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Border Reivers to be disbanded

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  • 27-03-2007 7:26pm
    #1
    Funkstard
    Registered Users Posts: 2,241 ✭✭✭


    http://www.rte.ie/sport/2007/0327/borders.html

    "Magners League side Border Reivers will be disbanded at the end of the season after the Scottish Rugby Union board decided it was unrealistic to keep running three professional teams.

    The SRU announced the findings of their review of professional team rugby at Murrayfield this lunchtime.

    They stated that Glasgow Warriors would receive extra funding as a result of Borders' closure. Edinburgh Rugby, financed by brothers Alex and Bob Carruthers, will also continue to operate.

    Several Borders players will be transferred to the Warriors for next season.

    Allan Munro, chairman of the Scottish Rugby board, said: 'It was quite clear that we could not continue as we were and something had to be done if we were to maintain and improve professional rugby in Scotland.

    'The decision to close the Borders pro team has not been an easy one, as we recognise the contribution our Borders players and coaches have made and their real determination to succeed against the odds.

    'But we believe the Reivers closure and strengthening Glasgow Warriors will go some way to improving high performance rugby in Scotland.' "


Comments

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    #2
    davyjose
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,287 ✭✭✭davyjose


    Scottish Rugby R.I.P.


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    #3
    daveirl
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14,483 ✭✭✭✭daveirl


    This post has been deleted.


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    #4
    Funkstard
    Registered Users Posts: 2,241 ✭✭✭Funkstard


    Isn't the border area the traditional rugby ground of Scotland? I'm not sure. Anyway, it's bad news that they have no choice but to cut the team. What will happen to the club etc. now, will it operate as a rugby club but only up to a certain league or whatever?


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    #5
    Chucky the tree
    Closed Accounts Posts: 19,341 ✭✭✭✭Chucky the tree


    it might be a good thing. Most of the players will go to the other 2 scottish clubs and hoefully make them stronger and then they might be able too challenge for the ML.


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    #6
    Snickers Man
    Registered Users Posts: 5,301 ✭✭✭Snickers Man


    Funkstard wrote:
    Isn't the border area the traditional rugby ground of Scotland?

    Certainly is. Many of the great Scottish clubs (Hawick, Melrose, Kelso, Jedforest, Boroughmuir) are from there. Edinburgh has a bit of rugby history too, mainly from among the snootier schools. Bit like Leinster. But the Borders was the Munster of Scottish rugby.

    I believe the club loyalties and rivalries were so strong in that area that they couldn't drum up any support for a blanket regional team. So they didn't support it.

    So now Scottish rugby is going to look like Irish soccer. A much derided widely ignored domestic league with all their good players playing abroad.

    Very sad.

    And not necessarily in Irish rugby's interest. We need a strong Celtic league where teams from each of the three constituent countries are viable contenders. Otherwise the Welsh will be off at the first hint of a revival of their own fortunes.


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    #7
    Diamondmaker
    Registered Users Posts: 1,882 ✭✭✭Diamondmaker


    Great news for Leinsters ML campaigns. Reivers persistently have robbed 5 away points for us!

    Difference in winning it last season and out of sight this season!

    Leinster historically just cant get motivated to play out in that Lord of the Rings sounding Netherdale kingdom, always covered in a foggy mystical mist:D


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    #8
    [Jackass]
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,193 ✭✭✭[Jackass]


    What will happen their place in the league if the club is no more?

    We'll need to get an 11th team back...and we don't have any more...eh Wales, you got any more teams we can put in the leauge? Not sure they do as they have regionalised they're club sides too...so looks like it's gonna be 4 Irish, 4 Welsh and 2 Scottish....very bad news for the league imo. :(


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    #9
    Diamondmaker
    Registered Users Posts: 1,882 ✭✭✭Diamondmaker


    Nick wrote:
    What will happen their place in the league if the club is no more?

    We'll need to get an 11th team back...and we don't have any more...eh Wales, you got any more teams we can put in the leauge? Not sure they do as they have regionalised they're club sides too...so looks like it's gonna be 4 Irish, 4 Welsh and 2 Scottish....very bad news for the league imo. :(


    I dont see any resaon why we need a replacement team?:confused:

    No pont making up a team only to be subject to the same donw fall and life of mediocrity.

    Connacht perhaps with more IRFU effort will now really have to get their act together as they will be the table propper going forward on current inability to close out 2nd halfs.


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    #10
    bugler
    Registered Users Posts: 3,436 ✭✭✭bugler


    It's sad for it to happen, but it had to happen. They couldn't get people into the ground, the side were just being ignored.

    When they last played Munster (and Munster seconds at that) at Netherdale they had wheeled out a load of ex-players from the region to attend the game etc. I think it was a despairing attempt to drum up some interest and pride. They lost 36-0. It seemed like the apathy of the (potential) fanbase seeped through to the side.

    There's no reason for the team to be replaced. Currently there just isn't the potential there in any of the countries.

    So long, Borders.


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    #11
    psicic
    Registered Users Posts: 986 ✭✭✭psicic


    It's a bit of a bugger to be honest. Borders should have been a good team, and once it's house was in order, I thought the plan was that the fourth Scottish Team could be relaunched. Or maybe I just bought into the marketing blurb.

    Borders played well on occasion, and some people seem to have been out to axe them for a while. I suppose it's a sign of the slump in Scottish Rugby that it has actually finally gone.

    Maybe if the SRU sold the team off to somebody it could still be saved?

    As for replacements, weren't some of the Italian Teams looking to get a chance in the league? (I know they're not celtic Celtic...but still....)

    Anyone know if the Cornish Rugby Union or the Manx Rugby Union would be capable of fielding a team, even for one year? Or one of the Northern Spanish teams that claim a Celtic root? Could I even suggest a Breton club...(we could hope...)

    And dare I mention the Rainbow League (the proper one between the Celtic Nations and SA that got aborted a few years back)


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    #12
    LFC5Times
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,217 ✭✭✭LFC5Times


    Thank God we have a great structure in place in Ireland,no wonder the other nations are envious of us.
    Great foresight/luck by the IRFU all those years ago.


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    #13
    padser
    Registered Users Posts: 2,375 ✭✭✭padser


    LFC5Times wrote:
    Great foresight/luck by the IRFU all those years ago.

    Any chance they could take over running soccer as well?


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    #14
    daveirl
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14,483 ✭✭✭✭daveirl


    This post has been deleted.


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    #15
    Goodluck2me
    Registered Users Posts: 5,399 ✭✭✭Goodluck2me


    surely 10 teams is better than 11? no bye weekend etc. it makes sense to leave it be at 10. imo.
    The rainbow league would be a disaster imo as the travelling expenses would be huge although i like the idea of a biannual cup where top 4 Super 14 teams and the heineken cup quarterfinalists play.


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