Larkham in the dark over Edinburgh row

STEPHEN LARKHAM'S agent today called on Edinburgh Rugby to put the 100-cap Wallaby signing fully in the picture over the dispute between the club and the SRU.

Speaking exclusively to the Evening News from Australia Jason Macarthur made it clear he knew of the row over competition payments which has seen threats to close the club. At the same time he insisted both he and the player were virtually in the dark.

"I have not heard from the club or the SRU and no one has sought to contact us," said Macarthur adding "I expect to be in discussions within the next 24 to 48 hours.

"Until then I don't know how this impacts on Stephen's deal.

"Until we hear from somebody in Scotland it is inappropriate to comment further other than to say Stephen is in the best form of his life rugby wise."

Edinburgh owner Bob Carruthers in raising the stakes still further and said over the weekend that elite players are free to explore other options.

Today, Carruthers appeared to step back from that - at least in regard to Larkham who on Saturday starred in Australia's latest victory, over South Africa.

Carruthers said: "Stephen has contracted. That is clear.

"There is a future for everyone if we get sense (in dealings with the SRU).

"What we are saying is that if someone is not committed then perhaps they should look around but Edinburgh Rugby has got to survive and work within its means."

Carruthers was today hoping for further dialogue with SRU chief executive Gordon McKie.

"I am waiting to hear from Gordon McKie so that hopefully he and I and our lawyers can get together," said Carruthers.

The Edinburgh chief then accused his counterpart of interference in contractual matters, especially with regard to redundancies. "The problem we have got is Gordon McKie making direct approaches to our players informing them, for example, they would be entitled to a year's salary. That is wrong.

"So too is it wrong for him to say players will no longer be registered if Edinburgh go out of business. All that will happen is that players will leave us to go off to clubs in, say, France. If that happens, though, there will be less co-operation than exists at present between Edinburgh and the SRU in terms of player release."

Carruthers today also released a copy of a letter sent on July 2 from SRU Secretary Graham Ireland to then Edinburgh managing director Graeme Stirling indicating that the SRU would be prepared to take the matter up with the international authorities.

But Carruthers claimed the letter showed it had been left to the SRU to act by means of setting up its own disciplinary panel to judge Edinburgh.

Carruthers said: "This is nonsense. We do not even know who their disciplinary manager is and have certainly not been contacted. How can this be an independent process and it is significant that the IRB have left the Scottish Rugby Union to get on with it themselves."

In the letter Ireland describes Edinburgh's actions in withdrawing players from a Scotland training session in order to draw attention to a dispute which centres on a payment of competition fees from the Heineken and Magners League in excess of six figures as "reprehensible."

The letter states: "You will be aware that in agreeing to franchise the Edinburgh Gunners to Edinburgh Rugby Limited the SRU did so on the basis of assurances that the national side would be fully supported. It is hard to reconcile that with your board's decision. The overriding principle is that you must release players at such times as the SRU reasonably request. It is hard to envisage a more reasonable request than the run up to a World Cup."