RFU and clubs agree player welfare reform

Senior England players are angry that a new deal designed to protect their welfare could cost them up to £75,000 each in lost income because they will have to miss lucrative Test matches.

Damian Hopley, chief executive of the Rugby Players’ Association (RPA), was confronted over the issue during a heated meeting at the England training base in Portugal.

The RPA endorsed the extension of the club season to ten months after negotiating the inclusion of guaranteed in-season rest weeks, with specific player-welfare arrangements put in place for the national team.

The World Cup squad will not be selected for the 2020 summer tour to Japan, where England will play two Tests, and those who go on the 2021 British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa will have to miss one international that November. England players receive about £25,000 per Test from the RFU, which is divided into training money, appearance fee and image rights. The squad who tour Japan would receive a flat fee.

Players also harbour concerns about being forced to hand over their jersey to a rival — but Mark Lambert, the Harlequins prop and RPA chairman, told The Times that player welfare had to be the main consideration. “I do understand there is a financial element now but I look at the bigger picture — we want these players to be fit and healthy and playing as much as possible for their country,” he said.

With England’s squad depleted by injuries, Eddie Jones said he had selected “probably the most inexperienced pack England have had for a long time” for tomorrow’s game against South Africa at Twickenham. The back row of Brad Shields, Tom Curry and Mark Wilson have ten caps between them, while the power-packed Springbok trio of Siya Kolisi, Duane Vermeulen and Warren Whiteley boast 100.

In a change of direction for the team, Jones, the head coach, selected Owen Farrell, whom he described as the side’s “spiritual leader”, at fly half with Ben Te’o at inside centre.

Dylan Hartley, England’s co-captain with Farrell, confirmed that he had spoken to Hopley but did not want to discuss the new-season deal with four autumn Tests looming.

The players are believed to be frustrated that the RPA agreed to the arrangement without consulting them.

“I understand as a one-off it would be something a player would potentially question because of the financial element,” Lambert said. “When those two specific [rest] proposals were made, we saw them as a really positive point from the RFU attempting to look after the highest-profile players in the country, thinking about their long-term welfare.

“If this is an opportunity to get a meaningful rest, I see that as a massive positive. They [the players] may say, ‘Can I not miss games for my club to play for England?’ But the clubs employ the players so there has to be a balance.”

LondonTiger wrote:

If they want to play less games, then they need to accept they will probably get less money.

ebop wrote:They should go on strike. It’s a terrible situation. Poor rugby players losing out on £25,000 a game.

SecretFly wrote:

ebop wrote:They should go on strike. It’s a terrible situation. Poor rugby players losing out on £25,000 a game.

If they don't get it, someone does though.  So................... let's cut players some slack, at least they bleed or crunch bones for their efforts.

ebop wrote:

SecretFly wrote:

ebop wrote:They should go on strike. It’s a terrible situation. Poor rugby players losing out on £25,000 a game.

If they don't get it, someone does though.  So................... let's cut players some slack, at least they bleed or crunch bones for their efforts.

Do you reckon some players would take the field on crutches for £25,000? Crutches may be a stretch. What about fatigue? Or even minor fatigue? Would a senior England player that is minor fatigued take the field for £25,000? Big call. Hope the English players get what they deserve.

ebop wrote:Do you reckon some players would take the field on crutches for £25,000?

SecretFly wrote:

ebop wrote:

SecretFly wrote:

ebop wrote:They should go on strike. It’s a terrible situation. Poor rugby players losing out on £25,000 a game.

If they don't get it, someone does though.  So................... let's cut players some slack, at least they bleed or crunch bones for their efforts.

Do you reckon some players would take the field on crutches for £25,000? Crutches may be a stretch. What about fatigue? Or even minor fatigue? Would a senior England player that is minor fatigued take the field for £25,000? Big call. Hope the English players get what they deserve.

7 has a point, ebop.  Maybe finally the beginning of New Zealand becoming a net importer of players???

If all the good Kiwis go up north for the money, then there might appear gaps for English players to move into who wouldn't get out of bed for 25,000 a game?   25,100 offered and they're on the plane down South.....

Players also harbour concerns about being forced to hand over their jersey to a rival

“They [the players] may say, ‘Can I not miss games for my club to play for England?’ But the clubs employ the players so there has to be a balance.”

Rugby Fan wrote:

ebop wrote:Do you reckon some players would take the field on crutches for £25,000?

Players take the field injured all the time. Some might do so for cash, the love of the shirt, or the fear of missing out on playing opprtunities. Richie McCaw played a World Cup with a broken foot. Johnny Sexton took the field for the third Lions test with a broken wrist.

Billy Vunipola said he'd give up some of his salary to play fewer games, and Alex Corbisiero said he had actually asked to do the same. Joe Marler will take a financial hit for putting his family first but these three players are probably the exception. David Flatman said he played too many games sometimes but wouldn't have hesitated to take money to play more.

SecretFly wrote:

ebop wrote:

SecretFly wrote:

ebop wrote:They should go on strike. It’s a terrible situation. Poor rugby players losing out on £25,000 a game.

If they don't get it, someone does though.  So................... let's cut players some slack, at least they bleed or crunch bones for their efforts.

Do you reckon some players would take the field on crutches for £25,000? Crutches may be a stretch. What about fatigue? Or even minor fatigue? Would a senior England player that is minor fatigued take the field for £25,000? Big call. Hope the English players get what they deserve.

7 has a point, ebop.  Maybe finally the beginning of New Zealand becoming a net importer of players???

If all the good Kiwis go up north for the money, then there might appear gaps for English players to move into who wouldn't get out of bed for 25,000 a game?   25,100 offered and they're on the plane down South.....