Collaboration is the only way forward for all sport

Scottish sport must collaborate if they are to emerge from this pandemic in a recognisable form.

That might sound unrealistic at a time when Scottish football is engulfed in bitter infighting. But it’s the stark warning from Dominic Mckay, chief operating officer of the SRU, who chairs their Threat Management Group.

Too often parochialism has reared its ugly head, such as when football matches – including several League matches involving Hearts – were held at BT Murrayfield prompting complaints that “football money” was going into rugby coffers.

Last week Mckay ( inset, right) represented Scottish rugby at a meeting of sport governing bodies, helmed by Minister for Sport, Joe Fitzpatrick.

He says: “For us to solve the sporting challenge that we have, we must collaborate, and I was very strong on that at Tuesday’s meeting.

“In Scotland, sometimes we’re a bit parochial, so if we can collaborate around how stadia might operate, how training venues might operate, how grassroots might operate in terms of messaging and advice, that can only be a good thing for the whole country right now.

“A solo mentality won’t help anyone. What the Government is going to look to sport to do is come up with some solutions, and if those solutions cross the different ball shapes, that will be a very helpful thing and give us the best chance to restart sport.

“I would hope that all sports take that opportunity. Sports that don’t take that opportunity may be left behind.

“We’ve all got a job to do to protect our sports just now, and make the right decisions at the right time so that we get through this. “When we get to the other side, we can start to rebuild.”

Facing a shortfall north of £12-million if the three lucrative autumn Tests are cancelled, the SRU noted the Westminster Government’s £16m “emergency loan” to keep Rugby League in England afloat.

“We certainly saw the announcement and we’re sure that was very welcome,” adds Mckay.

“It’s a very important sport in the north of England, and certainly rugby’s a very important sport in Scotland that generates over £152 min terms of economic impact to the country every year .

“That is not insignificant.

“We’re an important employer. We have the ability to generate great positivity for the country. So we’ll be making that case to the government in the coming weeks.

“It’s really important that sport is able to get through this enormous crisis, and that when it comes through, the nation’s got something to get excited about.

“That should be around watching sport at various levels and, importantly, include opportunities for people to support their local rugby clubs.

“Scottish Rugby has the responsibility to support the game from the international team down to the grassroots, and we take that extremely seriously.

“Without the grassroots, and without those community clubs throughout Scotland, we’d be a far poorer society.”

Mckay admits projects such as Edinburgh’s purpose- built new stadium – currently on hold – will have to be reassessed.

But the Pro 14 club’s coach, Richard Cockerill, is in no doubt his charges will be plying their trade in their long- awaited new home sooner rather than later.

“Of course it’s frustrating, but the stadium will get built. We will be using it at some point for next season,” he says.

“In the first instance, we’ll be back in the main stadium at BT Murrayfield. That’s just life. It’s understandable – nobody is building anything at the moment.

“But I’ve no doubt we will be in the new stadium at some point in the 2021 season and that will be our new home.

“We’ll make it work.”