It’s the picket-plotters who got WP in a pickle, says Saru

The South African Rugby Union (Saru) has come out swinging ahead of the planned picket at the United Rugby Championship clash between the Stormers and the Sharks at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday.

In a strongly worded open letter, Saru said: “Claims now being made by individuals — some of whom were part of the executive that traded the entity to the brink of bankruptcy and now wish to reclaim control — are erroneous, misleading and needlessly distracting.”

It felt it necessary to write an open letter “to remind the public of the calamitous sequence of actions and inactions by the former executive that led to the WPRFU being reluctantly taken into administration”.

Saru in 2021 suspended the WP executive council and put the union under administration.

Much of the discontent among the potential picketers relates to the proposed sale of Newlands Rugby Stadium, the proceeds of which will be used to service debt WP Rugby had undertaken before Saru intervened.