Rugby Union: Owner Calls for Arbitration in Edinburgh Dispute

The Edinburgh owner, Bob Carruthers, yesterday called on the Scottish Rugby Union to agree to independent arbitration to settle the dispute which is threatening the future of the professional game north of the border.

Carruthers earlier this week canceled Edinburgh's associate membership of the SRU in response to the governing body reporting the franchise to the International Rugby Board last week after players were pulled out of a national training session. Unless they are part of the SRU, Edinburgh will not be able to fulfill their fixtures next season in the Heineken Cup or the Magners League. That would leave their players, who include the Australia outside-half Stephen Larkham and the Scotland captain, Chris Paterson, in limbo, but Carruthers said the side would not be pulled out of tournaments.

"There is no question of Edinburgh losing our league status and we will be releasing players for World Cup training sessions," he said. "Our differences with the SRU need to be resolved. This week they called for disciplinary action to be taken against us even though they said we were not affiliated to them. We are happy to submit to any panel as long as it is independent."

Larkham, who is due to join Edinburgh after the World Cup ends, wants to speak to Carruthers. "I need to find out what is going on," said the outside-half.

Carruthers insists Edinburgh are owed a six-figure sum by the SRU, a contention which is denied. "By saying that if we were not associate members of the Union we could not play in Europe or the Magners League was irresponsible and mischief-making," said Carruthers. "The SRU has trashed the reputation of the Scottish game throughout the world."

The Irish and the Welsh are concerned about the potential impact of losing a second Scottish side from the Magners League this year, something which would leave Glasgow as the SRU's only representatives in the professional game. "It would damage the credibility of the league," said the Llanelli Scarlets chief executive, Stuart Gallacher.

The Australian Rugby Union chief executive, John O'Neill, said he was concerned at the impact the likes of Carruthers and owners of clubs in England and France were having on the world game. "We cannot have clubs dominating the world game," he said. "The IRB [International Rugby Board] has to get on top of this otherwise we will go the way of soccer."