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Robert Kitson
Wed 31 Aug 2022 02.58 AEST
Worcester Warriors are on the brink of a player exodus after the squad were informed they were unlikely to be paid their wages this month.
Staff and players received a message on Tuesday in which the club’s co‑owner Colin Goldring told them he could not access the funds required to fulfil this month’s payroll because of the winding-up petition for unpaid tax issued by HMRC.
The situation at Worcester remains deeply uncertain despite discussions with prospective new investors. If players are not paid on time on Wednesday, they can claim breach of contract which the club has 14 days to rectify. If not, those players affected will be free to sign for another club.
The highly rated flanker Kyle Hatherell is already being linked with a move to France and others are certain to follow unless the current gloomy situation takes a dramatic upturn.
Time is running out on all fronts with the Premiership season kicking off on Friday week, with Worcester also due to play a pre‑season friendly in Inverness against Glasgow Warriors this Friday.
Financial problems have been mounting for some time. Worcester were late in paying their May wage bill and have been losing around £300,000 a month since Covid.
The club have been in negotiations with several potential buyers and investors as they seek to convince HMRC they have the ability to come up with £6m in unpaid tax.
Christian Day, the player liaison officer for the Rugby Players’ Association, said the union is increasingly concerned, both for the club and for the players caught in the middle.
“From the start we’ve tried to give the owners and the club every chance we can to find a solution,” Day said.
“The game wants a club like Worcester to survive. But things are moving very quickly and we feel we’re coming to a point where things have to move one way or another. We know that, sooner or later, we’ll have to give some pretty clear guidance to the players.”
The Worcester flanker Kyle Hatherell (centre) is linked with a move to France. Photograph: Tony Marshall/Getty Images
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Along with everyone else Day feels desperately sorry for those whose livelihoods and playing futures are up in the air. “It affects the players, the coaches, the staff … literally every person in that club. That’s why we never want this type of doomsday scenario. It really is the last thing we want to happen.”
The RPA is committed to helping all concerned but salary cap restrictions will make it tough for a number of players, in the event of Worcester officially being declared bankrupt, to find another Premiership contract.
Rival Premiership clubs are also watching the unfolding Sixways saga with dismay, with the Northampton chief executive, Mark Darbon, describing it as “truly saddening” and potentially “a huge loss to rugby in this country if they were to no longer exist”.
One possible idea mooted during discussions last week was a merger with the Coventry-based Wasps, who have been having their financial issues. It was swiftly rejected and would be deeply unpopular with fans of both clubs but Worcester’s owners are fast running out of road.
“We are conscious of the short window now available for us to solve the end-of-month payroll situation,” Goldring told his players and staff. “No doubt you are all anxiously waiting an update on payroll and we wanted to keep you as informed as we possibly can.
“As you will all no doubt know, the club’s bank accounts were frozen shortly after the HMRC petition was issued, meaning we are not able to access those funds to help meet payroll. Therefore we do not have the money at this moment to fulfil payroll tomorrow.
“We had hoped by today we would be able to confirm the funding is secured, but there are no guarantees until contracts are signed. Until that happens I’m sorry to say the outcome tomorrow remains uncertain.
“It will be small comfort in the face of the present situation but I can promise we will not give up and will continue pushing the finance raise today and tomorrow. We are giving this everything we’ve got.”
Gloucester have confirmed the signing of Zach Mercer from Montpellier for the 2023-24 season, which means the former Bath No 8 will be eligible to feature in England’s Rugby World Cup squad next year.
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/20...s-unpaid-wages
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Ruck Me, Maul Me, Make Me Scrum!
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That's horrible news for Fergus and Santiago, I know we'd happily take them back.
Maybe Santiago can bring another Tight Head with him?
C'mon the![]()
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There aren't many non-Europeans in the Worcester squad. Francois Venter is a springbok, so might be difficult to bring down here.
There is a Russian LH prop, Valery Morozov, but I'm not sure if he'd be an upgrade on anything we have already.
Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon
Hopefully entice FLW back???
Great game, Fucken battled right through to the 80!
Would be great to see him back but difficult to see where he fits within the current squad and salary cap limitations:
Locks
Ryan McCauley
Izack Rodda
Will Sankey
+
Luke Callan
Connor Seve
Back Row
Tim Anstee
Ollie Callan
Kane Koteka
Jackson Pugh
Michael Wells
Jeremy Williams
+
Ned Slack-Smith
Last edited by andrewg; 31-08-22 at 18:40.
Behind the paywall at The West:
Western Force hope to regain Argentinian Santiago Medrano after he was caught in UK club unpaid wages saga ....
Simon Cron: “People talk about winning and losing all the time and they are critical, but there’s a process to get into and it’s the ability to stay present, do your job and execute skills under pressure.”
Japan and the Pacific Islands for Aussie Super 9's!
Let's have one of these in WA! Click this link: Saitama Super Arena - New Perth Stadium?
Western Force hope to regain Argentinian Santiago Medrano after he was caught in UK club unpaid wages saga
Nick Taylor
The West Australian
Wed, 31 August 2022 3:43PM
Western Force are chasing Argentinian international prop Santiago Medrano who is facing an uncertain future with financially embattled English premiership club Worcester Warriors.
Medrano left the Force at the end of last season after two years to join the English Premiership club who are on the brink of a player exodus over unpaid wages.
The 32-time capped front-rower joined the Force from the Jaguares when they were cut from Super Rugby.
The Force are in urgent need of an experienced front-rower and it is understood Force rugby manager Matt Hodgson is in talks with Medrano.
Warriors players have reportedly been told they are unlikely to be paid this month, meaning they can claim breach of contract and if the club fails to make payments within 14 days are free to sign for another club.
Payments have been missed because club bank accounts have been frozen after HM Revenue and Customs issued a winding up petition relating to six million pounds unpaid tax.Worcester are in discussions with prospective new investors but time is running out with the season starting on Friday week.
Force forward Fergus Lee-Warner also joined Worcester last season after five years at the club and after being snubbed by the Wallabies.
But the Force will have difficulty squeezing him into their new-look squad as it is understood they have locked down a player to fill his second row and flanker roles.
The Force still have a vacancy for a centre and have had talks with former back Curtis Rona who is currently with London Irish.
Rona is a local product from Wanneroo who went through the Force pathways before leaving for the Waratahs when the Force were axed by Rugby Australia.
And there lies the problem with Aussie rugby. Our boys may play 20+ high quality games a year if they make the final, final’s! European players who end up representing countries may play 40+!
Maybe we should go cap in hand and ask NZ if we can have a couple of teams in the ITM (I think) then we could play our top players against a better opposition than sticking them individually into club rugby. Not saying it’s the best thing for Au rugby but it’s got to be better than what doesn’t exist at the moment.
May the FORCE be with you!
"Rona is a local product from Wanneroo who went through the Force pathways"
A little sloppy from Nick. Unless Force pathways include Perth Reds SG Ball, NQ Cowboys & the Doggies.![]()
"The main difference between playing League and Union is that now I get my hangovers on Monday instead of Sunday - Tom David
Hope we can get Medrano back but my understanding was if he wants to play for Argentina he needs to play in Europe