Sevens decision may yet see some twists and turns

As the battle for play-off places draws to a conclusion this weekend, there have been a number of other issues which have proved particularly interesting for the SRU.

Firstly, there appeared to be a U-turn regarding the future participation of the Sevens team in the IRB Sevens circuit.

Although Scotstoun may have seen the last of Sevens for a while, an online petition gathered over 4,500 signatures in support of the Scottish Sevens team.

The SRU Board voted to keep Sevens and the mandarins at Murrayfield were left with some egg on their faces.

It may not be over quite yet, however. The contracted Sevens players are still uncertain about their future and unsurprisingly, are considering their futures.

The statement from Murrayfield was sufficiently ambiguous so as to offer platitudes to protestors.

The irony would be if the Sevens team were retained, yet the players were put on part-time contracts creating a disadvantage for them when their play against fully professional sides on the circuit.

This situation may have one or two twists and turns to come.

Meanwhile, Alan Solomons has been granted another year on his contract at Edinburgh. Although their form has been inconsistent this year, a place in the final of the Challenge Cup seemed like just reward for the club.

Solomons had always insisted that it was going to be a long-term challenge to turn around Edinburgh so he has another year to continue his work.

Off the field, things aren’t quite so rosy at Edinburgh as the Managing Director, David Davies departed. There was almost a player revolt when Davies asked Lynsey Dingwall, the team manager to leave the club in March.

When things like that come to light, clearly there are some issues, so it will be interesting to see how Mark Dodson, the SRU’s CEO reacts in the aftermath, as his own position appears to be coming under some pressure.