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Kings players struggling to make ends meet

Cape Town - Unpaid Eastern Province Kings rugby players are reportedly struggling to make ends meet and want the union to be liquidated.

The liquidation application, filed with the Port Elizabeth High Court on January 29, initially saw 18 professional rugby players highlight their plight with claims that the EP Kings owed them close to R1.3m in salary arrears.

However, according to the HeraldLIVE website, a total of 36 rugby players now want the beleaguered franchise to be taken to task.

The players claimed the EP Kings were in breach of an arbitration ruling awarding them R18m in respect of salary arrears and other benefits.

The 36 players, together with the SA Rugby Players’ Association (SARPA), want the court to liquidate the EP Kings as a result of them being unable to settle their debts.

While the EP Kings have not yet responded to the claims, they have indicated they will oppose the application for liquidation. The matter is set down for March 10.

With the Kings in dire financial straits and the team set to play in this year’s expanded Super Rugby competition, the South African Rugby Union (SARU) was forced to step in and take control the union’s Super Rugby franchise.

SARU contracted several players, but not all EP Kings players gained Super Rugby contracts.

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