The Worcester 'slating' that Ollie Lawrence just cannot accept
Pained at the demise of Worcester, England centre Ollie Lawrence has fired a broadside at co-owners Colin Goldring and Jason Whittingham. The Warriors were suspended from the Gallagher Premiership and will be relegated at the end of this season following their partial liquidation last week, with HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) pursuing unpaid tax in the region of £6million.
Administrators continue working to find a buyer for the stricken outfit, while a number of players have moved on to new clubs. Lawrence is among them, having signed a long-term deal with Bath, but he admits the events that unfolded at Worcester will probably never sink in.
Goldring and Whittingham even took a swipe at Worcester players and supporters, effectively blaming them for the club’s financial issues in a public statement that caused outrage. “Currently, I’m still living in Worcester and commuting back and forth. Until I move here [Bath], I don’t think it will fully sink in. I don’t think it ever will, to be honest,” he said.
“We felt like we had been let down by our owners. If we had known a bit more about their financial struggles, it would have given boys more time to look elsewhere. We seemed to be on the back foot a lot of the time and were the ones going out on the weekends trying to put in shifts for each other knowing that within the next couple of weeks we might not even be a club.
“It is an element of frustration, feeling let down and just disappointed that they were allowed to do what they have done. With everything going on now, it will hopefully all unfold and it will all come out regarding what has gone on at the club.
“When that statement was released, it didn’t make sense or go down well with a lot of people. They needed to take accountability for what they have done because at the end of the day they can’t blame players for the situation they were in. They gave us contracts, they agreed to the terms. If they couldn’t afford to keep the club, then they should have made that clear earlier.
“There was no communication, and then the one time we did get communication it was basically a slating. To blame fans, saying there should have been more at games, they were just trying to find excuses to make themselves look better when, in fact, they have just made themselves look worse.”
Lawrence has been joined at Bath by former Warriors colleagues Ted Hill, Fergus Lee-Warner and Valery Morozov, while Duhan van der Merwe has returned to Edinburgh, Joe Batley has rejoined Bristol and Saracens have signed Warriors wing Tom Howe and lock Andrew Kitchener on short-term deals.
Lawrence’s focus must now be on Bath, where he will hope to regain England recognition and increase his tally of seven caps. He added: “Whatever is going on with the situation at the club [Worcester], we want to see them back in the Premiership and be part of the league for a long time.
“There is so much history with the club and there are a lot of boys there who need the club to survive. We all want the best for the club and no one in the rugby community would have wanted to see what has happened to them.
“I am concerned by what is happening and will always have my attention in the corner of my eye to make sure my friends and stuff are looked after. It doesn’t look great going forward but hopefully, fingers crossed, they can get a new owner and build back up from the Championship.”
Comments on RugbyPass
It couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
25 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
13 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
25 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
13 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
77 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
13 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
13 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
13 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
13 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
13 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
44 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to comments