The South African Rugby Players Union has escalated the fight for the players in the South Western Districts Union, many of whom are still owed salaries from last year.

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The current turmoil at the SWD Rugby Football Union continues, as a number of issues pertaining to the contracting of players remain unresolved and SARPA has now raised the matter with the national controlling body- the South African Rugby Union.

“We have been in communication with SWDRFU and we have not been able to resolve the outstanding issues,” said Adrian Coetzee, SARPA Membership Liaison Adviser for the South and Eastern Cape.

The main issues that remain unresolved are:
* The non-disclosure of SWDRFU of their financial position/situation which is required to provide proof that they are in a financial position to honour their contractual obligations to the players.
* The enforcement of an agreement between SARPA and SWDRFU confirming that SWDRFU will honour the contracts of the 2010 contracted players until end of October 2011.
* The non-payment of medical aid and injury insurance premiums.

“It is of grave concern for SARPA that these issues remain unresolved and despite certain undertakings that were given to us those undertakings have not been honoured,”Coetzee said.

“A number of players are agreeable to accept lower contracts but then they need to find additional employment to supplement their much lower contracts. SARPA has proposed that SWDRFU arrange their training sessions in such a manner to allow players to also work during the day but train in the mornings and evenings. This has not been implemented as discussed and agreed,” Coetzee added.

A number of senior players that were pivotal to the success of the SWD Eagles in 2010 have been excluded from the contracted squad despite an agreement confirming that these players will be contracted until end of October 2011.

This include players like Bevan Fortuin, Shaun Raubenheimer, Jacques Engelbrecht, Henry Grimes, Sinethemba Zweni, Bobby Joubert, Wiekus Harmse and Jandré Blom.

“This matter was discussed at the SARPA Executive Committee and they are giving their full support to the players of SWDRFU in their endeavour to resolve these outstanding issues. This include [SARPA] Executive Committee members like the Chairman Victor Matfield and the President Bismarck Du Plessis,” said Coetzee.

“SARPA will take this matter up with SARU as they are the overall custodian of rugby and call on them to assist and settle these outstanding player issues and disputes and jointly find ways of ensuring that professional rugby be allowed to continue in this region and at levels attained by the group of players that did so well in 2010,” concluded Coetzee.