The Eastern Province Kings will compete as an amateur team in this year’s Currie Cup.
Due to an ongoing financial crisis, EP Rugby will be unable to pay its players a match salary during the competition. The union was placed under provisional liquidation in March.
With senior players not contracted for the Currie Cup, the bulk of the squad will be made up of academy players and last year’s U19s and U21s.
Newly appointed coach Robbie Kempson is confident he will get the best out of the players at his disposal.
‘The core of the group will consist of those players. They are players who want to play,’ Kempson told Rapport. ‘They did not come here to make quick money, but rather to create a future in rugby.
‘We realise it is the professional era and players want to be compensated, but these players are trying to make a name for themselves and the Currie Cup provides them with that opportunity.'
Photo: Steve Haag/Gallo Images
