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Focus set to shift for Rugby Australia as player pay deal nears fruition
By Online Editors
Focus can move to a return date once Rugby Australia's (RA) short-term player pay deal is finalised as expected on Monday.
It's understood players will be asked to take up to 65 per cent pay cuts to match RA boss Raelene Castle's salary reduction as the code strips back to survive the impact of coronavirus.
The formal discussions between RA and the Rugby Union Players' Association (RUPA) have stretched beyond two weeks, with the broader playing base consulted over the weekend as a deal neared.
Rugby will be among the last Australian codes to finalise its player pay cuts, with the NRL and AFL settling on 71 and 50 per cent sacrifices in deals struck several weeks ago.
The NBL, not due to start until October, announced on Friday its highest earners will suffer up to 50 per cent hits in a policy set to be revisited in three months.
The pressure to finalise a deal has increased with World Rugby's announcement of a $158-million relief fund that will reportedly only be accessible once a pay deal is struck.
Three-quarters of Rugby Australia's staff have been stood down, with a projected revenue hit of $120 million if no Super Rugby or Test matches are played this year.
A replacement five-team domestic competition set to include the Western Force was initially planned for an April 3 start before it was postponed until at least May 1.
The Wallabies are due to host Ireland in July, while there is hope a quick-fire Rugby Championship could be held in Australia later this year.
World Rugby chairman Bill Beaumont, who faces a challenge for his job from Argentine vice-chairman Agustin Pichot in an election later this month, said the sport's global unity meant an increased flexibility in scheduling.
"I think it's one of those situations where everyone is in it together," Beaumont told the BBC.
"I think there's a real spirit of collaboration between the north and the south.
"Look, what we can do with our playing windows? What can we do in the international windows that can generate more funds from another competition."
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Latest Comments
You must not understand the point WN. France were every chance to win in 1995, so close in that rain sodden match it was literally a toss of the coin. Ditto in 2011.
The point being it shows teams whether or not they have the metal, so even if you have examples of full strength sides losing every game, they still know the kind of bar they need to meet (NZ being in this case just a team that is nearly always up around that bar needed to win). France sends a side missing key components? It's very easy for them to believe they are still good enough when they aren't, or their best players not to release they need to try and acheive getting better..
Go to commentsNice one brett and full circle for these brumbies boys who also formed the spine of Rennie's wallabies for a chunk of his tenure. As you and others have said, I'm most happy for Noah given the ups and downs he has had over the last couple of years. I have spent alot of time telling others to be patient and to point out the good things he was doing in those earlier games this year while everyone seemed fixated on the 2-3 errors he was making. Luckily shmidt is patient and level-headed and persisted with him allowing his confidence to grow. I said from the start, I didn't care who he picked at 10 out of noah, donno and lynagh (although I thought noah deserved it on SR form), we had to stick with them and let them grow in the new system, we couldn't chop and change. As you say, to me noah is playing like Ford or Foley where his skill is in organising the play and getting the ball to the right person, at the right time, in the right part of the field rather than a quade/M smith (also quality players) who are going to create 5 linebreaks a game single handedly. What hasn't been talked about enough under schmidts tenure and in these winning games because the focus has been on the flashy tries, is that the wallabies are finally managing the game well. They are getting more 22 entries, more territory, less penalties, less turnovers etc etc. These are things the wallabies have struggled with for a long time and are finally getting right. The difference in turnovers at the ruck and lineout was a huge factor in this wales game, suaalii and his restart turnovers vs england etc...
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