Jersey Reds’ greed is endangering Siam

It’s Boat Race time, that annual occasion to pretend I’ve got some association with Cambridge and for 20 minutes yell for the light blues.

It remains a cracking spectacle and, even though it’s just two teams going head to head, there never seems any issue in finding a sponsor. The TV stations have, in the past, fought for its rights and, remarkably, over its nearly two 200-year history, the scores on the doors read 82 wins for Cambridge and 80 for Oxford – with one dead heat.

Sure, each boat has its big run of wins, but they have evened themselves out, which is a large part of the appeal.

But if the same boat won it year in, year out, I doubt very much whether it would hold its audience appeal, and as the crews make their final preparations I find myself comparing this grand match of two great universities to one of Channel Island sport’s grand matches – the Siam Cup rugby match.

And, basically, the thought I have is, what the heck are Jersey Reds trying to achieve?

The overall Siam scores don’t make pretty reading for the Greens.

The Reds have always held the upper hand and Guernsey wins have been rare and sporadic. They don’t beat themselves up about it.

But what the suits at St Peter are proposing – five eligible professionals when Guernsey are striving for none – is downright silly, unsporting, greedy and preparing the land for the event’s commercial suicide.

If they hadn’t looked at the results lately, let me remind the Jersey Reds people of the recent Siam scores.

Since 2009: played nine, won nine.

But, as Charles McHugh, the Guernsey Rugby Club chairman, pointed out, the score ratio within that period is 10 to one.

Nobody in Guernsey is seeking an easy path to victory, but surely they are right to conclude that the only chance of achieving that victory is if Jersey run out as an amateur side, plus any bona fide Jerseymen who may be playing elsewhere.

The trouble is, Jersey got a scare in front of their home crowd last season and can see the dangers with Raiders making a steady improvement in their fully amateur environment.

I agree with McHugh’s sentiment of: ‘Hats off to Jersey Rugby for its meteoric rise through the RFU League structure and for maintaining that position for five years in Level 2 Championship rugby.’

But they do it with a fully professional set-up of great depth, while little old Guernsey battle away on a comparative shoestring.

If we are to believe McHugh, behind the scenes these past few seasons there has been ‘clear direction of travel and discussions revolved around returning this fixture to the amateur status envisaged by the original Siam Cups benefactors back in the day’.

But as Guernsey improve, out has come a Caesarean assertion that Guernsey Raiders could be defined as having professional players too, citing the use of a nominal kit expense allowance paid to players and the fact that some Guernsey players who have moved to the island have been assisted in unconnected professional employment.

Well, that’s plain poppycock and even putting aside the definitions of RFU ‘professionalism’, Jersey Reds are missing the point which – surely – must be to create a match environment which enables both teams a fair opportunity to win.

Just how upset Guernsey are by the Caesareans across the water remains to be seen, but McHugh drops a big hint when he says: ‘If Jersey Reds will not play fair, then my view is that there could be questions raised about the continuity of the Siam Cup fixture in 2019’.

Yes, a boycott.

I don’t imagine it will come to that, but Jersey Reds must get real on this issue.

Incidentally, the overall Siam score is 60-15 in Jersey’s favour.

Guernsey aren’t bitter about it, but they would like to be given a fair chance of moving off 15 some time.

n HATS off to Sam Cochrane.

Whatever you think about the footballer – and sometimes those tackles of his border on reckless – he is a passionate fellow and always gives his all.

He remains committed and, although a slightly diminished force, is still one to be reckoned with.

Now he’s stuck his head above the parapet and volunteered to put his face, voice and time to an important survey of the desires and dreads of the island’s senior footballers in terms of when games are played, how many games and a mid-winter break.

He didn’t have to do it and has not had his arm twisted, but again he is showing leadership when the senior game is at a bit of a crossroads.

Now, some might say hasn’t football always been stopped and waited for the next move, and they would probably be right.

Football, not just locally, has always been scared of changes which other sports seem happy to embrace.

Cochrane, though, is looking forward and willing to listen to others, and not just play safe.

It was much the same the best part of a decade ago when he was a committed and successful Belgrave Wanderer and very unsure about the need for a Guernsey FC and whether it would be right for him.

I recall, I met with him one summer’s evening on the slipway at Vazon beach and I gave him the patter as to why he should back the creation of a new ‘island’ club.

Thankfully, he could see the bigger picture and still, even past his best, he is wanting to be taking Guernsey football another small step forward.

The man should be applauded.