Water shortage may force club season delayed

SEVERE water shortages in Cape Town could force the Western Province Rugby Football Union (WPRFU) to postpone the start of the club rugby season.

The Mother City is experiencing its worst drought in over a century and residents are currently restricted to 50 litres of water‚ per person‚ per day.

But there is still a danger of taps running dry – so-called ‘Day Zero’.

Because most club fields are in a dire state due to lack of watering over the scorchingly hot summer‚ player safety is an issue, and last week WPRFU met with the City of Cape Town to discuss the impact on club rugby.

WPRFU president Thelo Wakefield sent a letter to all clubs outlining the process for the coming weeks and months.

“We acknowledge the severe drought crisis currently being experienced in the Western Cape‚ the worst in the area in over 100 years‚” Wakefield wrote.

“WP Rugby proactively engaged the City of Cape Town on the impending impact on our club rugby fixtures for the 2018 season following the cancellation of cricket‚ soccer and baseball fixtures by the City of Cape Town.

“At the executive committee meeting of WP Rugby held on 6 February 2018 it was resolved that the Club Rugby Department consult with all its affiliated clubs about the possible postponement of club rugby fixtures to commence in the first week of June 2018.

“This consultative process will culminate with the matter being placed on the agenda of our next General Council Meeting scheduled for Tuesday 27 February 2018, where our members will take a final decision of the fixture schedule for the remainder of the 2018 season.

“The current process of consultation with our clubs‚ in the form of weekly evaluations on the state of the playing fields‚ with the City of Cape Town continues,” Wakefield swrote. —