Leinster and Racing stars lead chase for top award

between the top of the club game and the elite professional level.

Speaking yesterday to promote Saturday’s BT Cup final between Melrose and Stirling County, Chrystie was positive about the prospect of playing a part in the new era but was adamant that the Greenyards outfit will remain true to their traditions.

“It is a community club, first and foremost. That’s so important for us. That’s one of the key fundamentals of the club,” said the former Scotland Under-20 and Scotland A scrum-half.

“We need to be able to create opportunities for youngsters all the way through. There’s no chance we can just be looking at one competition.

“We have one of the biggest youth sections in Scotland now. People worked extremely hard. We’ve got to make sure we are creating opportunities for boys and girls to come up through.”

Chrystie said the response of the players to the Super 6, which will see the SRU fund a full-time coach and backroom support and half the wage bill with the franchise, has been positive.

“It is very simple. As a club, and as players, they want to be playing at the highest level possible,” he said. “If this next level of competition is the highest level possible for them then brilliant, it will be exciting and it will be good. “Time will tell. But we are very open to it and hopefully it create more opportunities for boys to push on. The key goal of the Super 6 was to bridge the gap between the amateur and professional games.”

Chrystie is an ambitious young coach, taking the Scotland Club XV reins this season, but with a job at Edinburgh College heading up its Rugby Performance Course, is yet to decide if he will apply for the full-time Super 6 role.

“Like the players, I want to be working at the highest level possible,” he said.

“I’ve really enjoyed my time so far. I have a young family and it’s important that they get the balance right. I enjoy what I’m doing just now.” Champions Cup finalists Leinster and Racing 92 dominate the five-strong shortlist for the 2018 European Player of the Year award.

Johnny Sexton, Tadhg Furlong and Scott Fardy complete the representation from Stuart Lancaster’s men, who are favourites to win the showpiece in Bilbao on 12 May.

Racing scrum-half Maxime Machenaud and former Glasgow Warriors lock Leone Nakarawa are the other two players in contention to claim an award that is currently held by Owen Farrell of Saracens and is decided by a public vote.