Western Province under increasing pressure to resolve the ‘Treu issue’

28 January 2019 - 11:57
By Craig Ray
Paul Treu (Defence Coach) during the DHL Stormers training session and top table media conference at High Performance Centre on April 16, 2018 in Cape Town, South Africa.
Image: Grant Pitcher/Gallo Images Paul Treu (Defence Coach) during the DHL Stormers training session and top table media conference at High Performance Centre on April 16, 2018 in Cape Town, South Africa.

Stormers players reportedly held a crisis meeting on Sunday to discuss the disruption surrounding the deployment of Paul Treu at the union.

Treu‚ the former Blitzbok coach‚ has been at the centre of controversy after he lodged a complaint last year where he claimed that he was a victim of discrimination.

Law firm Bowman’s conducted an independent investigation into the matter and‚ according to sources‚ interviewed 30 players‚ coaches and other senior management at the union.

They found no evidence of discrimination and cleared the union and all of the staff.

It left Treu‚ already an unpopular figure in the dressing room‚ isolated.

Players are unhappy that Treu is still employed at the union with one player saying that ‘99% of us want him out.’

According to insiders‚ senior players led the meeting on Sunday and there is also pressure on the union from sponsors to resolve the ‘Treu issue’.

With less than three weeks before the start of the new Super Rugby campaign‚ it’s a huge distraction for Fleck and his team.

Western Province would not comment on the matter at this stage.