Pountney broadside at Murrayfield ‘blazers’

SCOTTISH Rugby Union chief executive Bill Watson fired a parting shot at Budge Pountney, who retired acrimoniously from the international game yesterday.

The Northampton flanker quit as captain and turned his back on Scottish rugby with a Roy Keane-style attack on the Murrayfield "blazers".

Pountney claims he has become increasingly disillusioned with the "unprofessionalism" of the set-up throughout his career.

The events rekindled memories of Keane's departure from the Republic of Ireland soccer squad on the eve of their World Cup campaign after he rounded on Irish FA officials and manager Mick McCarthy.

Watson admits the SRU is not perfect but hit back at the criticism of 29-year-old Pountney, who departed by launching a scathing attack on the governing body's treatment of international players and the facilities provided for them.

"When you see something like this you take it very, very seriously," said Watson. "We heard about this last night and we spent the morning and night looking at each item.

"From a national team perspective we look at everything to give the national team every opportunity to play and not be restricted in any way. I think Budge is an unhappy guy in a lot of things, and that's me speaking personally.

"Perhaps, with all the other problems he has, Budge might have looked at the accumulation of those things, and it's had a personal effect on him.

"We're certainly going to look at all these aspects to see if there's any substance to them, but so far we

actually think our policies are reasonably good."

Watson strongly denied Pountney's claims the SRU sent a fax to the hotel after their victory over South Africa stating there was to be no drinks tab for the players.

"If a fax went after the South Africa game saying no tab that would be a heinous crime as far as we're concerned. But that wasn't the situation as far as we can see," he said.

Pountney, who won 31 caps for the county, appears to have burnt his bridges with the SRU. He is recovering from his recent operation to remove a testicle and he has apologised to his team-mates and fans for his decision to quit. "The injury was a shock, and it changed my perspective and my approach to rugby," he said.

"I feel my time's running out waiting for a professional approach to be part of the Scotland team and I now realise there are more important matters in my life I want to dedicate my time to.

"I'm still getting regular demands for £7.50 from the SRU because I gave my Scotland tie to a young kid who was flying home to London with his dad after watching us lose to New Zealand.