Confirmed: 'Significant' pay cut for RA players
NEWS: Senior players will take a significant pay cut after Rugby Australia and the Rugby Union Players’ Association finally reached a resolution on an interim pay deal.
The agreement was reached following three weeks of negotiations between the Rugby bodies after Rugby Australia announced significant cuts across its business on March 31.
“Players have voted as a block in supporting RUPA’s recommendation,” RUPA CEO and former Wallabies lock Justin Harrison said in a statement.
The agreement will see Australia’s 192 professional Rugby players take an average 60 percent salary reduction through to September 30, unless competition resumes at an earlier date.
RA has yet to determine when a mooted replacement competition for the suspended Super Rugby tournament will start.
The 2020 Super Rugby season was suspended at the completion of Round 7.
According to the Rugby Australia statement: “All players received their full monthly payment in April, with the salary reduction to be amortised over the next five months,”
Rugby Australia Chief Executive, Raelene Castle said: “Sporting organisations around the world are experiencing an unprecedented challenge, as indeed the whole of society is, and Rugby is no different as we continue to come to grips with the impacts of the global COVID-19 crisis.
“The players recognise and appreciate their role and shared responsibility in securing the future and helping us navigate through this difficult time and I want to thank them, on behalf of the game, for their willingness to work with us to reach an interim solution that will help us protect the long-term future of Rugby in Australia.
“This has not been an easy discussion, but it has been a necessary one to ensure that we are able to emerge from the other side of this crisis in the best possible position for the game to move forward. It is important to note that these measures are a stop-gap, not a full-stop.
“We are deep into our planning to ensure we are able to navigate our way through this and be ready for competition to resume as soon as that is possible. The players have been involved in this process and we look forward to continuing that work and seeing them back out on the field doing what they do best.
“The structure of our game is complex with the international models of SANZAAR, the Sevens World Series and the Olympic Games, and players in all forms of the game will be impacted differently. These differences for our athletes add complexity to the discussions and so continuing to work together is critical to getting the best outcomes for all.
“The country is missing Rugby and we are all looking forward to the day that players can return to the field and fans to the stands.”
