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Itoje: 'I wouldn't want anybody or everybody knowing exactly what I'm earning'

By Online Editors
(Original photo by Cameron Spencer / Getty Images)

Maro Itoje would oppose the salaries of players in the Gallagher Premiership being made public as a measure to provide greater transparency in their clubs’ adherence to salary cap regulations.

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Saracens will be relegated into the second tier of English club rugby at the end of the season for repeatedly breaching the £7million limit imposed on all 12 sides in the top flight.

The salary cap system is currently being independently reviewed, with one possible future recommendation being the publication of all salaries, as is common in American team sports such as NFL.

Itoje, however, believes it would be a step too far.

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“I’m sure it works in a lot of different places but, believe it or not, when it comes to finances I’m quite a private person,” the England lock said.

“On an individual level, I wouldn’t want anybody or everybody knowing exactly what I’m earning, but fortunately we’re not public officials – well I’m not one quite yet! – so I don’t think there’s a genuine need for that.

“Obviously there is a salary cap manager and that’s his job is to make sure everything is as it should be.”

None of Saracens’ players are at fault for the salary cap transgressions but, in the report of the last three seasons’ breaches, evidence was presented showing that Itoje had been paid £1.6million for a 30 per cent share of his image rights.

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An alternative valuation commissioned by Premier Rugby Limited estimated that Itoje was overpaid by £800,000 and this amount was thus deemed to be salary.

When asked if he still has business dealings with Saracens’ former owner and chairman Nigel Wray, who bankrolled the club, Itoje explained: “Nothing has changed.

“When I entered into them, they were all – to my knowledge – above board. There wasn’t any intention or even a thought that this was not above board.

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“Nothing I entered into was with the intention of… there wasn’t even the slightest thought of it being not allowed by the salary cap manager.

“Obviously the situation is very different now. It is very clear that whatever you do, you have to get it checked by the salary cap manager. That’s the reality of the situation.”

Itoje’s name appeared in the leaked version of the report in what the British and Irish Lions lock views as an “invasion of privacy”.

Jamie George is the only member of Saracens’ England contingent to publicly voice his desire to stay at Allianz Park next season, with Itoje revealing negotiations are ongoing.

Maro Itoje
Maro Itoje

“We’ve had discussions with the club about what could potentially happen next year, what things are going to be in place. Nothing has been finalised yet,” Itoje said.

“What has happened, has happened. No one at the club wanted this to happen and no one at the club envisaged this would happen.

“The club have said their piece. They have apologised and my mindset is forward, rather than backwards.”

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Jon 6 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

This is the problem with conservative mindsets and phycology, and homogenous sports, everybody wants to be the same, use the i-win template. Athlete wise everyone has to have muscles and work at the gym to make themselves more likely to hold on that one tackle. Do those players even wonder if they are now more likely to be tackled by that player as a result of there “work”? Really though, too many questions, Jake. Is it better Jake? Yes, because you still have that rugby of ole that you talk about. Is it at the highest International level anymore? No, but you go to your club or checkout your representative side and still engage with that ‘beautiful game’. Could you also have a bit of that at the top if coaches encouraged there team to play and incentivized players like Damian McKenzie and Ange Capuozzo? Of course we could. Sadly Rugby doesn’t, or didn’t, really know what direction to go when professionalism came. Things like the state of northern pitches didn’t help. Over the last two or three decades I feel like I’ve been fortunate to have all that Jake wants. There was International quality Super Rugby to adore, then the next level below I could watch club mates, pulling 9 to 5s, take on the countries best in representative rugby. Rugby played with flair and not too much riding on the consequences. It was beautiful. That largely still exists today, but with the world of rugby not quite getting things right, the picture is now being painted in NZ that that level of rugby is not required in the “pathway” to Super Rugby or All Black rugby. You might wonder if NZR is right and the pathway shouldn’t include the ‘amateur’, but let me tell you, even though the NPC might be made up of people still having to pull 9-5s, we know these people still have dreams to get out of that, and aren’t likely to give them. They will be lost. That will put a real strain on the concept of whether “visceral thrill, derring-do and joyful abandon” type rugby will remain under the professional level here in NZ. I think at some point that can be eroded as well. If only wanting the best athlete’s at the top level wasn’t enough to lose that, shutting off the next group, or level, or rugby players from easy access to express and showcase themselves certainly will. That all comes back around to the same question of professionalism in rugby and whether it got things right, and rugby is better now. Maybe the answer is turning into a “no”?

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j
john 9 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

But here in Australia we were told Penney was another gun kiwi coach, for the Tahs…….and yet again it turned out the kiwi coach was completely useless. Another con job on Australian rugby. As was Robbie Deans, as was Dave Rennie. Both coaches dumped from NZ and promoted to Australia as our saviour. And the Tahs lap them up knowing they are second rate and knowing that under pressure when their short comings are exposed in Australia as well, that they will fall in below the largest most powerful province and choose second rate Tah players to save their jobs. As they do and exactly as Joe Schmidt will do. Gauranteed. Schmidt was dumped by NZ too. That’s why he went overseas. That why kiwi coaches take jobs in Australia, to try and prove they are not as bad as NZ thought they were. Then when they get found out they try and ingratiate themselves to NZ again by dragging Australian teams down with ridiculous selections and game plans. NZ rugby’s biggest problem is that it can’t yet transition from MCaw Cheatism. They just don’t know how to try and win on your merits. It is still always a contest to see how much cheating you can get away with. Without a cheating genius like McCaw, they are struggling. This I think is why my wise old mate in NZ thinks Robertson will struggle. The Crusaders are the nursery of McCaw Cheatism. Sean Fitzpatrick was probably the father of it. Robertson doesn’t know anything else but other countries have worked it out.

35 Go to comments
A
Adrian 10 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

35 Go to comments
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