The Southern Kings Super Rugby franchise have been plunged deeper into crisis after reports that
head coach Brent Janse van Rensburg has left the Eastern Province Rugby Union.
Janse van Rensburg was supposed to coach the Southern Kings through the 2016
Super Rugby season but his departure leaves them without a coach.
Earlier this year New Zealander Carlos Spencer left the Union amid reports
of financial troubles and since that time the Union has struggled to pay its
players.
According to the SA Rugby magazine website, 35-year-old Janse van Rensburg has left
the Union and taken up a position with Boland.
The Kings will re-join Super Rugby in under three months and have lost as many
as six players over the last month due to the financial crisis which has now
also seen the coach leave.
EP Kings President has promised a major sponsorship for the last four months
but so far nothing has materialised and the South African Rugby have been forced
to step in and take charge of the franchise.
Meanwhile a tweet allegedly from a Kings Player has been circulating and the player says that Watson would, “Give Hitler a run for his money” and explains that the president and his son (Luke Watson) have created a small power circle through fear and intimidation which everyone is afraid to speak out against.
Janse van Rensburg coached the Kings in this year’s Currie Cup side and had been
appointed for the upcoming Super Rugby season.
In a statement neither Van Rensburg nor the Kings revealed the explanation
for his resignation.
“We appreciate Brent’s commitment to the task assigned to him and the
many hours he worked in preparing the team for various competitions this year,”
EPR president Cheeky Watson said in a statement.
Watson added that there was lots of work being done behind the scenes to get
the Kings ready for the upcoming season.
“We are in regular discussion with the SA Rugby Union, who have taken
over the organisation of the franchise, on the way forward and there is much
work being done behind the scenes to ensure the Southern Kings squad is properly
prepared for its return to Super Rugby in February,” said Watson.
