Worcester Warriors players paid after pre-season fixture cancelled

Worcester Warriors players have been paid, the club has said, after they were forced to cancel their pre-season fixture against Glasgow Warriors tomorrow.

However non playing staff will only receive a 'portion' of their August salaries.

In a statement, club co-owner Jason Whittingham said, “While we’ve been working to find the investment that will keep Worcester Warriors playing Premiership rugby at Sixways for years to come, we’ve also been focused on the important short-term task of making sure we can pay our loyal and valued staff and players this month.

"It pains us to have to do it this way, but non-playing staff will receive 65% of their monthly salary overnight or tomorrow. We are completing on a solution which would see the remainder paid within five working days"

Steve Diamond, the Director of Rugby at the club had posted a tweet this afternoon that said: "It is unethical for professional players to play a full on game with the risk of injury and the real possibility of no employment to follow.

"Together we have been forces to take the hugely frustrating and disappointing decision not to travel to Inverness tomorrow for our pre-season fixture against Glasgow Warriors on Friday, as players and staff wages remain unpaid.

"The squad have worked hard throughout pre-season and are bitterly disappointed to be put in this position."

The Director of Rugby was apologetic to Glasgow Warriors and blames the 'unique and worrying situation'.

He continued: "It simply isn't feasible to play when futures remain uncertain and a decision has to be taken today."

If Worcester Warriors players had not been paid today, it would have meant they could leave within fourteen days as the club would have been breaching contracts.

This comes after a winding-up petition has been issued to the club by HM Revenues and Customs (HMRC) over an unpaid tax bill.

The sum, which was loaned to the Worcester during the pandemic, was to help with challenges faced by the club, such as the rising cost of living as well as lost income from Covid-19 lockdowns and games played from behind closed doors.