Worcester Warriors: Crisis-hit club to pay players' wages after pulling out of Glasgow friendly

Steve Diamond guided Worcester to victory in the Premiership Rugby Cup final in May

Worcester say all their players will be paid on Wednesday as the current owners insist they have "three motivated and credible buyers" with "proven funds".

Warriors earlier pulled out of Friday's pre-season game against Glasgow amid ongoing uncertainty over their future.

The Premiership club has been served a winding-up petition by HMRC over unpaid tax, believed to be more than £6m.

Non-playing staff will also be paid 65% of their August salaries overnight and on Thursday, a club statement said.

There would be "a solution which would see the remainder paid within five working days," it added.

Worcester are due to begin the new Premiership season away at London Irish on 10 September.

The club were also given a £14m loan by the Department for Culture, Media & Sport during the Covid pandemic.

Although a consortium headed by former chief executive Jim O'Toole remains interested in taking over the club from current owners Jason Whittingham and Colin Goldring, their plan would involve the club being placed into administration.

Whittingham said that while the pair had been "working to find the investment that will keep Worcester Warriors playing Premiership rugby at Sixways for years to come", they were also focused on "the important short-term task of making sure we can pay our loyal and valued staff and players this month".

"I'm pleased to say that we have secured funds," he added. "We will fulfil the terms of our players' contracts and pay them in full for August today. This is of course crucial in retaining our talented squad for this season."

'Uncertainty and insecurity'

Whittingham said that with payment of wages "in hand", he and Goldring could focus on the "long-term survival of the club".

They are "willing to sell the whole group of companies at Sixways and the options being considered include selling all assets," he added.

Goldring said the owners regretted the "uncertainty and insecurity our people are having to endure".

"The dedication and loyalty of the staff and players is second to none and we thank them for it," he added.

"We continue to work towards a solution which will see Worcester Warriors playing this season and for seasons to come.

"Once again we thank our supporters, partners, sponsors, staff, players and the local community for the support and concern they have shown the club."

Earlier a club statement, posted on director of rugby Steve Diamond's Twitter page, confirmed that Friday's match against Glasgow had been called off.

"We express our deep sorrow to our hosts Glasgow Warriors who we hope understand the unique and worrying situation we find ourselves in," it said.

"It simply isn't feasible to play when futures remain uncertain and a decision had to be taken today.

"It is unethical for professional players to play a full-on game with the risk of injury and the real possibility of no employment to follow."

The Glasgow squad had already made the trip north to Inverness, where the game was due to be played.

"Although we are disappointed by this outcome, we recognise the challenging situation Worcester currently find themselves in and wish them well," the club said in a statement.

Glasgow later announced that reigning Super 6 champions Ayrshire Bulls will step in to replace Worcester for the fixture at Caledonian Stadium.