Edinburgh evicted from Murrayfield

Edinburgh Rugby have been ordered to leave Murrayfield and repay €2m in advance funding to the Scottish Rugby Union by the end of business tomorrow.

The SRU announced this morning that Edinburgh, one of two remaining professional clubs in Scotland, had terminated their operating agreement with the national body.

Future funding to Edinburgh has been withdrawn, and the club owned by Bob Carruthers have been told they can neither play or train at Murrayfield and must vacate the stadium.

A statement from the SRU said: “Scottish Rugby has confirmed today that the operating agreement between Edinburgh Rugby and Scottish Rugby has been terminated by Edinburgh Rugby.

“Consequently Edinburgh Rugby no longer have any rights to play or train at Murrayfield and Scottish Rugby has asked when they plan to vacate the stadium.”

Edinburgh have threatened to take court action in their row with the SRU over Magners League and Heineken Cup fees. Edinburgh claim they are owed a substantial six-figure sum, which the SRU dispute.

The row led Edinburgh to withdraw 12 players from Scotland training for a week last month, heightening the tensions between the two parties.

The SRU stated: “Scottish Rugby now requires immediate repayment of a proportion of the funding the governing body has advanced Edinburgh Rugby since July 2006.

“The deadline for this repayment, which amounts to almost €2m, is close of business on Friday August 3 2007.”

The statement adds: “Despite further efforts being made by Scottish Rugby this week to achieve an acceptable outcome to the dispute in the best interests of the sport, Scottish Rugby now confirms that, regrettably, these actions have had to be taken.”

Carruthers had earlier confirmed he would hand back control of the club to the Scottish Rugby Union for the right price.

Before handing back control to the SRU, Carruthers is seeking full reimbursement of the money he and brother Alex have invested in the capital club since taking charge on a franchise basis last year.

The move by Carruthers to offer the SRU a way to end the conflict by buying back Edinburgh appeared to have little impact.

Before the SRU made their latest move, Carruthers said: “Pay us back what we have put into the game and we will go.

“I am coming to the position that it is untenable to be an independent club in Scotland.”

The Carruthers brothers – Bob and Alex – took charge at Edinburgh on a franchise basis in July 2006, when the SRU were keen to take on external investment in the professional side.

Bob Carruthers added: “Really, unless you are 100% behind the SRU and they are 100% behind you, you are wasting your time because they can make life so awkward that it is untenable.”

SRU president George Jack wrote to member clubs this week, urging them to back the union in the dispute.

Jack wrote: “As we have continually reminded the new Edinburgh owners, the agreements between the union and Edinburgh Rugby form a binding contract and we expect Edinburgh to honour its obligations.

“This means, for example, that we expect Edinburgh to release players for Scotland duty. If they choose not to do so we will defend the union’s position and as necessary protect our rights in the best interests of the game.

“Ultimately, this means that if Edinburgh decides to press its claims through the courts we will, albeit with a heavy heart, defend our position vigorously.”

Jack rejected the suggestion from Bob Carruthers that the SRU are close to insolvency, claiming the remarks were worthy only of “contempt”.

“I would ask you to challenge such allegations wherever you come across them,” Jack wrote.

“We have considerable headroom in our borrowing facilities, we have the full support of our bankers and we have very considerable asset backing in the form of our land at Murrayfield.

“Therefore I would suggest that you treat any reports to the contrary with the contempt they deserve.”

The Carruthers brothers Alex took charge of Edinburgh on a franchise basis, signing a five-year contract to run the club who were previously under SRU control.

They expressed dismay when the SRU closed Border Reivers at the end of last season, angered they had not been consulted before the decision to shut the professional team was confirmed.

Relations with the union have not improved since and today’s action further ostracises Edinburgh, leaving them homeless.

Edinburgh’s first home Magners League match is scheduled to take place on the final weekend in September, with the day to be confirmed.