British
Cup
6th May 2009 A
report by David Ferguson in today`s Scotsman newspaper gives some indication as
to what we can expect this afternoon when the RFU announce the format of next
season`s Championship and British Cup competition. In it he says, A
new British and Irish Cup will be launched in Wales today with two club teams
and a third hybrid flying the Scottish flag. The
idea has been discussed for much of this year with the SRU withdrawing funding
in the London Scottish Academy to help find a contribution of £100,000.
There were concerns in England and Wales over what level of team would be entered
and whether the tournament could get off the ground this year with alternative
plans for a second-tier EDF Energy Cup being discussed. All concerns appear to
have been overcome with the four home unions agreeing to a competition that will
kick-off next season with all unions on board. The
SRU has yet to confirm which Scottish teams will enter, but it is believed that
the plan is for the top two clubs in Division One - if Heriot's beat Edinburgh
Accies in their remaining game they will join champions Ayr in going forward,
with Melrose joining Ayr if the Goldenacre men falter - alongside a third Scottish
side made up of academy players and fringe men from the Glasgow and Edinburgh
squads. The SRU has been keen to find some form of
regular competition for a host of professionals who struggle to find any game-time
in Scotland's narrow two-team professional base, and it has also been striving
to help boost clubs' ambitions towards a cross-border league that has been spoken
of for the past 12 years without any real movement. However,
there remain a number of major questions still to be answered, notably the interruption
of the domestic season - the games will take place during the autumn Tests and
Six Nations windows - fear over an imbalance in the standard of teams and insurance
of amateurs playing professionals. England are set
to enter teams from their new Championship clubs, the former National League One,
which will include Bristol, recently relegated from the Premiership, Worcester,
Exeter and Rotherham among a host of full-time professional clubs. Wales are entering
clubs from their semi-professional Principality Premier League, but Irish representation
will be in the shape of 'A' teams from Munster, Leinster, Ulster and Connacht. A
press conference is being held at the Millenium Stadium at 12.30pm. Details will
be published on this site as soon as possible afterwards. | 
