The Mass exodus at Stormers begins
TRANSFER NEWS: The Stormers’ financial savings plan have started with the release of top players from their contracts to pursue opportunities abroad.
The franchise found themselves in massive a financial crisis after mismanagement at the Western Province Rugby Union.
According to rugby365com Western Province Rugby Union is facing bankruptcy with one creditor Remgro ready to call in their ZAR40-million loan.
This is an enormous financial setback for a union whose cash-flow is set to run dry in August.
And to help alleviate the cash crunch the WPRFU are planning to contract 60 players less in 2019 than they did this year.
The first batch of players released by the franchise are trio Nizaam Carr, Dewaldt Duvenage and Raymond Rhule.
Loose forward Carr, scrumhalf Duvenage and wing Rhule will all leave the Stormers at the end of the current Super Rugby season, to join European clubs.
Carr, who came through the age-group ranks and finishes his time at Newlands with just short of 100 Stormers caps, will join English Premiership club Wasps.
No secrets as to why @WaspsRugby are bringing back @NizaamCarr8 💪
The no.8 made a pretty big impact at the Ricoh Arena last season. pic.twitter.com/acBHsWz84S
— Premiership Rugby (@premrugby) June 8, 2018
Duvenage, who also played age-group rugby for DHL Western Province and made his Stormers debut back in 2009, ends his second stint at Newlands with over 90 caps for the Stormers in total as he heads to Italian club Benetton Treviso.
Rhule joined the Stormers at the start of the season and has scored five tries in his 12 appearances. He will join Stormers prop JC Janse van Rensburg at French side Grenoble.
Director of Rugby Gert Smal said that all three players were granted early release from their contracts with the Stormers.
“We appreciate what Nizaam, Dewaldt and Raymond have all contributed in their time here and wish them all the best for their future.
“Nizaam and Dewaldt both came through the system here and have been stalwarts for us over the years, while Raymond added another string to our bow this season.
“We are continuously looking at strengthening our depth and will look to bring in quality players who can add value and improve our squad going forward,” he said.
Western Province Rugby Group CEO Paul Zacks said that the decision to release these players early was taken with their best interests at heart.
“We are glad that we could reach an agreement that benefitted all parties and wish to thank all three players for their efforts at Newlands.
“Their departure will create further opportunities for the next generation of stars currently within our structures, while the likes of Siya Kolisi, Eben Etzebeth, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Bongi Mbonambi, Wilco Louw, Steven Kitshoff, Frans Malherbe, Sikhumbuzo Notshe, Damian de Allende and Dillyn Leyds remain contracted until 2019 and beyond,” he said.
Western Province Rugby Football Union President, Thelo Wakefield, wished all three players well in their future endeavours.
“We thank Nizaam, Dewaldt and Raymond for their service here and wish them all of the best in Europe,” he said.
One man who may be happy about the the Cape Town franchise’s misery could be Wasps director Dai Young, who has made no secret of his interest to get Carr back at the Ricoh Arena.
The 27-year-old South African international No.8 spent three months at the Ricoh Arena earlier this season providing injury cover.
During that spell he put together a string of impressive performances in the Premiership and European Champions Cup, scoring four tries in 11 outings.
Since departing Coventry following the January home win over Ulster, the five-times-capped Springbok has returned to Super Rugby with the Cape Town-based Stormers for whom he has now appeared 96 times since making his debut in 2012.
He has also been a fixture in Western Province’s Currie Cup line-up for the last seven years.
“Nizaam made a massive impact during the time he was with us,” Director of rugby Dai Young said.
“As a powerful ball-carrier with plenty of pace he proved to be a really good fit with our playing style.
“His close-quarter work also really stood out in a couple of games played in bad weather.
“He also immediately became very popular with the rest of the players and the fans while the staff and coaches found him excellent to work with.
“We are therefore really delighted that he is rejoining us on a permanent basis and look forward to seeing him become part of a very strong back-row group,”
“After my brief stint at Wasps I really felt at home which is why I am so excited and motivated to be returning full-time to this incredible club,” Carr revealed.
“The fans, management and players made me feel really welcome and I am so looking forward to this next chapter in my rugby career,”
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