'This is a disgrace' - Insurance withdrawn from Worcester players
Worcester Warriors have had to withdraw medical insurance from players at the behest of their insurance providers, further denting hopes of a rapid return to the field for the ailing club.
Already in administration, the crisis appears to be deepening at Sixways, with each day bringing a new low for players, staff and supporters.
On Friday the owners even took a swipe at the club’s players and supporters. Colin Goldring and Jason Whittingham issued a statement in response to an interview that Worcester captain Ted Hill did with ITV Central, in which the back row said an apology was required “from not only the owners, but also from other people high up from the company as well”.
A proceeding statement from the owners attacked the players for not accepting big enough pay cuts during the pandemic and hit out at the club’s fans for not attending the stadium in sufficient numbers for the club to remain viable.
Now the club have had to withdraw medical insurance from the players after the policy was ‘placed on hold’. Former Worcester prop and current player agent John Andress blew the whistle on Twitter, providing a screengrab of a message sent to the players by the club.
The message reads: “Afternoon all, the situation at the club is ever changing. It’s only right to update you to let you know that the players’ medical ‘insurance’ policy has now been placed on hold.
“Any medical costs arising from injuries that are sustained from this point forwards (incl costs associated with ongoing issues) will not be paid by insurers. Much effort is going into reversing the
situation.
“Unless personally insured, sessions/rehab etc are now undertaken at your own risk. At this moment in time, med & conditioning staff will continue to provide services at the club.”
Message sent to players from @WorcsWarriors today! This is a disgrace how are the @RFU not coming out saying players will be given their registrations if they wish to leave???? Shows everything that is wrong with rugby. Players come a firm last!! pic.twitter.com/sK9SGpAhBo
— John Andress (@JANDRESS84) October 2, 2022
It effectively means that players who wish to continue training as the club looks to right itself will do so knowing that if they are injured, they will not be covered by the club’s insurance. It could potentially limit what training players are willing to partake in, relative to the risk involved.
Furthermore, players who are currently undergoing treatment for previous injuries that are funded with the club’s insurance policy will not have their treatment paid for.
It’s a further dent in any hopes that the club will be back playing anytime soon.
With other clubs – in the UK and overseas – waiting in the wings to take their pick of the best athletes at the club, the decision may well push players further towards the exit.
All Warriors players and staff were due to be paid on Friday, but the PA news agency confirmed that did not happen, meaning that players are now entitled to start looking elsewhere for employment.
There is some hope. Two consortiums, one involving former Worcester chief executive Jim O’Toole, are understood to have expressed interest in buying the club out of administration.
additional reporting PA
Comments on RugbyPass
🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
27 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
1 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusades , you can keep going.
1 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
27 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
27 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
27 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
27 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
11 Go to comments