OUT-GOING president Rob Flockhart has offered an abject apology for the mistakes that have generated “a cloud over Scottish Rugby” during his time in office as it was announced that major reviews are to be conducted into both the sport’s governance and executive practices.

In doing so he seemed to row a long way back from the statement issued in June when the Scottish Rugby board and council jointly stated, in response to criticism of its culture and staff, that “these are characterisations we simply do not recognise or accept.”

The organisation, which seeks to operate as both a commercially driven business and as a governing body charged with nurturing the sport, has been on the back foot for months following it’s controversial unveiling of the teams that will participate in an Edinburgh-oriented "Super 6" competition then, more damagingly still, revelations of its repeated use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) in silencing those leaving its employment, which emanated from the findings of an employment tribunal into ex-director Keith Russell’s sacking.

Faced with delegates from most Scottish Rugby Union member clubs, Flockhart opened his report at yesterday’s annual general meeting at the sport’s headquarters by pointing to on-field wins and commercial successes over the past year, before accepting: “But, and there is a but, over the last six weeks or so there’s been a cloud over Scottish Rugby, I believe caused by two things: Firstly, the findings of the employment tribunal in relation to our former director of domestic rugby Keith Russell – I want to reassure you that through Council and board we will learn the lessons from the tribunal findings, we will implement recommendations from the review undertaken by Lesley Thomson, Scotland’s former solicitor general.

“And I want to take this opportunity today to apologise to you all for the manner in which these matters have transpired. We must do better in this regard.

“Secondly, the concern and uncertainty surrounding Agenda 3. Agenda 3 was only ever a response to a recognition by many of our clubs and those volunteers in them that change is needed if our game is to survive and flourish. Ladies and gentlemen, we need to resolve these reservations, those concerns and those uncertainties and I hope that today we can go some way towards that.”

While its contents have yet to be announced – a public statement was promised in early September – Flockhart made those observations having now had the opportunity to absorb the findings of the enquiry which was conducted by his fellow board member Lesley Thomson into Russell’s departure and the issues arising from that.

There was no acknowledgement of any corporate failings in the course of the report later presented to delegates by chief executive Mark Dodson which was perhaps understandable since any public apologies he offered as the man who had the final say when Russell was unfairly dismissed, could run the risk of appearing self-incriminatory. Dodson also refused post-agm requests to undertake media interviews for what is thought to be the first time since he took office seven years ago, but further contrition had been expressed by Scottish Rugby’s chairman Colin Grassie as he outlined details of the reviews that are to take place.

“We are not proud of this episode,” he admitted. “This is a matter that we have and are taking extremely seriously and we fully understand the concerns raised. We owe you, our stakeholders, clarity on a number of points.

“On June 7, I opened the email to the board confirming the decision of the [Russell] tribunal and it was a very tough read to say the least. The board and I recognised immediately that this was a low moment for Scottish Rugby.”

While one of those newly announced reviews will be the third major examination of Scottish Rugby’s governance in the past 20 years as it has grappled to come to terms with the demands of the professional era, this time conducted by Gavin MacColl QC, the other will be into that use of NDAs.

History was meanwhile made at the end of the meeting as Dee Bradbury, mother of Scotland flanker Magnus, became the first woman to be elected president of one of rugby’s Tier One nations, having spent the last two years as Flockhart’s vice-president.