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.
Hopefully its the players and staff getting 50% pay cut and not the office worker etc, while i dnt want anyone getting wage cut but them guys cant take the cut more
@Happy entertainment: if you read the article it says the higher earners will be getting bigger cuts
@Happy entertainment: Are you sure of that? Many pro players in Ireland are on €70k per annum without any sponsorship deals and living in cities where cost of living and mortgage payments etc would be higher. Many of the IRFU office staff might be executive level or executive assistants and would likely match the majority of player’s wages. I’m not certain of any of the above but don’t let the earnings of EPL soccer players skew your concept of the wealth existing in pro sport.
@SomeGuy: are you sure about that? I’m not sure there is that much money in the IRFU to be tossing out those wages. I live in London and a few years back I looked at jobs with them.. I was surprised to see the wages were not high! Most execs were earning around 25k to 35k and in London that’s nothing special.
Very few are highly paid!!
It’s not soccer
And they get paid because there are very few who can do what they do. They deserve every penny and a significant portion of their salaries are payed by rugby supporters who buy tickets to watch them
@Sean Carroll: yup we have all paid for our tickets this year. Still waiting (as a 10 year ticket owner) for an email from irfu telling me italy match postponed and what happens next.
@Sean Carroll: So true ,they are incredibly gifted athletes who hope to play at the elite level injury free for 10 yrs,but probably miss two Seasons out injured or get their career ended prematurely. They are not paid enough
Deferrals? They should, as highly paid professionals, all accept 50% pay cuts for the duration of this crisis and not look for repayment when it eventually ends.
People losing their jobs all over the country and a pathetic small wage “deferral” for a privileged elite does not show any leadership whatsoever IMO.
@Robb Stark: Highly paid athletes are only highly paid for max 10 years if they’re lucky.
@Robb Stark: they don’t get paid as much as many people think.
@Robb Stark: Have a KitKat Robb
@Robb Stark: they’re rugby players, not leaders. While job losses are terribly unfortunate they have nothing to do with these guys. They’ve struck a deal via their union which will see them take a hit but obviously tries to limit the hit they have to take, so fair play to them both for taking the hit and for standing up for themselves while doing so.
@Robb Stark: Privileged Elite…… like Keith Earls from, checks notes, Moyross.
@Cian: So What if he’s from Moyross. What’s that for to do with anything?
@Robb Stark: why should they?
@Robb Stark:
Get a grip.. They are part of a business and paid according to their contribution to that business.
@Decko49: Read the OP.
@Robb Stark: you need help
@Robb Stark: It sounds like you want them to donate their wages to completely unrelated industry workers who have lost their jobs. Their salaries are irrelevant in this debate. Their employer has a significant turnover based on their contribution and they have worked with their employer to reduce earnings at a time when their employer can no longer generate the same revenue. Effectively short-time working that is evident across the country. Don’t let your lack of ability to adequately monetise your skills lead to bitterness at those who have worked hard for their success.
@Robb Stark: what about the Irish footballers that earn more in a month than most rugby players do in a year? They’re not losing any wages. They’re part of the elite, I don’t see you having a little sulk over them. Doesn’t suit your agenda.
Give them 203 euro like everyone else?
@FrontSeatDriver: why would they do that? That haven’t lost their jobs so signing on would be fraud. They are paid by the irfu.
Have they being paying Sexton all along, for playing like that this year?
We’re all in the same boat, pay cuts, short time, job losses, no exceptions, except the politicians! Front line workers deserve extra money
@Chris Tobin: there is no extra money. There is quite the opposite of extra money. Sovereign debt crises to sweep the globe before the year is out.
@Gordon Comstock: It will take years to recover.
@Gordon Comstock: Do you reckon the gardai will do a load of overtime for a flat rate, have a word with yourself.
Hopefully it’s just the Leinster lads……..
@T Dawg: it basically is.
Heaslip and O’Brien will be so annoyed with the pay cut….oh wait the IRFU finished paying those two….finally
@Con O’Hannrachàin: Both players were performing a seriously high level when they left the leinster set up through injury.
The UK government will help all the Belfast based Ulster staff by paying 80% if their wages up to a max of £2500 per month.
I heard it was mainly the Munster lads Joke
I herd Stockdale is paying the irfu to staff on the books
Would be a nice gesture if they were seen to be helping people while they are off. Delivering essentials and food to those in self-isolation.
@Christiaan Theron: Definitely a good PR move but not something that would make sense. In a cold view, these guys are company assets and few companies would risk their assets for publicity or philanthropy. I’m in self-isolation so wouldn’t mind an old bag of shopping from the lads!
@Christiaan Theron: don’t be ridiculous
@Christiaan Theron: In theory great idea, but in reality these lads are pro athletes with their own lives and family to look after. I wouldn’t say the IRFU would be happy with lads taking any minor risks like this while under contract.
@Mike McGann: When these lads visit hospitals how many of the patients have infectious diseases?
@Christiaan Theron: I’d imagine they don’t visit wards with highly infectious disease. Even if they did, we haven’t had an outbreak like this in a long time. Also your comment is standard Irish ‘whataboutism’ and is an ineffective tool for communication and debate as you just look like you’ve nothing relevant to add to the discussion.
@JC: Your comment is standard Irish “imagining” when in all reality you simply dont know. This projection is at best conjecture and totally absent of fact and therefore it appears that you look like you have some other reason to be inventing what isnt a fact.
Disgrace that those private school boys are goin to hurt the most
@Kieran Creighton: It probably instilled jn them to get a Degree and not rely on Rugby
hi
waiting here boys…
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