Six appeal is strong
Captain hails Stirling County’s new status
Stirling County captain Jonny Hope believes the club’s Super 6 status could help attract a high calibre of player in the future.
The Observer reported in December that Hope was initially sceptical about the planned new league structure which is designed to replace the BT Premiership and bridge the gap between the club game and professional teams.
But this week he confirmed he has softened his stance, and believes a failure to move with the development could have seen the club left behind their rivals.
He said: “The directors have worked hard on this and they wouldn’t have gone it if it wasn’t going to be a good thing for the club.
“Stirling fits the bill in terms of the type of criteria they are looking for. The infrastructure is there with the floodlights, the pitches and the facilities as a whole.
“For the club not to have been included would have been quite harmful in my opinion. We would have been stuck in a second tier league and would probably have lost players. We have to be happy the club has been successful in the application.
“Now, if a young player is looking to progress and play at a good level – they may look at us as an option, as the aim is to cut the gap between club and pro rugby.”
Hope had previously expressed concern about the impact the competition could have on club and its engagement with, and standing within, the community – stressing that intense focus on the first-team can’t be at the expense of the youth teams and ladies’ and girls’ sides.
He added: “Will it work? Only time will tell. The club members have had some questions about this so there’s a meeting planned for May 17 where these will be answered.
“It’s important that nobody is left in the dark and everyone is singing off the same hymn sheet.”
Earlier this week Stirling County were named among the six franchises to make up the new Super 6 competition – which will replace the 10-team BT Premiership from season 2019/20.
The Bridgehaugh club were successful in their application to Scottish Rugby along with Ayr, Boroughmuir, Heriot’s, Melrose and Watsonian FC.
A club spokesperson said: “Stirling County are delighted to be selected as one of the inaugural Super 6 clubs for season 2019/20.
“We look forward to working with our franchise partner Stirling University, the other Super 6 clubs and Scottish Rugby on the next phase to ensure a successful launch of the tournament.”
The successful applicants were judged on their rugby, vision, governance and ground, along with facilities, partnerships and links and financial sustainability.
Scottish Rugby chief executive, Mark Dodson said: “The six successful applications will, I believe, enable Super 6 to achieve our ambition to raise the standard of rugby at the top of the club game in Scotland and also create strong, sustainable franchises in their own right.
“The bids from the successful six clubs clearly demonstrated a shared vision for what Super 6 can become and highlighted the ambitions of these clubs to grow.”
Currie Chieftains, Dundee, Edinburgh Academicals, Gala, Glasgow Hawks and Hawick were unsuccessful in their bids to be included in the competition.