The liquidated Eastern Province Rugby (Pty) Ltd has barely made a dent in its debts, having managed to cough up only R423 000 of the almost R24m owed to some of its former players. A Weekend Post report says 18 jilted professional rugby players have now targeted the personal pockets of former EP Rugby Union president Cheeky Watson, then chief executive officer Charl Crous and two company directors in fresh litigation before the Eastern Cape High Court (Port Elizabeth).

In the latest set of papers, players have accused Watson, Crous and directors at the time – Shelley-Ann Baatjies and Vernon Stuurman – of being party to EP Rugby’s fraudulent, or at the very least, reckless acts. In court papers, the players claim that for years prior to the liquidation, the business of EP Rugby was carried on recklessly or with the intent to defraud its creditors.

‘Woefully inadequate accounting books were kept. The company, at all relevant times, to the knowledge of (Watson, Crouse, Baatjies and Stuurman), traded under insolvent circumstances,’ the summons reads.

‘The contracts of employment with professional rugby players were concluded at a time when the company had no independent financial ability to pay salaries.’

Watson has also been charged with 43 counts of fraud and money-laundering, with the trial scheduled to begin in August. This follows a probe by the Hawks into alleged corruption surrounding R208m meant for Nelson Mandela Bay’s IPTS project, with some of the money allegedly laundered through EP Rugby.

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