Can Scottish rugby ever break out of its traditional Borders and independent school territories?
I worked for the SRU for ten years before I retired and we made big inroads into areas that hadn’t seen rugby before, particularly disadvantaged parts of Glasgow and Edinburgh. That work is ongoing, though it does not get reported much, and I think we’re doing a remarkably good job of spreading rugby throughout the country. But there are two problems. The first is the lack of resources and facilities. After spending six weeks introducing children in Easterhouse to rugby, and seeing real enjoyment, eyes being opened, there was nowhere for the youngsters to go and play rugby within walking distance. There were so few rugby clubs around, and if they found one they would feel uncomfortable because it was some way from their home. And rugby isn’t a game you can play as easily as football, where all you need is a ball, waste ground and jackets for posts; it relies on more equipment and parental help. The second thing is the incredible lack of knowledge of what rugby is about, especially amon
