Scots may launch new London club

Scottish rugby chiefs are looking seriously at the idea of setting up a new professional team in London, Standard Sport can reveal today. Discussions involving high-ranking Scottish Rugby Union (SRU) officials have already taken place about creating a team within the next three years which would play in the Celtic League and be out of the jurisdiction of the Rugby Football Union at Twickenham.

More talks are planned about the idea which has been mooted publicly by SRU chief executive Phil Anderton and is believed to be being seriously considered by SRU director of rugby and former British Lions coach Ian McGeechan.

Scotland are desperately trying to improve the form of their struggling national team and see England as a superb "trawling ground" for players who qualify to wear the blue jersey.

The capital used to have a club who provided the perfect top-class magnet for Scottish players living in the south of England. That club was London Scottish, but their departure from the Premiership five years ago and return to amateur status makes it hard for them to attract prospective international players.

It is believed, however, that London Scottish could act as a feeder club for a professional team in the capital.

There is little chance of the RFU agreeing to any new Scottish franchise being allowed to play in the Premiership. Twickenham chiefs would almost certainly have to give their approval to any new club on their territory. But a professional Scottish club in London would certainly have crowd-pulling power and marketing potential, given the number of Scottish, Irish and Welsh fans living in the capital.

The club's games in the Celtic League would include clashes with top Irish teams such as Munster and Leinster and Welsh teams including Llanelli Scarlets and Cardiff Blues. It would certainly be easier for fans of a new London team to travel to games in Wales than for a team based in Scotland. Scotland might have to lose one of the professional teams in Edinburgh, Glasgow or the Borders to accommodate the new London team, however. That idea is already causing controversy north of the border.

Opposition could also come from the capital's leading English clubs who might not like to see a team on their doorsteps which might lure away supporters and sponsors.