Warriors matches to go ahead after avoiding RFU suspension

Worcester Warriors vs Exeter Chiefs has been given the green light by the Rugby Football Union (RFU) and Premiership Rugby.

Warriors had been given a midday deadline today (Friday 16th) to have everything in order to stage two matches this weekend, the club then asked for a short extension to that deadline.

The RFU had stated that Warriors would be suspended from all competitions if they could not prove they had the means to safely host the matches at Sixways stadium.

The University of Worcester Warriors’ Allianz Cup match with Harlequins on Saturday and Warriors’ Premiership game on Sunday against Exeter will now go ahead.

RFU have released the following statement. 

“Worcester Warriors has met a midday deadline set by the RFU to provide assurances in relation to the receipt of a General Safety Certificate from the local authority and written confirmation of medical provision.
 


”Therefore, this weekend’s Gallagher Premiership and Allianz Cup matches will go ahead.
 
”We recognise this has been a difficult and uncertain time for all of Worcester Warriors players, staff and fans as well as the opposition teams and are pleased that the matter has been resolved.
 


“The RFU, Premiership Rugby and DCMS will continue to work with Worcester Warriors owners regarding funding and potential new ownership proposals in the coming days.”

For the games to go ahead, the club needed to fund operating costs of £120,000 alongside salaries for staff.

Players have been paid, but some staff have only been paid 65% of their August salaries.

On Tuesday the owners of Worcester Warriors confirmed they have agreed the terms of the sale of the troubled Premiership club.

The news comes after weeks of speculation that the Premiership club might fold after a winding-up petition from HMRC over an unpaid £6m tax bill.

Colin Goldring and Jason Whittingham said in a statement that the heads of terms are now with the legal representatives of the respective parties who are going through the detail of the agreement.