Wales’ Six Nations clash with England next week remains in doubt after the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) and the Welsh regions insisted there is “no room for manoeuvre” on player contracts.
Reports this week have claimed Wales players are considering going on strike over contract renewals.
Under a six-year agreement that has, according to the WRU, been verbally agreed, players in Wales are set to receive lower wages, with bonuses introduced to contracts.
Professional players in the nation accepted cuts of 20 per cent during the COVID-19 pandemic.
On Wednesday, WRU interim chief executive Nigel Walker met with senior members of Wales’ squad to “further clarify” the governing body’s position.
The new, proposed contract deal has to be agreed by February 28, three days after Wales take on England at the Principality Stadium.
The Professional Rugby Board (PRB), which represents the WRU and the four Welsh regions, stated: “Discussions are complex and nuanced and that terms offered may not meet the immediate expectations of all individuals involved, but as has been evidenced in other countries, rugby finances are stretched and the professional game in Wales is determined to live within its means.”
Malcolm Wall, the chair of the PRB, said: “The new agreement offers a complete funding package to the professional game in Wales, but it does come with financial limitations that will directly affect salary negotiations.
“The cold facts are that the WRU and clubs have been paying salaries that their businesses cannot afford, so the new agreement establishes a new framework for contract negotiations. There is a stipulation that all current contracts will be honoured, but these businesses must return to a sustainable footing in order for the success we all crave to follow.
“The average salary of a Welsh professional rugby player under the new framework will be around £100,000 per year.
“We are confident that our salary packages are in line with the UK market. The PRB accepts that some better-funded English and French clubs are paying more, but this is where we must set the mark of sustainability in Wales.”
The WRU’s statement added: “The new six-year agreement reached includes provision for a new approach to international player release, a salary cap and a formal framework for contract negotiations across all four professional sides and the national squad.
“There is no room for manoeuvre when it comes to the overall budget available for player contracts.”
Walker said: “We have absolute empathy with the professional players in Wales and are hugely grateful for all that they do for our national game, just as our regional sides are for the commitment of their players.
“We know we are not in an ideal situation, but it is incredibly important for the whole game in Wales for us to get this next step right. We must get this right and if that means taking time to do so then that is the way it must be.
“The next step is to confirm the deal and confirm these contracts, and we will be moving as swiftly as we possibly can to that point.”
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