A round up of what some of South Africa’s leading Sunday papers are saying, including the ongoing off-field saga that’s dogging the Western Province Rugby Union.
The major rugby story in Rapport surrounds the financial turmoil of the Western Province Rugby Union. According to the story written by Brenden Nel, three prominent players have, through their lawyers, demanded insurance against the union
John Dobson, who will be taking the reins as Stormers head coach next year, has also allegedly been embroiled in the drama, having threatened to resign along with his coaching team.
This is the latest in a long saga for the WPRU, who just this past week provided assurances that their employees would be paid beyond July this past week.
Staying with Rapport, the paper reckons former Springbok wing JP Pietersen could be on his way back to Durban to re-join the Sharks, after his contract with Toulon was not renewed.
With all of Sb’u Nkosi, Makazole Mapimpi, Lukhanyo Am and Andre Esterhuizen likely to be involved with the Springboks later in the year, a player of Pietersen’s experience would be welcome at Kings Park. However, according to writer Hendrik Conjé, Pietersen could also be involved beyond 2020 as a junior coach.
Speaking to the Sunday Times, former Springbok fullback Thinus Delport thinks Rassie Erasmus’ decision to include a contingent of overseas players in the Springbok training squad could benefit the side during the World Cup.
‘Look at the players involved in those competitions,’ van Staden told writer Liam del Carme of the European tournaments. ‘You find a cross-section of players from Europeans to South Africans. We are talking about Test players.’
