on board, then Zebre will have some competition.

 

[Gavin]

Because Edinburgh signing so many Saffas isn't the problem.

The problem was scrapping the other Scottish club side and not being able to cope with the professional game. Signing foreign players is a problem but it is seen to fill the gap in the quality at the club, which is a short-term view not long-term (which is needed).

 

[Peat]

Not sure the club scene is completely tapped out, there's a few youngsters who seem to be floating around who are talked about but don't seem to be getting chances.

Even scraping all of this together, yeah, you're not staring at much - unless this new club has some serious wonga to fling around, which seems unlikely.

I'm not convinced this is a great idea but Scottish rugby does need to grow. If sufficient private investment is there, I think it could be something. Sufficient private investment is possibly a miracle mind.

 

[Draggs]

The problem was scrapping the other Scottish club side and not being able to cope with the professional game. Signing foreign players is a problem but it is seen to fill the gap in the quality at the club, which is a short-term view not long-term (which is needed).

Well, considering that region had no sustainable population compared to Glas and Edinburgh, it made sense from a financial PoV. They could 'Connaught' a club if they wanted, but they would run it at a loss I can assume, and I don't think the SRU are too keen for that.

Borders has the player base, but not fan base to support a club. I watch Rangers FC every week and it isn't just rugby, outside of Glasgow there is small to negligible support. Rangers still pull is five figure crowds even in league three, but only because of their existing support. Clubs like Stenhousemuir, Airdrieonians are in a very different way.

@Peat, that's what I am getting at. They might be able to get some players together, but good luck funding it for more than a year.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Not sure whether they'd be able to entice many of the foreign-based players back to Scotland to play for a side that, for the first few years, would be getting smashed by all comers.
Why would, for example, Brown leave Saracens or Beattie leave Montpellier(/Castres?) to take several steps backwards for, presumably, less money?

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

but playing school rugby in scotland, you would expect the good players would come from the south or the capital or glasgow. when i've played a school in the mid-lands of scotland called dollar academy you might have heard off them already. and they are good players from dollar they seem to know what is going on in attack which is what scotland needs and also the fact the Rory Lawson. Graeme Morrison and John Barclay use to be taught and played at dollar but i think there could be alot off players from dollar can make pro 12 sides but i dont think they're getting as much notice and the Caledonia Reds are going to be based at the north and midlands region so there are much more opportunity's for the midlands players to get into pro 12 sides

and off course they're not going to do great at the first season. but the only thing that the 3rd team is doing is giving opportunity's for more young scottish rugby players to get into a pro 12 side. but its also just giving a bigger selection for scott johnson to pick from when there is players not on form.

to me the 3rd team is trying to become a step to improve but in a way its not because in the first season i dont think any off the players are going to get into the scotland. well maybe 1. but i think to solve scottish rugby we need to do way more, we may need to change the entire youth system and make players focus on they're attacking ability and they're defending at a young age like i remember that our primary school banned full-contact rugby because the teachers worry about the children getting injured and they think its dangerous which will not solve anything at all. but rugby can be dangerous but not when its played properly. atleast let the children have a taste off what full-contact rugby but when the kids are like 8 - 10.

and signing foreign players wouldn't be my concern but having to many off them playing for scotland is.

 

[Pockets]

http://m.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/26616760

Article on the beeb suggesting Aberdeen asset management would sponsor a team if it was there. They have serious money so as long as they aren't expecting a bargain maybe this has legs?

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

that is a huge step and would be glad to see that but thinking about italy they pretty much have a semi-professional league the players could base there