A nugget at a time . . .
Cheeky drops hints about sponsor
CHEEKY Watson is “very, very close” to striking a multimillion-rand sponsorship deal for the EP Kings with a giant oil and mining conglomerate in Australia.
Speaking from Perth, EP’s president broke his silence over the mystery sponsor, revealing that it is a mining and oil company.
“I am very, very close to clinching the deal,” Watson said yesterday.
He would not elaborate further on the massive sponsorship, thought to be in the region of R250-million, that could breathe new life into the Kings just three months before they play their opening Super Rugby match.
Watson flew to Australia on Friday amid speculation that he was going to attend a family wedding and a Sanzar (South Africa, New Zealand and Australia Rugby) meeting.
However, former EP Rugby chief executive Anele Pamba said Watson was in Perth to clinch one of the biggest sponsorships in SA rugby history.
“Cheeky will be back in Port Elizabeth next weekend and I am confident sponsorship will be tied up before then,” Pamba said.
“I will be at the airport to welcome him home. I am in contact with him on a daily basis.”
He said Watson was in Australia to speak to sponsors and not to attend a family wedding or a Sanzar meeting.
Though Pamba would not confirm the name of the sponsor, it is believed to be linked to former Springbok rugby hero Michael du Plessis, who is said to be involved in mining and oil companies.
Du Plessis’ name has been linked to the Kings in the past and he has also been touted as the man who will take over the vacant position of director of rugby.
Meanwhile, as Watson bids to nail down his sponsor, the Kings players have yet to be paid their monthly salaries.
Because of delays in the sponsorship landing, the SA Rugby Players’ Association (Sarpa) had given the cash-strapped EP Kings a deadline of midnight last night to pay their players’ overdue wages.
Sarpa is weighing up what action to take if the salaries are not paid.
“We were consulting with the players [yesterday], explaining their options as the deadline expires at midnight,” Sarpa
spokesman Nyaniso Sam said.
“So before we make any media comment we need to inform our players first.
“We do not want them hearing it in the media first.”
Pamba said the arrival of the new sponsorship would end speculation that there could be a vote of no confidence in Watson at the EP Rugby annual meeting on November 28.
“The money is not South African, it is overseas funding,” he said. “The company has offices in Australia.
“I have no doubt that Mr Watson will have good news and that the sponsorship will be signed and sealed before the annual meeting.
“It is a process that has been going on for a long time, not something that can happen overnight.
“I have no doubt the money will be in our banks even before Mr Watson returns. He is in Australia to tie up the last pieces of the jigsaw puzzle.
“The vote of no confidence has been a rumour – and it is just that.
“I do not know of any meetings of no confidence.”
The latest chapter in the ongoing Kings’ sponsorship saga comes after claims by sports consultant Jason Smith that Watson snubbed a buy-in offer from millionaire Toulon Rugby Club owner Mourad Boudjellal.
It could be that Watson turned his back on the French offer because he was close to clinching a deal with the oil and mining company.
Watson said he had ignored the buy-in offer because Toulon laid down too many conditions.
But Smith said the only conditions were that the name be changed to Mandela Kings and that three years of financial statements be viewed.