Longtime rugby supporter says enough, pulls funding from U20 project
Karl Fix, a Regina rugby supporter, has withdrawn his financial contribution to the Canadian under-20 team out of concern over Rugby Canada’s handling of its current labour dispute with the Canadian sevens players.
Fix, a former Rugby Canada board member and longtime rugby player, coach and backer, says he has “significant concerns with Rugby Canada’s haphazard execution” of its decision to centralize sevens and 15s players in one training squad.
The sevens players, at odds with Rugby Canada over the status of the sevens game and unhappy at the financial terms offered, have refused to sign new contracts and are boycotting training in Langford, B.C.
Fix says Rugby Canada’s recent actions have prompted him to decided to withdraw from the Canada U20 Men’s National Rugby Team Support Group. Fix, along with Bill Webb, David Robertson, former national team coach Pat Parfrey, Andrew Purdey and Mike Holmes, helped fund several training camps for the under-20 side around the recent World Rugby Under 20 Trophy tournament.