Hardship fund set up for rugby clubs

Scottish Rugby Union chiefs have set aside £500,000 to help clubs struggling in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

Murrayfield bosses have set up a Club Hardship Fund to “offer financial assistance to grassroots clubs facing cashflow and immediate financial challenges” while sport goes into a shutdown.

They also announced “collective club support” payments worth more than £500,000 due to be paid to members in May will be forwarded a month early.

The SRU has put a hold on domestic action until March 29 while Glasgow and Edinburgh have seen their Guinness Pro14 campaigns suspended.

Scottish Rugby chief executive Mark Dodson said: “These are unprecedented times and we are acutely aware of the significant day-today financial challenges our member clubs will face in the coming weeks if fixtures cannot be resumed in the mid to long term and other planned fund-raising initiatives are curtailed.

“We are creating the £500K Club Hardship Fund to provide clubs with the reassurance there is financial assistance available to the dedicated volunteers and staff who deliver our game in their local communities. It is important we act now and provide tangible, practical support during these unsettling times.

“I also want to offer, on behalf of everyone at Scottish Rugby, our very best wishes to everyone across the country at this extremely difficult time.”

Scotland’s final Six Nations clash with Wales is likely to be played in October after it was postponed on Friday.

Offering support: Scottish Rugby CEO Mark Dodson