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MARC HINTON
Last updated 11:53
21/08/2013
Sevens rugby looks to be the big winner as New Zealand's professional rugby players are set to receive a significant pay increase via the new collective employment agreement.
The New Zealand Rugby Union and the NZ Rugby Players Association today announced they had signed a new three-year agreement covering the professional game through until 2015.
The revenue sharing model has been maintained at 36.56 percent of all player generated income, equating to $121.2 million being poured into player payments at all levels of the professional game over the next three years.
That is broken down between retainer payments for players at $86.9m, assembly payments of $14.4m and other player specific payments of around $19.2m.
Sevens players will receive a major cash injection as the sport moves towards its Olympic debut in 2016, with the women's game in particular being given a leg up into the professional era.
Payments for the New Zealand men's sevens team will increase from $1.6m to $3.5m as the NZRU looks to increase its pool of specialised players in the abbreviated game.
The women's sevens programme will also receive a total of $1.9m to contract "at least" 16 players as the women's game features in the player payment pool for the first time. There is also $200,000 allocated to Black Ferns assembly fees.
The new agreement continues the process of growing the Super Rugby game, while continuing to tighten the purse strings at provincial level.
Super Rugby teams can now contract up to 32 players (up from 28) with maximum payments remaining at $180,000 for 2013 and rising by $5000 over each of the following two years.
But the maximum provincial union retainer has now been reduced $5000 to $55,000, with the "veteran exception" allowed for two players at each union also lowered $5000 to $85,000.
The minimum provincial retainer has been raised from $15,000 to $18,000, with teams required to have a minimum of 26 players (excluding All Blacks) on contract.
Significantly unions will receive reimbursement of $50,000 for Rugby Championship All Blacks (up from $35,000), with that amount reduced on a pro-rata basis if test players are released to play for their provinces.
The new agreement has also introduced a centralised ITM Cup incentive payment of $5000 for all Super Rugby players contracted in the provincial game (with an additional $10,000 for those with five years or more experience).
This offsets the reduction in the retainers paid by unions and is covered out of the player payment pool.
The salary cap for the provincial championship thus reduces from the existing $1.35m to $1.1m for this year, and $1.025m for 2014 and '15.
NZRU chief executive Steve Tew said the new agreement achieved a result which was "affordable" and "improves our ability to keep our top players in this country".
"The professional game is in great heart," added Tew. "We are currently in the unique position of holding all four World Cups in fifteens and sevens, the Chiefs have gone back to back in Investec Super Rugby and the Black Ferns have just enjoyed a clean sweep against England as they build to next year's World Cup.
"Our successes owe much to the strong partnership we have with players. However, we take nothing for granted and believe the new collective employment agreement provides a firm foundation to keep producing the best players in the world and the most successful teams and competitions."
Tew said the new agreement underlined New Zealand Rugby's stronger financial position.
"New Zealand Rugby's financial future is more secure as we worked hard to contain costs, grow revenue and restore our cash reserves," he said. "Our revenue share model with players means they can expect to share in our improved position over the term of the collective.
"Significantly the agreement also reduces the financial burden on ITM Cup unions through a combination of changes including a reduction in the salary cap, altered minimum and maximum player payment levels, and greater compensation for All Blacks who are unavailable due to their Rugby Championship commitments."
Players association boss Rob Nichol also welcomed the formal agreement.
"The agreement provides a level of certainty around the competitions and the overall contracting model," he said.
"It sets the parameters that all those involved in professional rugby in New Zealand operate within from a player contracting, development and welfare perspective.
It creates a strong professional rugby partnership and aligns the interests of the parties involved.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/9...r-big-pay-rise
OK Mr Pulver, your turn
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