THE IRFU HAS confirmed that its staff, including all professional players, will have their wages reduced by 10% to 50% due to the financial pressure on Irish rugby caused by the Covid-19 crisis.
With the reductions to be enacted in April, the IRFU said that it “hopes to return to full pay, and repay any deferrals, as soon as possible.”
Ireland had their home Six Nations tie against Italy postponed this month, denying the IRFU a vital payday at the Aviva Stadium. With Ireland’s final-round visit against France among the other postponed games, the union has not yet received crucial prize money from the Six Nations.
And with all professional club rugby, including the Pro14 and Champions Cup, also now suspended indefinitely, the IRFU is looking to reduce financial strain by enacting pay-deferral measures.
The deferrals apply to all employees in Munster, Ulster, Connacht, and Leinster, and come after the IRFU today reached an agreement with Rugby Players Ireland and its members.
The union says the deferrals, which are “based on an equitable sliding scale which ranges from 10% – 50%,” will be effective from April “and beyond if required, but will remain subject to constant review of the financial circumstances of the IRFU and provinces.”
The42 understands that the union’s biggest earners – players on more lucrative central union contracts – will be those taking the higher percentage deferrals.
“We are entering uncharted waters as the Covid-19 crisis continues to unfold but we remain hopeful that something of this season can be retrieved later in summer,” said IRFU CEO Philip Browne.
“This is important as the whole game, amateur and professional, is financially dependent on the resumption of the professional tournaments and the revenues that they generate.
“With postponement of these tournaments the IRFU and the Provinces are facing some daunting financial challenges around loss of revenue and cash flow and we must cut our costs.”
The IRFU added that the situation will remain under constant review but that “this arrangement will allow Irish Rugby the breathing space required in relation to cashflow that can ensure that when this crisis abates, we still have a business that can deliver for all those that play and love rugby.”
Rugby Players Ireland CEO Simon Keogh said professional players recognised the need to work with the union.
“We recognise the need to work with the IRFU with respect to these payment deferrals in light of the current circumstances,” said Keogh. “All endeavours have been made to contact those affected on an individual basis.
“Our members appreciate that such moves are necessary in order to protect the future of the game in this country. The health and safety of the public is the priority at this time. We will continue to work with the IRFU as this situation develops.”
Meanwhile, The42 understands that all professional players in Ireland are now on a ‘stand down’ period for the next eight weeks, with the hope being that the provinces can resume collective training on 18 May.
With the provinces having cancelled all group training, players will work with individualised training programmes for the next two months during an extended break from playing due to all professional rugby being suspended.
While there has been no official confirmation yet, The42 understands that as things stand, Ireland’s two-Test tour to Australia in July is set to be cancelled given the scale of the Covid-19 outbreak and the resulting travel restrictions.
The IRFU’s hope is that players will be able to return to collective training on 18 May for what amounts to a pre-season before the 2019/20 campaign Pro14 and Champions Cup campaigns are finished in July and August.
Given that there are several other unions and stakeholders involved in those competitions, there is no certainty in this regard yet.
Even more pertinently, the IRFU has no clarity on whether players will be free to resume collective training on 18 May as the future of the Covid-19 situation remains so unknown.
If these tentative plans do go ahead, with the 2019/20 season completed in July and August, it’s expected that Irish players would subsequently have a short break period before continuing on into the 2020/21 season.
The simple fact is that Irish players, the provinces, and the IRFU are playing a waiting game for the time being, with all staff members’ pay having been cut in the short-term as Irish rugby faces up to financial reality of this unprecedented situation.
Obviously been rested for basel. Massive game on Tuesday.
This is the right way to deal with gerrard. He is a 60-90 minute player now. Can make an impact when he comes on
He’s too old now. Will retire without a premier league medal. Har Har Har
Har har har…. What do you have to show for in life? That funny joke? You will be remembered for that?
Your some man to talk graham
He has lifted every competitive trophy (apart from one obviously) there is to lift as club captain.
The only club captain to have done so in Europe.
No one else has this record, believe it or not.
He hasn’t had a bad career.
Eoin, I have not claimed to have had a better life…. But when faced with a stupid comment…..
I’m sure Maldini would trade those League titles for a Uefa Cup medal in a heart beat Danny ha
U bitter bitter man
Sean, the record still stands. :-)
Dennis hickie never won a 6 nations… What conclusions would you draw from that?
Dan Marino never won a Suprebowl, yet he’s widely regarded as being in the top3 NFL QB’s of all time. So what if Gerrard hasn’t got a PL medal, he’ll still be remembered as a top class player and captain.
God damn Ray Finkle!
He’s the laughing stock of the league this season! He wants a prem medal more than anything and he WILL NEVER get one! ;)
You are a fool.
That Ireland weren’t good enough at that time ???
Niall Lonergan… Loner…. I could see that.
Graham… Ham… Try seeing that. Now how Prem medals has Stevie G? A big fat 0 my friend! :P
I’m watching this game and can’t help but feel that d qauility On display here is on a par with the league of ireland I’m doin my own league a dis service by watchn this tripe, premier league my ass
Gerrard is so overrated.
So are your sunglasses!
That comeback is so bad Warren I’m not even gonna slag you back.
Pitiful.
Gerrard is still totally overrated.
Good point for Liverpool
I wonder will you be around on Monday Baz………
Of course I will , and midweek
If you play as good as you did today there’s no reason why you shouldn’t get a point against Basel aswell
I am talking about you shooting your mouth like a fool even before United have played a tough away match….fool
C’mon Peter, you know Baz by now…. Go with it. As much as he likes to get to ya, he does not get like many people here still wearing nappies its seems….
What has this got to do with Utd ??? And why is everybody a fool in your eyes cause their view is different ??
Take your word for it that Sundeland’s game plan is working, meanwhile Arsenal are being slaughtered.
After what he did during the week, gerrard not starting is a joke. Unless he’s being rested for the Basel match.
Hold on a sec,yis were crying out for him to be dropped 2 weeks ago.
The difference a week can make!
Hehe, was waiting for this…. Glad he is dropped again, when he came on last time, he made a difference… And this should be his role. He is still a class player, just not the same engine.
Always thought he was a very good but over rated player, certainly never in the same class as say a Giggs or a Scholes who despite the longevity of their careers always made an impact. Sure they have the medals to show for it.
Gerrrad was and is a great player amazing, wonderful, spectacular, one of the best, but he is not better than Paul Scholes.
Gerard was an outstanding player, would have achieved it all maybe had he went elsewhere. He would have played in any team. Those calling him overrated are just showing how clueless they are about football…. He is not up there with some others, and that is down to the fact he stayed at Liverpool. He gave it everything, maybe did not get everything he deserved. Scholes, Giggs… Yes class, but surrounded by class. Gerard, for years kept Liverpool just about relevant at times…. His defining moment is probably captaining the greatest CL win ever…. And a certain slip…. But that was because he tried so hard…. People make mistakes because they try, others are clean because they did nothing…..
Careful there now Frank, people talking sense on this subject tend not be well received at all.
You’re actually perfectly correct though.
He slipped because he tried so hard? What planet are you on man. Standing on the halfway line between two centre backs and and he failed to control the ball and then slips literally gifting the win to Chelsea but to be fair that could happen to anyone so let’s not dwell on it.
The CL win is oft quoted as a mark of his greatness. Rubbish.
Milan overran them while it was Gerrard in midfield. The introduction of Hamann to replace Finnan was the turning point in that game. It forced Liverpool to reshape with Gerrard out of midfield where he got destroyed in the first half.
He’s a brilliant striker of the ball, reliable peno taker and good at the corners and free kicks etc. in every other aspect of the game he’s nowhere near the status awarded to him by Liverpool fans who can’t see beyond their nose.
There’s not a chance he’s a better midfielder than Keane, Scholes, Vieira, Beckham, Giggs etc etc etc. Gary Speed was better than him if you’re judging him as a midfield player. So is Carrick for that matter. Less spectacular but more effective. Look at Matic missing for Chelsea today and they lost. You boys just don’t understand how this works.
Understand literal? No I guess…. Gerard was alone in poor teams…. Your heros were surrounded by great players. Would they have done the same in Gerards shoes? I do not expect you to agree, judging by many of your posts, any Liverpool player is historically rubbish.
Literally gifting the win to Chelsea? Eh yeah he literally gifted the win to Chelsea. Gifts possession to Demba Ba on the halfway line? If you want to discuss semantics bring it on but you’ll struggle big guy.
Hamann, Alonso, Mascherano, Riise, Hyppia, Kewell, Suarez, Torres, Carragher, Fowler, Owen. steve Finnan was an established international? All of the above were excellent players and had great careers. This thing of Gerrard played with no one is another misnomer perpetuated by ‘pool fans to suit their cocktail of nostalgia and marketing induced myopia. I realise they weren’t all part of the same squads but nevertheless their careers overlapped and it tears asunder this nonsense he’d no one with him. Garbage.
Sure United won titles with Wes Brown, John O’Shea, Blomqvist, Henning Berg, David May, Quinton Fortune for heavens sake?
Look just admit that apart from watching YouTube clips of cracking shots from the edge of the box you’ve never really analysed this properly.
Had he went? Had he went? Understand the difference between past tense and past participle? Clearly not.
School me on grammar, fair play to you. Like I said, did not expect you to agree, but I was not going to start insulting you.
Also, I never use youtube for anything other than pranks and fails. Your simple evaluation that Gerard is over rated is way off the mark.
You started it. Literally.
Michael, have a good night, we can agree on that
Not me, however
Steven Gerrard is a poor man’s Frank Lampard
United fans all over a Liverpool thread as usual.
And decent streams?
Any*