The Bedford fly-half Will Hooley accepts wage cuts are necessary during the crisis but asks have those running the sport been maximising its potential?
Unprecedented times call for drastic measures. People are struggling to cope with lockdown and the financial pressures that come with it. Rugby players are no exception. A front-row forward suddenly knows more about the government’s furlough scheme and pay cuts than many who work within the financial sector. I am one of the players, coaches, physios and other support staff who have found our lives turned upside down. But this is not just about reducing player wages to help clubs survive the crisis. The parlous state of the game’s finances predates Covid-19.
Rugby has to find a way to come out of the crisis stronger, not weaker. Players will help by taking a pay cut but the ultimate ambition of rugby must be to grow the sport. In the long term no business prospers simply by cutting back: a good product, proper investment and, above all, a motivated workforce are necessary for that.
Written by Will Hooley
This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2020/apr/12/rugby-union-coronavirus-cash-uncertainty-players-future under the title “
“. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.
