Watson hints at future away from rugby

Editor

Under-fire Eastern Province Rugby Union president Cheeky Watson claims he is ready to resign and move on to pursue his business interests.

The controversial Watson narrowly escaped a vote of no confidence over the weekend after the clubs who want him out could only get 52 votes instead of the 63 they needed for a two-third majority.

Watson has largely avoided the media in recent months as the EPRU descends into further chaos, but has now said he would be willing to quit and focus on his business interests, which he said he has negelcted because of his commitment to rugby.

"It is a door in my life that needs to close and not to be resurrected again," Watson told The Herald, failing to give an exact date but adding that it could happen in the next couple of weeks.

Asked if his time as president had left a scar on him, he replied: "Absolutely. But it doesn't help going back into that and picking up old bones."

Watson said the target ons his back didn't bother him.

"I have never been a populist and I have never worried about people’s opinions and what they think of me,” he said.

“If I tackle a job I tackle it with every fibre of my being and try to be as successful as possible. It was gratifying to see the support from clubs, but one needs to look at the bigger picture here and look at rugby as a whole within the province."