On the day that the South African Rugby Players Association (SARPA) started sending letters to players informing them that they will NOT be offered contracts by the South African Rugby Union (SARU)-controlled Kings, the 1st player confirmed that he will be taking legal action against the Eastern Province Rugby Union.
Michael van Vuuren issued a statement in which he confirmed he will go the legal route.
SARPA have started sending letters to the players who will not be offered contracts by SARU – believed to be the bulk of the current Kings squad.
SARU has instead opted make use of Sevens and Under 20 players to fill the bulk of the Super Rugby squad, after taking control over from the near bankrupt EPRU last month.
Only a very small number of the current Kings will receive contract offers from SARU.
However, the players on Monday opted for a show of solidarity when they presented a petition to Eastern Province Rugby Union (EPRU) President Cheeky Watson.
The SARPA letters is just the latest shocker in the escalating crisis in the Eastern Cape franchise.
The SARPA letter reads:
Dear XXXXXX,
We have now been informed the names of the players that will be offered contracts to play Super Rugby.
Charl Crous [Kings CEO] has not been able to phone all the players whom will not be offered contracts yet and we believe it is critical that you are informed that you have not been identified to be offered a contract.
We share your disappointment, but it is important that you consider other employment opportunities with immediate effect. If you have an agent you must inform him immediately.
As part of our assistance to you we would like to have an individual discussion with you to look at your individual circumstances and discuss ways and means to address such requirements and needs.
We are planning to conduct such sessions Thursday evening and Friday during the day. Please indicate if you would like to attend such session in order for us to schedule it accordingly.
It will also be an opportunity to complete and submit your documents for taking legal action against EP Kings for your arrear salary and future losses.
Regards.
The letters were sent by SARPA CEO Piet Heymans.
Meanwhile it appears Van Vuuren wont be the only player going the legal route.
Michael van Vuuren’s official statement:
I refer to the nonpayment of monies due to me for the months of October and November of this year and the present impasse between the executive of Eastern Province Rugby and the players.
Unfortunately I am no longer in a position to accept nonpayment of monies due to me and the present climate of uncertainty.
These monies are the life blood of my existence.
Approximately 19 months ago I relocated from France to return to my country and the province and city I grew up in.
I did so with my fiance in tow and with the intention of representing my province at Super Rugby and Currie Cup level.
I was proud and excited by my return to Nelson Mandela Bay and looked forward to committing to Eastern Province rugby.
However the events of this year have left me disillusioned.
Notwithstanding frequent nonpayment and or late payment, I have remained committed, loyal and hopeful that the executive would resolve sponsorship issues and thereby ensure regular payment of monies due to the players and I. Despite a petition and a plea from the players, it is now clear to me that the executive cannot resolve the issues. Liquidation is held over my head and that in a sea of uncertainty.
The nonpayment of monies due to me for October and November have left me financially embarrassed.
I am no longer in a position to rely upon my friends and my family.
The shroud of mystery that surrounds the sponsorship issue, the broken promises and continued financial issues as well as the constant reference to liquidation has rendered my position untenable.
Unfortunately the executive is in material breach of my contract and in the circumstances I have no choice but to cancel my contract and exercise my legal remedies.
I reserve all my rights including the right to amplify this letter and the reasons for my decision.
This matter is now in the hands of my legal representatives.
This has not been an easy decision as I had committed to a future in the Eastern Cape. I stood for something I believe in, and I can hold my head up high. I’m not sure what my future looks like but I know who holds my future. I wish the players, and the region well.
Michael van Vuuren.
rugby365
I do not understand who the Kings are going to contract next year by letting all these players go.
I Suppose they are expecting the other franchises to release all their fringe players.
These are the so called contracted players (please note not confirmed):
Schalk Ferreira (prop), Tom Botha (prop), Edgar Marutlulle (hooker), Steven Sykes (lock), Cornell Hess (lock), Stefan Willemse (flank), Thembelani Bholi (flank), CJ Velleman (flank), Luke Watson (flank), Aidon Davis (No.8), Kevin Luiters (scrumhalf), Elgar Watts (flyhalf), Louis Fouche (flyhalf), Shane Gates (centre), Stefan Watermeyer (centre), JP du Plessis (centre), Siyanda Grey (wing).
From their juniors:
James Hall (scrumhalf), Jeremy Ward (centre and captain), Junior Pokomela (No.8)
From the SA sevens:
Tim Agaba and Siviwe Soyizwapi
@ dWeePer:
Hi dWeePer thanks for the list of these players what has happened to the hooker James Hilterbrand who was at Edinburgh who was meant to have signed for the Kings? I see some players who will be new to the Kings but don’t know many of the players how many on your list are currently at EP?
Been trying to follow the goings on at EP and feel quite sad for what the players have gone through for quite a while and now only to be told there services are no longer required. Must be tough for them and their families especially as they didn’t get paid at times while they were meant to be contracted st EP. This brings home that even though rugby is a sport it is also a job with workers facing redundancy like elsewhere in the work place and so often the top bosses walk away in far better shape than the workers.
Hmmm louis fouche from the bulls.
Players lured to the kings and not offered contracts include jurgen visser, jacque engelbregcht, sp marais, jc roos ( who looked damn promising during the cc), as well as gary van aswegen and george whitehead.
The kings probably have some good players in mind? All this means i guess is that saru will expect the bulls, sharks, stormers to shed some players of the wider training groups for the kings… Not that i am opposed to “spreading the talent” but if more players gets donnered around at the kings, it will be another catalyst pushing players to greener pastures.
Geez carel greef also unlucky.
5 @ MacroPolo:
I am not surprized that Louis Fouché & Jurgen Visser was’nt offered contracts… I was more surprized when the EP Kings offered them contracts in the 1st place!
JC Roos is quality though.
Gary van Aswegen has been with the EP Kings for a season and never amounted to much.
Vleis Engelbrecht was disappointing at the Bulls but I think he might have been a good fit at the Southern Kings, if properly motivated.
SP Marais has gone to the dogs a bit, and with Willie le Roux at the Sharks now at fullback, I thought he had a shot at the Kings to redeem himself… not that I think he is good enough.
5 @ MacroPolo:
and
3 @ Bullscot:
Hi Macro seems like such a mess there that needs to get sorted soon as there is just over 2 months before their first game so they need to have the squad training preseason for as much time as possible, have they announced any preseason games? It could be a squad facing ongoing disruption during the season if it is to be topped up by SA U20 players and contracted Sevens ones especially as the Sevens guys could be in at out of the squad to play or train with the Sevens.
Was asking about James Hilterbrand and seen that he will not be going the Kings after all, wonder what he will do now :”Seven other – SP Marais, James Hilterbrand , Jurgen Visser, JC Roos, Caylib Oosthuizen, Mark Richards and Carel Greeff – have also been left out in the cold.
6 @ MacroPolo:
Yeah, Carel Greeff is good..
This Kings debacle is a massive pot of kak… and SARU is part of the problem and not the solution, if you ask me!
I hear the EP Kings Offices will be closed from now till 12 January.
Are they freegin nuts or something? You can’t leave this situation as is and close up shop… and trundle off to holiday!
7 @ grootblousmile:
Well those players, even if not good enough would definitely add value to the squad or at least add depth or at least some sort of squad… It really looks like they want to keep the squad size thin and rely on hand me downs.
One thing is for sure though, this will be a much more “transformed” side, sarus little experiment for 2019.
Regardless of players not making the grade at other franchises, its kak style to offer someone a contract then when they arrive ep just shrugs their shoulders.
@ grootblousmile:
They are forced to close because the players are on strike till their demands are met. The 12th was a deadline.
@ Bullscot:
Hey bullscot. Hope the cold weather is kind to you.
grootblousmile wrote:
If mines could just shut up shop to ignore worker demands and revolts they would… Difference is striking labourers f shit up, rugby players dont.
Cheeky and the executive survives another month… Hoping the contracted players give in and pitch up for practice as they would still want to play SR.
What a joke!! Oz and NZ Super rugby squads all named ages ago and already training well as evidenced by my home town Reds. I would say the horse has bolted so just dump this franchise and let SARU be embarrassed and laughed at for a short time rather than have it happen every week for the whole season if the Kings do end up actually playing next year.
Like Pops says; “SA Rugby is kak”!
I’m so glad I was born with feet to vote with…
Chops
Please note that above mentioned players were offered contracts by SARU. It does not that they have accepted it.
If accepted they will receive a salary from SARU from contracted date.
The other players are still contracted to EPRU. Outstanding salaries are still owed to all players by the EPRU.
Until such time as the club’s in the EPRU area grow the balls to stand up and get rid of the rotten elements busy fukcing up the region, this pile of shyte will not get resolved.
It’s a flipping long and drawn out process to change the Exco’ if it is mid-term, that needs hours and hours of input from people that don’t get paid for it, and are sometimes then unable to, or unwilling to use precious time and finances to attend meeting.
There may be lawyers required if there are constitutional issues that need to be cleared up or changed.
On dissenting voice and the whole thing can go for a ball of cr@p.
EP Rugby needs to change from WITHIN. SARU can’t force it.
Good luck. At the GLRU we started the process in 2007. We managed to change the Exco’ in 2009, and only now, in 2015 are the Lions seeing the rewards of the palace revolution.
IE. There is no quick fix. GOOD LUCK. You’ll need it.
There is two ways to change the EP rugby. The honourable way is for Cheeky to resign. The other way is to unseat him at an AGM.
Cheeky has already postpone the AGM indefinetly.
Poor transie he must be taking this hard.
19 @ dWeePer:
The problem is that it may be more than just Cheeky that needs to go.
At the Lions we got rid of the President but were stuck with some of the others and it caused the k@k to drag on for a further 18 months or so.
If Cheeky postpones the AGM people involved must lobby for an Extraordinary AGM to get the job done.
Still, it is up to the Rugby people of the EC to take the initiative.
@ Scrumdown:
Hi Scrumdown yet saw footage of what appears to be someone from the clubs being denied access to EP ground by security guard earlier this week so how do they get the AGM even to go ahead in a climate like this also considering the one they were meant to have has been ‘postponed’.
rugby365.com reports that 20 players have signed the SARU contract to play for the Kings; 365 further report that SARU did not offer (or withdrew the offer?) Luke Watson a Southern Kings contract …
The names of those that signed are not known as yet.
23 @ Angostura:
Hi Angostura yes I read that, it is getting a bit confusing for me at times to follow all that is going on there, I suppose just have to wait and see when the season starts who is contracted and playing where. What is the average annual salary (i know there will be huge differences from lowest to highest) in SA? I wonder because the article I think you refer to mentions that the players that have signed have been given reduced contracts, not sure what they getting but the say the minimum salary a player can get in line with SANZAR rules is R35,000 (presume they mean thirty five thousand rand) – surely this is not a yearly salary, if it is a monthly one how does it compare to other salaries over there?
13 @ MacroPolo:
Hi Macro yes thanks not been too bad here we have missed the worst of the rains and in general it has been milder than normal so the cold has not been an issue or if anything we have not have had enough snow yet only one decent fall here so far this winter and that melted away in a day or two, hopefully we will get a good amount especially at Christmas when it is magical if there is snow, the last decent White Christmas I remember here was around 2010.
‘Unmitigated disaster’ – Someone read my mind. My concern is that the Kings’ sorry saga is taking away from a lot of the good stuff happening as we approach the new season.
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