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THEY are on top of the world, Olympic favourites and poster girls for Australian rugby’s push into new markets.
Little wonder then that the Rugby Union Players Association are keen to talk with the ARU about pay rises for the Australian women’s sevens squad.
The Aussie girls are dominating the current world series, having won their third tournament in a row last weekend in Atlanta. That’s every tournament so far.
They’ve won 17 from 18 games and are raging favourites to win gold in Rio.
But to ensure they don’t have to take their medal down to Cash Converters, RUPA are set to talk turkey with the ARU about improving pay.
Under an MOU struck with RUPA in 2014, the ARU contribute base salaries of between $20,000 and $40,000. Factoring in tax-free athlete support funding from the Australian Sports Commission, the Aussie sevens girls earn an average of $55,000. Outside the top players, though, a big chunk of the 21 player squad would earn around $35,000. There is time factored into a training week to work part-time, too, but most dedicate all hours to footy.
Men’s sevens players, who play twice as many tournaments, have a base salary of $50,000. The average in the squad is believed to be about $90,000, and RUPA would like for the women to be in the same ballpark.
As far as chronically underpaid women’s sports go, the Aussie women’s sevens players are doing okay. The Matildas earn between $31,000 and $40,000 and Australian netballers earn around $50,000.
Australia’s women’s cricketers are paid the most, with retainers for the Southern Stars of between $40,000 and $65,000. With WBBL salaries, top players can earn almost $100,000.
The sevens girls’ success has made possible millions of ARU investment in a fulltime sevens facilities and top coaches.
And then there is the old argument about your pay being linked to how many people will pay to watch you, and sevens revenue is not sizeable, for either sex. That could change if the ARU get the green light for Sydney Sevens to become a men’s and women’s tournament.
But here’s the rub: as far as the women’s team are concerned, the ARU will soon be extracting huge value from their achievements and capacity to inspire.
A five-year strategic plan released this week focused heavily on growth in new areas for rugby. How? Through sevens and more women players.
Take it is as read the faces of Emilee Cherry, Charlotte Caslick and Taleena Simon will be all over ARU promotional material in coming years. Double it if they win gold.
RUPA boss Ross Xenos said pay for the Aussie womens sevens team — and the men — would be folded into the new CBA, which is due to be revised this year.
“The significant evolution of womens sevens over the last few years, along with the growth in payments to female athletes domestically, has paved the way for ARU and RUPA to work towards pay parity for Australia’s womens sevens players in order to ensure we acknowledge the prevalent role they’re playing in the future of the game,” Xenos told us.
Full article: http://www.news.com.au/sport/payto--...d8bdc04daf84ae
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