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Clubs should stop paying players that 'are simply not good enough' - Moore
By Ian Cameron
Former England international Brian Moore has called on lower-tier clubs to stop paying players who ‘simply aren’t good enough’.
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What’s more, the former hooker says that English rugby is not fulfilling its true potential.
Every year millions of pounds are on spent on match fees for semi-professional players in England’s third, fourth and fifth flight.
As it stands clubs are at Level Three are allowed to spend up £250,000 on players. At Level Four that drops to £125,000 and at Level 5, it falls further to £50,000. At Level Six, clubs are not permitted to pay players and are only allowed to pay a maximum of £10,000 to a ‘player coach’.
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Moore believes the practice must end, as he believes it’s effectively draining teams of resources that could be spent better elsewhere. The 60-year-old believes that money is being wasted on players that ‘are simply not good enough’.
Writing in his Telegraph column, Moore states: “English rugby is wasting millions of pounds on players who are simply not good enough,” he wrote. “The maximum total payments to players are set at £250,000, £125,000 and £50,000 in levels three, four and five, respectively, and they have effectively become what a club need to spend to play at that level. Think what that yearly spend could achieve, rather than use players who are not good enough.”
On the professional front, Moore is in favour of minimum EQPs (England Qualified Player) quotas for teams, a move which is coming in 2024. He also believes in central contracts for England players.
“I doubt whether there is the altruism on either side for the good of the wider England game, but if there is not then England’s potential will never be fulfilled and success will be sporadic.”
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From August, 2024 onwards, Gallagher Premiership clubs will be obliged to have a minimum of 15 EQPs in each match-day squad.
Moore's statement of "stop paying players that are simply not good enough" demonstrates how distanced he is from middle tier rugby. Part of team sport is about competition and winning, teams go up and down; their club's finances are up to them, and most are prudent with their playing budgets. The game is open, it always finds its level if the management manage.
There are some very valid points in this article. The money that is taken out of the game at levels 5,6 is particularly galling. It also encourages players to move from their home club for a very small payment at a "bigger" club who have played no part in player development or nurturing.