Edinburgh rejoin SRU and make Larkham pledge

Edinburgh have withdrawn their resignation from the Scottish Rugby Union as owner Bob Carruthers confirmed star signing Stephen Larkham will definitely play for the capital side next season.

The 32-year-old Wallabies and Brumbies stand-off was understood to have turned down several offers from England and France in order to join Edinburgh after this summer’s World Cup.

However, after the spat between Edinburgh and the SRU escalated recently, doubts were cast over the transfer, which Carruthers dispelled.

Last week, Larkham’s agent claimed he would be “seeking assurances”, although the player later said he would be honouring his contract.

Carruthers confirmed: “He [Larkham] is contracted to Edinburgh and he is an Edinburgh player. I’ve never spoken to him, other than through a television link. It’s not my job, the guys in the backroom deal with players and all the rest of it. But he is an Edinburgh player.”

Edinburgh resigned their associate membership of the SRU last Friday in protest as the national body’s refusal to meet their demands for a six-figure sum in Magners League and Heineken Cup fees, which Carruthers claim they are owed.

Last night, however, Edinburgh aborted that plan of action as a peaceful end to a bitter dispute moved ever closer.

Edinburgh were simply ’censured’ by an independent disciplinary panel for withdrawing their 12 Scotland players selected for World Cup duty from last week’s national team training sessions.

During the hearing, Edinburgh asked for their resignation to be rescinded and SRU officials agreed to welcome them back on board.

A heavy punishment could have widened the rift, but Carruthers and SRU chief executive Gordon McKie now appear closer than ever to resolving their differences.

Before the disciplinary meeting took place, Edinburgh announced their international players were available for Scotland duty immediately, and they will join Frank Hadden’s squad for training next week.

However, the day’s most significant development was Edinburgh agreeing to come back on board with the SRU.

In a statement, the SRU confirmed: “During the discipline panel hearing, Edinburgh Rugby Limited withdrew the resignation notice of their associate membership of the Scottish Rugby Union, which they issued to the SRU on July 6 2007.

“The Scottish Rugby Union accepted Edinburgh Rugby Limited’s request, therefore Edinburgh Rugby Limited will continue to be associate members of the Scottish Rugby Union.”

Carruthers earlier invited McKie to go public in order to end their ongoing dispute.

He said: “I have been asked by some journalists for my reaction to things that the chief executive of the Scottish Rugby Union has said and we are trying to have meetings to resolve the matter.

“So I would like to hear it directly and make sure there is nothing been lost in translation.

“Why doesn’t Gordon McKie come to one of these press conferences?

“These kind of things [press conferences] should be a great opportunity for Gordon McKie and I to stand here and say, ’This is what is in the interests of Scottish rugby’.

“But I’m constantly asked to answer questions that Gordon McKie has suggested to journalists. It can’t be right.”