New home for Hearts and Hibs?

Scottish Rugby chiefs remain convinced Murrayfield can provide a home from home for Hearts and Hibs as they cope with the coronavirus crisis.

The capital clubs are in ongoing discussions with the SRU over the possibility of playing games at the home of rugby next season to allow for fans to attend in greater numbers.

The SPFL and SFA were encouraged this week when the Scottish Government indicated that ‘live outdoor events with physical distancing and restricted numbers’ could be permitted as early as July 23.

With Murrayfield’s 67,000 capacity allowing for more supporters to be spread out, using Scotland’s largest sporting arena is of firm interest to the Edinburgh rivals.

Hibs chief executive Leeann Dempster has suggested staging games across the city could prove too costly, however, given the club’s finances are already under strain because of the effects of Covid-19.

But Dominic McKay, the SRU’s chief operating officer, believes their ‘bio bubble’ could still work – and could even help lift the nation’s mood after the pandemic.

He told the Official Scottish Rugby Podcast: “We threw open the doors as an offer to Hearts and Hibs, and should they wish to utilise the facility they’re very welcome to use it.”

“It’s important for the whole of sport to restart. For the Scottish psyche and for mental health and well-being, sport’s got a really important role to play, particularly for young people.”

Richard Cockerill loves a challenge, and after the success of the first one -– three years knocking Edinburgh into shape – he’s faced with an entirely new one now.

The coronavirus lockdown and the reality that budgets have been frozen with no revenue coming into the international game means the Edinburgh head coach has a juggling act in terms of playing and financial resources on his hands as rugby starts to emerge for the enforced shutdown.

However, he’s up for the challenge and certainly up for discussing a contract extension at Edinburgh, where even the first stage of his rebuild is only partly done.

“I’m out of contract next May and if the Union want me to stay on then I am very open to that, I have never alluded to anything different,” he said, when asked about chief executive Mark Dodson’s stated intention to re-sign him and Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend.

“We’ve got a good group of players, a new stadium, we are headed in the right direction, so it is all positive in terms of an Edinburgh point of view.

“Things are going to be slightly different now because of budget and those sorts of things but you just have to work with it, the whole world is in a difficult place at the moment.”

English Premiership club Gloucester, minus a director of rugby and head coach