Disgruntled WP players meet over 'for sale' sign
CURRIE CUP CHAOS: Newlands, home of Western Province and the Stormers, has not been a happy place for a long time.
The ‘for sale’ sign that went up last week – as the WP Rugby Football Union put a group of players on the market – caused further discontent in the ranks of the troubled union.
The WPRFU produced a list of 19 players that the union is looking to offload on other unions to ease its growing debts.
According to a report in the Afrikaans weekly Rapport, a report subsequently confirmed, the list includes a Springbok and last year’s Currie Cup-winning captain.
These players are for sale or, alternatively, available ‘on loan’.
Hooker Siyabonga Ntubeni (a Bok) and lock Chris van Zyl (the 2017 Currie Cup captain) head the players on the ‘for sale’ list.
The list has reportedly been forwarded to several unions and also leaked to the media.
Eleven players are available immediately, with the remaining nine to be sold/loaned after the Currie Cup.
As rugby365 has previously reported, the WPRFU are looking to cut its budget by at least ZAR20-million – which means as many as 60 players will be offloaded before 2019.
The players available with immediate effect are Caleb Oosthuizen, Neethling Fouche, Piet-Louw Strauss, Dean Muir, Steph de Witt, Luke Stringer, Nasha Tarusenga, Justin Phillips, Dan Kriel and Grant Hermanus.
The players available after Currie Cup are Siyabonga Ntubeni, Chris van Zyl, Reuben de Villiers, Nama Xaba, Josh Stander, David Brits, Nico Leonard, Duncan Saal and Craig Barry.
The list comes from a private meeting by top-level administrators last Friday and was leaked to Sunday media.
The development broke what little remaining trust there was between the players and the union.
The players had a meeting with officials from their trade union, the South African Rugby Players Association, on Sunday and the words ‘withdrawing services’ were bandied about.
While it is too early to talk about a strike, the players were discussing their options.
rugby365 has reliably learnt that not only are the affected players ill at ease, but others are aggrieved with how their teammates are being treated and had a meeting with officials from the union on Monday.
This comes on the eve of the team going on a pre-season tour to France.
More than one source has confirmed that there is now a massive trust deficit between players and administrators.
It has the potential to derail their Currie Cup defence.
WP Rugby Group CEO Paul Zacks dismissed the reports out of hand, but sources close to the union said there was “great unhappiness” about the situation.
Zacks on Monday met with the player base to ‘dispel’ reports alluding to the imminent ‘sale/clear-out’ of a number of players.
“It is regrettable that the public has been presented with a factually incorrect and grossly misleading view of our confidential internal dealings with our senior player group,” Zacks said.
However, it is telling that confidence in the union is at an all-time low and comes at a time when rumours abound surrounding ongoing financial issues and creditors closing in (demanding security for outstanding debts).
As this website reported on more than one occasion, there is a phantom equity investor that never materialised – with Cheeky Watson style promises not materialising.
It means WP are still at risk of running out of cash to pay staff salaries beyond August.
WP Rugby statement in full:
The Group CEO and Director of Rugby of Western Province Rugby on Monday met with the player base to dispel weekend media reports alluding to the imminent ‘sale/clear-out’ of a number of athletes.
“It is regrettable that the public has been presented with a factually incorrect and grossly misleading view of our confidential internal dealings with our senior player group,” said WP Rugby Group CEO, Paul Zacks.
“We back our contracted players wholeheartedly and all of those players who have contracts with WP Rugby for 2018 and beyond will all be honoured.
“However, we want to at all times ensure that we are looking after our players’ best interests, which for some of them, especially those coming off long term injuries, means that they may benefit from a loan spell with another franchise in order to get much needed game-time and or exposure to different international competitions.
“Our goal is to ensure a win-win for all parties, facilitating more game-time for more players whilst simultaneously benefitting SA Rugby as a whole.
“Any decisions we make about player movements will always consider both the interests of the individual player as well as the Union with players remaining contracted to WP Rugby,” he said.
Western Province as the current trophy holder, will attempt to defend their 2017 title and claim a record 35th Currie Cup win in 2018.
“Our players and management team under Chris van Zyl and John Dobson respectively showed what they were capable of in winning a Currie Cup Final away from home last year and as a Union we have every confidence in their abilities. We believe that we have an exceptional player base that is capable of delivering more success during this year’s Currie Cup campaign,” he said.
By Jan de Koning
@king365ed
@rugby365com
