Worcester Warriors issue statement over 'public comments of others'

Worcester Warriors have issued a statement confirming that any outstanding payments to players from 2022 will be paid by the end of Thursday, February 12.

The statement comes after claims by Newcastle Red Bulls and Scotland prop Murray McCallum that it is “Not entirely true tho is it lads” that the club had paid off all of its creditors.

The Rugby Players’ Association responded with a statement soon after, confirming that an agreement had been reached over the payment of rugby creditors, but there were still players waiting for payments.

The statement reads: “Whilst agreement has been reached between the RFU, the Champ Rugby Board and Worcester Warriors regarding the payment of rugby creditors, there remains players outstanding who are still waiting to be contacted by the club to have their payments confirmed.

“Given the comments made last night by the Worcester Warriors CEO we expect these payments to be fulfilled without any further delay.”

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Just hours after, Worcester delivered a statement themselves, saying “certain parties” have not been able to “substantiate or evidence their claims,” but confirmed players will be paid.

The Champ outfit did add that the players are not entitled to a “voluntary additional sum” which spans from September 27 to October 5 2022.

The statement concluded by saying the “very complicated matter” is a “story yet to be told”.

The full statement reads: “Following the completion of the adjudication process, final offers have now been made to outstanding players/will be made by close of business today 12 February. The club have been working through and calculating final figures, including a voluntary additional sum being paid by the club to players for the period between 27 September and 5th October 2022. A period which the adjudicator found that the players were not entitled to be paid. The club anticipated that payments will be processed as soon as account details are verified with individual players (it is anticipated that this will conclude within the next 14 days though may take longer if payment verification is not immediate).

“There remain certain parties who have not been able to substantiate or evidence their claims, and the process will shortly conclude in relation to those parties should they not provide any substantive information to verify their claims. These parties will be given one final opportunity, and we will be writing to them imminently. Anyone who is in the process and whose claim has been rejected has the right to appeal their position to an independent adjudicator. This process remains open and, as far as the club is aware, no further appeals are outstanding.

“The public comments of others on the very complicated matter of rugby creditors, which we have managed with ownership and without support, do not reflect the very special circumstances and the lengths to which we have gone to ensure compliance and fairness – which is story yet to be told.”