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SARU backing under-fire Kings boss

Players at the Port Elizabeth-based union have taken to public protest three times already this year, over unpaid salaries – or as SARU put it: "delayed payments".

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High-level discussions between Eastern Province Rugby (the professional arm of the Kings), the SARU and the South African Rugby Players' Association took place in Port Elizabeth on Thursday – to review the current and future financial stability of the union.

In a statement SARU admitted the talks stemmed from concerns over the recent "delayed payments" to EP Kings players – which resulted in players going on strike (or refusing to train) on two occasions and taking to wearing white armbands on a third occasion.

SARU President Oregan Hoskins, SARU GM Operations and Finance Basil Haddad, and SARPA CEO Piet Heymans met EP Rugby officials.

Hoskins said he had full confidence in the current leadership under EP Rugby President Cheeky Watson.SARU backing under-fire Kings boss

"We are aware of the financial challenges that EP Rugby are facing and are fully confident that EP Rugby is in the process of addressing these challenges," Hoskins said.

"We have seen how, in the face of similar challenges earlier in the year, EP Rugby were able to resolve the matter and that no player has gone unpaid for any extended period of time," Hoskins added.

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Hoskins encouraged both business and rugby supporters to get behind the Eastern Province Rugby Union in preparation for the Southern Kings' re-entry to Super Rugby next year.

"The Eastern Province region is still the cradle of black rugby and the Kings franchise will play a critical role in the development of future black Springboks, which is instrumental to the transformation of the sport as a whole," said Hoskins.

He added that this fact was apparent in the demographics of the EP Kings Under-19 side, which is currently top of the log of the U19 A division, having won 10 of their 11 matches to date.

Heymans, who had visited the Kings in July – when the players first took to protest action over unpaid salaries – said SARPA had engaged with both SARU and EP Rugby over the issue of delayed payment.SARU backing under-fire Kings boss

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"We will be taking the outcomes of these talks back to the players and will be following up with EP Rugby again next week," he said.

"We will continue to provide players with advice during this period, whilst monitoring the situation at the EP Kings.

"Our priority at this time is the well-being of the players," Heymans concluded.

Watson said he appreciated the fact that both SARU and SARPA were prepared to engage with the union.

"We will not deny that there have been cash flow challenges this year, but what is often overlooked is that we have always met these challenges head on, and have been able to overcome them," he said.

Watson said EP was acutely aware of the challenges that the late payments caused and had always made arrangements to assist players where possible.

"We are confident that the union will be in a strong financial position going forward and that this will not repeat itself," he said.

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