The South African Rugby Players Association (Sarpa), which represents all professional rugby players in South Africa, maintains that Brian van Rooyen has little appreciation or concern for the legitimate needs and requirements of professional rugby players in the country.
This was the sentiment conveyed by a press statement released by Sarpa on Wednesday afternoon.
”This is clearly evident from statements made by Van Rooyen in a recent article written by Peter Bills (for the Independent Group),” reads the statement.
”Van Rooyen repeatedly makes statements based on the wrong facts and incorrect assumptions. His attitude towards players and SA Rugby administration is both ignorant and disappointing.
”At a time when players are picking up their performance [it] is of concern to players that the administrators are not following suite [sic]. They steadfastly refuse to adapt to change.
”Their dogmatic and unreasonable refusal to recognise the role that Sarpa is entitled to play in SA Rugby administration for the benefit of the players which it represents, is out of step with the recognition given by Australian, English, French and New Zealand national rugby bodies to the player associations in those countries.
The statement finishes by firing a warning to Van Rooyen: ”Sarpa and the players which it represents will not stand idly by whilst their interests and well-being are prejudiced by supine rugby administrators.” — Sapa