Pay cuts may be okay for Kruis or Nowell, but lower paid teammates might not agree - Andy Goode
Imposing a 25% pay cut across the board in the Premiership may be a necessary evil but it is fraught with problems and the devil is in the detail.
First of all, players like Jack Nowell and George Kruis, who have openly said they’re ok with the cut, are going to be alright financially but some of their team-mates aren’t as well off, definitely don’t agree with them and may not be too happy with that stance.
WATCH: Premiership Rugby CEO Darren Childs joins us to discuss what the likelihood is that the season will be completed.
It’s a lot more difficult for those lower paid players to stick their heads above the parapet because they might be judged for doing so.
I’ve had players come to me asking if they have to take a pay cut and legally they don’t. The Rugby Players’ Association (RPA) has also informed its members that they are within their rights to tell their club it is a “breach of contract”.
Apart from the fact that this affects players very differently depending on their salary, the detail is also vitally important. In reality, we don’t know how long this is going to go on for and we also don’t know whether full pay will be reinstated when players begin training again or not until games are going ahead.
If it’s a case of getting 25% less income for a month, it may not even be an issue but nearer six months and that’s a big deal. There will also be a mini pre-season of at least a few weeks and players would understandably be frustrated if they were still on reduced pay for that.
Imagine if you were a player who hasn’t got your contract situation for next season sorted out yet as well. Some of those players will feel like they don’t have a voice because offers could be taken off the table if they don’t toe the line and they may be seen as troublemakers.
Equally, those who know they’re moving clubs at the end of this season and perhaps also aren’t among the very top earners would understandably not be particularly keen to just accept a pay cut.
I think a major part of the problem is that it seems to be a blanket approach when it has to really be dealt with on an individual basis because every player’s situation is different and, on top of that, it sounds like it could have been handled better by certain clubs.
Clubs are in a very difficult position themselves and I think everyone understands the tough financial pressure they’re under. It’s a perilous situation for a lot of them and we all want a professional sport to come back to with none of them having gone bust.
Players recognise that too and many will instantly accept the pay cut as a result but they have to look after themselves and their families first. Rugby isn’t football and many live month to month, paycheck to paycheck. Some lower down the food chain have even more of a hand to mouth existence and I think that’s something fans just don’t realise.
I was asked to take a pay cut when I was at Brive, albeit obviously in completely different circumstances, and I’m not sure how it played out for all the players in the end but I was offered legal advice and I think that’s only right.
In my case it was because of the financial circumstances of the owner rather than a global pandemic, so it isn’t comparable, but the point is that it’s completely understandable for players to be getting legal advice.
I was fortunate enough to be able to take up an opportunity at the Sharks and also know that I was joining Worcester the following season. Players at the moment don’t have that luxury.
Everyone has been affected by Coronavirus in some way and most of the country are being affected financially, some a lot more than rugby players. As a result, it’s difficult for players to feel able to speak out.
I’m not saying it has been but this isn’t something that should just be imposed across the league, it has to be handled delicately and done on an individual basis because every player’s contract and situation is different.
There are no winners in this situation, we all know that, but it can’t just be a one size fits all policy and players’ individual circumstances have to be taken into account.
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John, McKenzie was 10 years ago and he only lasted 15 months until the disgustingly unfair affair that brought him down. I thought that if he didn't get another gig over Eddie V2 then he was done. I read that he had been approached but declined to put his name in the ring.
There are no potential Wallaby coaches outside of McKellar unless you have some inside info?
Go to commentsThe way they are defending is sometime pathetic to be honest. Itoje is usually on the inside of the rush and he is paired with a slower tight forward. Unable to keep up with the rush we have seen the line become disconnected on the inside where the big boys are. How many times have we seen Earl rush past the first receiver almost into no mans land covering no attacker. It looks like a system without any guidance. Tome Wright, Ikitau and a number of Wallabies went back to this soft centre as did Williams, Jordan and several others. Also when the line is broken the multiple lines of defence seems to be missing. The rush is predicated on a cover and recovery system with multiple lines of defence but with England you dont see it any more. Fitness and conditioning seems to be off as well as players are struggling to keep up with the intensity of the rush. Felix Jones has left a huge hole. The whole situation was and is a mess. Why they insist on not letting him go and having him work remotely is beyond me. Its leading to massive negative press and is a hot button issue thats distracting from the squad. Also the communication around Jones and his role has been absolute rubbish and is totally disjointed. While some say he is working remotely and playing a role others are saying theres been no contact. His role has not been defined and so people keep asking and keep getting different answers. England need a clean break from him and need to start over. Whatever reason for his leaving its time to cut the rope before the saga drags the whole Borthwick regime down. As for Joe El Abd well good luck to him. He is being made to look like an amateur by the whole saga and he is being asked to coach a system thats not his and which has been perfected and honed since 2017 by Nienaber, Jones, Erasmus and Co and which was first started by White in 2004. He is literally trying to figure out a system pioneered by double world cup winning coaches at the highest level and coach it at the same time. Talk about being on a hiding to nothing.
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