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WP Rugby reassures players, employees over salaries

Cape Town - WP Rugby has reportedly assured both players and employees they shouldn't worry over getting their salaries.

This comes after a report last weekend highlighted the union's  dire financial situation and indicated that it was only able to pay its employees one more month's salary.

However, Netwerk24 reported on Friday that the WP Rugby Union has drawn up the contracts that were promised and have reassured staff over salaries.

Piet Heymans, CEO of Sport Employees Unite (SEU), earlier this week urged the union to play open cards with its staff over salaries and expressed his delight at Friday's news.

"Paul (Zacks, WP Rugby CEO) met with the employees and explained to them what's going and also given them the assurance that things are under control. I was very glad to hear that," Heymans said.

The uncertainty arose after Afrikaans newspaper Rapport reported last Sunday that an internal power struggle between the amateur and professional arms and a lack of funds threatened to bring the union to its knees.

WP Rugby expects to make a loss of R30 million for the current financial year and still needs to pay back a loan of R43 million from Remgro who bailed them out a couple of years ago.

The union, though, still has a fight on its hands to hold onto a number of key players.

Players are allowed to start negotiations with overseas clubs from July 1, with all of captain Siya Kolisi, loosehead prop Steven Kitshoff and flank Pieter-Steph du Toit linked with moves to either Europe or Japan.

The Stormers have already lost experienced lock Eben Etzebeth to Toulon, while centre Damian de Allende has signed for Japan club Panasonic Wild Knights between January and May 2020.

Good news, however, is that the assurance for contracts offered to players will seemingly come from income generated through sponsors which may give WP enough time to lock in a few stars.

ALSO READ: How WP Rugby may be plucked from cliff edge

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