Edinburgh Rugby Resigns From SRU

Scottish rugby club Edinburgh has resigned from the Scottish Rugby Union,
placing its future in grave jeopardy.

Edinburgh and the SRU have been in disagreement over funding for the club for
a number of months with new owner Bob Carruthers claiming that the governing
body owed Edinburgh a six-figure sum in promised revenue.

Now Edinburgh has its resignation from the governing body, despite claims to
the contrary by the SRU, the club insist that it will still be able to fulful
its Magners League and Heineken Cup fixtures.

Carruthers claimed that ‘it is business as usual’ despite SRU stating that
Edinburgh players are no longer insured to play at club level.

An Edinburgh statement read: ‘It is not a condition of ERL’s agreement with
SRU plc that ERL is a member of SRU. ERL played a number of games, including
Magners League games, last year as a professional team affiliated to SRU prior
to voluntarily becoming an associate member of SRU at the invitation of Graham
Ireland, secretary of Scottish Rugby Union.

‘ERL have now cancelled that membership and reverted to the original status
of a professional rugby team playing under the auspices of the SRU. IRB rules do
not require professional teams to be associate members of SRU.

‘Any attempt by SRU or SRU plc to prevent ERL playing games will constitute a
breach of contract and will be dealt with in the Court of Session. ERL have
repeatedly offered to go to mediation with SRU. SRU have now formally rejected
that proposal and, accordingly, court proceedings are being prepared.

‘ERL deeply regrets that an accommodation has not been reached with SRU and
is very concerned that SRU does not wish to mediate and would rather spend its
limited resources litigating with ERL.

‘ERL will continue to run Edinburgh Rugby and fully intends to fulfil all of
its playing and contractual commitments.’

In response Scottish Rugby said in a statement that: ‘Under IRB regulations,
as a result of Edinburgh Rugby’s withdrawal from membership, no club or team
that is a member of any rugby union and in membership of the IRB is now
permitted to play against them.

‘Furthermore, as the club is no longer an associate member of the SRU, it is
not entitled to be a member of the SRU club accident insurance scheme, which is
only open to member clubs.

‘Therefore, Edinburgh Rugby’s contracted players are no longer insured by the
governing body’s scheme for the purposes of training or playing.’

The SRU was recently forced to close the Borders club due to insufficient
funds and now, with Edinburgh having resigned, is left with only one club
franchise in Scotland, Glasgow.