Kings’ CJ Velleman offers to play for free
● Player fit, strong and ready to go, but he does not have a place to show skills, says coach
Unemployed Southern Kings players are so desperate to play rugby after their team’s liquidation that loose forward CJ Velleman has offered to play for Griquas for free.
This is according to Kings coach Robbi Kempson, who says he is working flat out to try and find employment for his players.
“To illustrate how desperate our players are, CJ Velleman was willing to take a complete salary cut on his own to play for free for Griquas,” Kempson said.
“That is how desperate these players are just to play rugby.
“A perfect example is CJ, who is in the prime of his life right now.
“He is fit and strong and ready to go, but he does not have a place to play.
“It is more frustration for him and I am hoping Griquas give him an opportunity.
“The most tragic part of all this is that they are not getting opportunities to practise their professions.
“Since we were unceremoniously dropped out of the domestic competition, I have been on the phone with agents at home and abroad trying to help the players get opportunities.
“I will continue to do that.” The shareholders — the EP Rugby Union and SA Rugby — took the decision to liquidate the Kings in the face of an accumulated deficit of R55m, and with zero income in prospect for the remainder of this year.
“We had some great news and one of our players does now have an opportunity overseas, thank God,” Kempson said.
“So he is sorted out. I phoned the coach over at Scarlets and luckily he got in.
“There are also opportunities for one or two other players, but the problem is they have not played rugby since March.
“People want to see you play and they are not necessarily looking at videos from prior matches.”
Asked is he would seek new coaching opportunities, Kempson said: “I will look at different opportunities and not just in rugby.
“First and foremost, though, I am going to work over the next four to six weeks trying to get work for my players.
“Once I have exhausted those opportunities, I can move on.”
The timing of the Kings’ liquidation and withdrawal from domestic rugby could not have come at a worse time for Velleman.
He had been poised return to action after a long injury layoff.
Velleman has been plagued by injuries in recent seasons, but the tenacious forward had been ready to take his place in the Kings pack for the Currie Cup.
In November last year, Velleman suffered yet another injury after tearing knee ligaments during a training session.
The 25-year-old had only recently returned to training from a leg injury when a freak incident ended his hopes of completing the 2019/2020 season.
If Velleman does eventually join Griquas, he will link up with former teammates Thembelani Bholi and Masixole Banda in Kimberley.
Because of the grave financial situation the Kings found themselves in before their liquidation, they were unable to offer contracts to players and that is one of the reasons Banda was the first player to head for the exit door.
The domestic season is set to get under way on Saturday when the Vodacom Bulls take on the Sharks and the Lions battle the Stormers on Super Fan Saturday.