"IT will be the moment of truth for the cashstrapped EP Rugby Union (EPRU) when South African rugby bosses discuss a rescue package to bail out the troubled union at a meeting in Cape Town on Friday.
Embattled EPRU president Cheeky Watson is expected to attend when the rescue plan is tabled before delegates at a special general meeting, which will follow Saru’s annual meeting.
The rescue plan has been drawn up by Saru vice-president Mark Alexander and is expected to be supported by the majority of delegates, according to sources.
If this eleventh-hour rescue plan fails and the more than R18-million owed to aggrieved players is not forthcoming by May 10, EPRU’s fall from grace could be placed further under the microscope.
Saru spokesman Andy Colquhoun said members had requested a special general meeting and had asked for an update on the EPRU matter. Even if the rescue plan is approved, Watson is still facing a vote of no confidence from disgruntled clubs, which are unhappy with the way he and his leadership have performed.
Talks have been under way for Saru to bail out EPRU after the Port Elizabeth High Court placed it under provisional liquidation earlier this month.
Lawyer Craig Jessop, who represents 18 of the 36 aggrieved players, said after the ruling that if the money was not forthcoming, investigations would be held into how the union landed in the red.
Angry club members said EPRU had, so far, ignored a request to convene a special general meeting.
The deadline for EPRU to respond to a request for the meeting by five clubs to hold a vote of no confidence is by close of business tomorrow.
“Enough is enough,” Booysen Pride RFC chairman Wayne Draghoender said."
This is a plan to save the bacon of Cheeky Watson in an effort to keep him in the SARU General Council. The reason is that there is serious discontent in SARU under the leadership of Hoskins and he and Alexander needs every possible vote they can get to stay in charge. The General Council will be reluctant to dish out a R100 million to save Watson and the chances are that the other Unions will not play ball in this case.
Just another example to prove that SARU is rotten to the core. But then the meeting is on April's Fools Day and what is going to come out is a serious joke with tragic consequences for SA Rugby.
