Warriors’ woes put all in peril
FORMER England lock Dave Attwood fears Worcester’s current crisis could be just the tip of an iceberg that threatens the whole Premiership structure.
Warriors owe the taxman £6million and former CEO Jim O’Toole is desperately trying to put together a consortium to buy out the Sixways outfit.
Players wages are due on Wednesday, the squad are fuming at the lack of communication, and Worcester might not even make it to their opening fixture, against London Irish on September 10.
Attwood, 35, is preparing for his 17th season of professional rugby, now back with Bath, and said: “It is incredibly disconcerting for the wider structure of the league when you think about the salary-cap reduction enforced over the last couple of seasons and the impact of Covid.
“At the end of last season everyone thought all the drama had been dealt with, but it hasn’t.
“We have brushed some things under the carpet and some of that is starting to surface now.
“I hope there is a positive outcome. I don’t want to see this league get dismantled.
“We have worked so hard to build the integrity of what is, I think, the most difficult club competition in the world.”
There are already around 80 players, including former England pair Mike Brown and
Luther Burrell, without a club and if Worcester go to the wall there will be another 40-odd more.
That’s a wake-up call for youngsters trying to make a living in the game.
Attwood added: “With more players available that is going to raise the bar. Guys who are just happy coasting along are going to have to re-evaluate some of their goals.
“If the young guys are not prepared to do that they are going to get caught out.”