Delay in WRU pay agreement has left some players seeking psychological help - reports
Psychological help has been sought by some Welsh players stressed out by delays over the introduction of a new pay system that has left the PRO14 regions unable to re-sign those who are heading towards the status of free agents at then end of this season.
Pay bands are being brought in under which players are to be placed in different brackets and remunerated accordingly. However, some players have allegedly become increasingly fearful of what the future holds, according to reports on walesonline.co.uk. The website even believes that members of the Wales squad are affected by the stand-off.
It’s claimed that the remuneration system discussed between the Welsh Rugby Union and the regions could be split into five separate bands.
Anything between £25,000 and £110,000 could be earned by regional players who don’t play at Test level. Between £110,000 and £190,000 could also be banked by new internationals, but a band has allegedly yet to be agreed covering players who make the Wales squad but don’t regularly feature in the starting line-up.
Test regulars would be in line to pocket between £180,000 and £300,000, while Lions players could be on between £250,000 and £450,000.
However, the delay in the implementation of this proposed pay structure has apparently left some players seeking jobs outside rugby while some have also been described as “petrified” that picking up an injury in the next few weeks would leave them vulnerable to being cast aside or left unwanted by other clubs if they fail to agree terms with their current teams.
“It’s just really scary,” said one player, who declined to be named in the revelatory walesonline.co.uk article. “A number of boys have just four wage packets left before they are out of contract and they have no idea if they are going to be wanted next season or what they will definitively be paid. It’s horrendous and heart-breaking.
EXCLUSIVE: 'Petrified' Welsh rugby players seek psychological help as two stars speak out amid crippling uncertainty https://t.co/o3Fw978gHO
— WalesOnline Rugby (@WalesRugby) February 15, 2019
“There are people with mortgages to pay and families to look after, but they can’t plan anything or have any kind of peace of mind while this cloud is hanging over them.
“I have heard that a few boys at one region at least have been seeking psychological help to deal with the stress of it all. People have been struggling mentally, and while we all know that we shouldn’t worry about things we can’t control, it is easier said than done when you could find yourself on the scrapheap within a few months.
“I don’t want to be overpaid. I just want to be fairly paid and to be allowed to crack on with my job. I know that’s the mindset of a load of the boys I’ve spoken to across the regions.
“In a perfect world, everything would have been signed off months ago and we could have been concentrating on the rugby. But here we are in mid-February and the situation is still up in the air.
“No other group of workers would put up with it. The mood among the boys I’m close to isn’t great. People are demoralised and fed-up.
“What do you do if you get seriously injured in the coming weeks? I’m petrified of that happening and others are, too. You could cut be adrift by your region and find it hard to get a new club for next season. I’m speaking to the press because it’s a way of letting people know about the nightmare situation we are in.
“WalesOnline did a story on the pay banding a few months ago and that did us a favour because before then all we’d heard were rumours of what was being proposed. Had that story not come out we probably still wouldn’t know the full details. I just think we deserve better.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Beautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
4 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to comments