LIAM DEL CARME | Dark clouds or a storm in a teacup at WP Rugby?

So much for winning the inaugural United Rugby Championship (URC), more or less retaining the talent that did so, restoring financial stability, while earning the trust of prospective equity partners and a weary and wary fan base.

You’d think that would send the faction that ran Western Province rugby to the brink of extinction, scurrying off to a party shop for a disguise of dark glasses, big nose and fake moustache. Just the opposite. They’ll be back in full view on Saturday when they stage a picket at the Stormers’ clash against the Sharks at Cape Town Stadium. The dissidents want to end the South African Rugby Union-imposed (Saru) administration WP has been operating under since October 2021. That will pave the way to undoing some to the corrective measures Saru put in place to help bring the organisation back on an even keel.

Some of the dissidents were kicked into touch when Saru invoked clause 29 of their constitution by placing the WP Rugby under administration, but they want to re-emerge from sidelines just as the organisation has been restored to a semblance of wellbeing.

Saru installed Rian Oberholzer as the administrator, overseeing the affairs of the embattled entity, and from all accounts he’s done a sterling job. He has brought the organisation to a point where they can settle their considerable debt by putting Newlands Rugby Stadium, which now firmly belongs in WP’s past, up for redevelopment. How that process should be handled has been the cause of much verbal jousting, and elements of the previous executive council feel this is the time to emerge from the shadows.

Saturday’s picket will reportedly carry the support of 11 clubs. WPRFU is made up of 102 clubs, so it’s not much of a putsch. Still, they want their voices heard and want to have a say in who redevelops Newlands, though their preferred choice is reportedly not prepared to cough up the amounts other interested parties are prepared to throw at WP Rugby.

It then brings into question, why are they so vociferous in their objection of better offers? Given the current climate, WP needs every cent it can get. They received R112m from Flyt Property (secured on 11 properties owned by the union), who was appointed as developer of the Newlands. Later Flyt, via parent company Dreamworld, paid R52.97m to Investec Bank and R57.76m to Remgro to clear WPRFU’s debts.

In their open letter Saru stated: “A term sheet was signed with Staytus by a member of the executive committee, without performing a formal due diligence exercise and once again failed in its duty of care, furthermore breaching clause 13 of the WP constitution and failing to get a mandate from the general council.”

If the picketers get their wish, Staytus would be appointed developers, but WP would have to make a swift return to court to face Flyt, who have already laid claim to R388m in damages and the repayment of its R112m loan plus interest.

Despite the prospective picketers’ relatively scant support, Saru are taking no chances. They have penned an open letter saying: “Claims now being made by individuals — some of whom were part of the executive which traded the entity to the brink of bankruptcy and now wish to reclaim control — are erroneous, misleading and needlessly distracting.”

It is perhaps understandable that there is frustration among clubs that Saru has overstayed its welcome. Every union, after all, wants to be autonomous, and a long absence from the levers of power might leave some fidgety.

With dark clouds largely dissipating, WP are on the brink of securing themselves a sunny future, but then again, trying to predict the weather in the Cape, not to mention its people, is laden with peril.