1
Premiership Rugby have moved to cancel a further two Worcester Warriors fixtures today as the crisis at the club continues.
ADVERTISEMENT
The club were suspended from all rugby last week by the RFU and now Premiership Rugby have now clarified that at least another two games will now not go ahead.
Worcester’s debts total more than £25million, including at least £6m in unpaid tax, while owners Colin Goldring and Jason Whittingham have been accused of failing the club.
“Premiership Rugby can confirm that Worcester Warriors’ Gallagher Premiership Rugby matches against Gloucester Rugby and Harlequins have been cancelled. This follows the RFU’s decision to suspend Worcester Warriors from all competitions,” a statement reads.
“The RFU confirmed last Monday that the owners of Worcester Warriors failed to meet the RFU’s deadline to evidence insurance cover, availability of funds to meet the monthly payroll, and a credible plan to take the club forward. The RFU, therefore, suspended Worcester Warriors from all competitions, including Gallagher Premiership Rugby, Allianz Premier 15s, and Allianz Cup with immediate effect.
“A panel will be convened in due course to decide the result – and points allocation – of these two matches.”
Last night it was confirmed that four Worcester Warriors players would transfer to Bath for the time being.
ADVERTISEMENT
Skipper Ted Hill, England centre Ollie Lawrence, lock Fergus Lee-Warner and Valeriy Morozov are heading to the Rec for the next four weeks at least.
Worcester’s Premiership rivals and neighbours Gloucester, meanwhile, have offered Warriors season ticket holders a 50 per cent discount on tickets to watch the Cherry and Whites’ Premiership and Premiership Cup home games.
Gloucester were due to host Worcester on Saturday before Warriors were suspended. They will now hold an opening training session at Kingsholm instead.
In a message to Worcester fans published on the Gloucester website, club chief executive Lance Bradley said: “On behalf of everyone at Gloucester Rugby, I want to say how sorry we all are to hear about the problems your club is going through.
ADVERTISEMENT
“While we can’t help with you being able to watch Worcester Warriors at the moment, we can help with you being able to watch alternative top-flight rugby games.
“So, while your team are unable to play, we would like to offer Worcester Warriors season ticket holders the chance to purchase tickets at a 50 per cent discount.
“We don’t expect you to suddenly switch your allegiance to Gloucester Rugby and you are welcome to wear your Worcester shirts.
“Our clubs are rivals on the pitch, but not off it. When we see our neighbours going through a tough time it just feels like the right thing to welcome you to our ‘Holm.”
additional reporting PA
Comments on RugbyPass
Except for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
33 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
33 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
33 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
33 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
33 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
33 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
1 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
33 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
17 Go to commentsNot good to hear Ulster described as “financially troubled”. Did not think it was getting to that level. I would hope the Irish system of spreading players of talent away from Leinster would kick in now. Better to have a Leinster fringe player with Ulster or Connacht, then getting only a few games a season in Dublin. 10, for example, would seem to be a case for spreading the talent. I would not be at all adverse to a SA man coming in as head coach/DR. Ludeke is worth trying. Certainly got a long and impressive coaching career at this level…..149 games in SR, then Japan, 30 years experience. And Ulster’s ledger of successful SA coaches and players is on the positive side. Is talk of Ruan Pienaar interested in coming back as a coach…..could be a good combination with Ludeke. And Pienaar and family would have no settling in to do, one would judge. He loved life in Ulster when there, by all reports.
1 Go to commentsSome thoughts to consider here, Sam. Thanks
2 Go to comments