Genge's breakaway union want 1 per cent of players' salaries
Further details are emerging from England prop Ellis Genge’s breakaway players’ union, the Rugby Players Epoch (RPE), who have vowed to give their members a truly ‘independent’ voice amid the current financial calamity the game finds itself in.
The England loosehead’s new union are pitching themselves as an alternative to the Rugby Players Associaton (RPA), who are part-funded by Premiership Rugby and the RFU.
Earlier this week, all 13 clubs voted for a major overhaul of the current salary cap system off the back of Lord Myners’ review into the cap following the Saracens scandal. There is also widespread speculation that the current 25 per cent pay cuts imposed on players are to be made permanent. The threat of a fight between the players and their clubs just as the game is attempting to return to action could be damaging to the sport.
With much of the game’s finances up in the air, the RPE believes that Damien Hopley’s long-standing RPA are not truly independent and are not best positioned to negotiate on the part of players. However, the new RPE will be significantly more expensive for members, with a membership fee of one per cent of each player’s annual earning being asked.
An RPE prospectus document seen by RugbyPass lays out their position for potential new members. “The RPE is not demanding that players be paid more today, just the opportunity to earn more as the game grows.
“The RPA does great work but isn’t independent. The RFU does great work but made a big mistake. The PRL have grown the game brilliantly, have benefited financially, but didn’t plan for this. We can make mistakes, but we shouldn’t make them twice. There’s no benefit in getting angry.
“The RPE will work with these organisations to help the commercial prospects of the game, to identify issues and address them together. To work diligently to make sure player finances aren’t impacted like this again.
“Each member will allocate 1 per cent of annual salary to the RPE annual fund,” the document states. 24 per cent of that 1 per cent will go to the RPE as fees, while 76 per cent will be invested in ‘low-risk compounding interest products’. “Every 10 years (or earlier) players will receive 1.2x to 1.9x their subscriptions.”
For the average Premiership player on £120,000 to £200,000 a year, that will amount £1,200 to £2,000 as a membership fee, significantly more than the £200 currently being asked by Hopley’s RPA, although they would see a return on that investment over time.
Genge’s RPE also want to take clubs to task on their accounts, saying their union would want ‘independent reviews’ of club financials. “Players should not be joining loss-making entities that do not have viable plans, sinking funds, appropriate facilities to meet salary obligations.”
Players’ image rights will also be a central tenant to the RPE’s mandate. “All players should receive image rights payments” with juniors players getting 2 to 5 per cent of their salaries, and potentially up to 20 per cent.
The RPE will also offer: “Collective negotiation for the PRL and union framework contracts; collective responses at a club level to salary proposals, advice for personal service company establishment; management of approved supplier panels; and vetting of service providers” among other services for players.
Genge’s union is not without backing. RugbyPass understands that at least one prominent former England international is helping to raise funds for the fledgling players’ body.
Genge spoke publically at the end of April regarding the RPE. “We are not making a new RPA,” the 25-year-old told the BBC Sport website: “I think they do really good stuff with welfare in rugby and they look after people really well. But I do feel that people were poorly advised. People were advised from the off to sign the contracts without reading them, almost. Commercially, I didn’t think everyone was being represented very well.
“So I’m trying to put together a players’ union. It is not to replace the RPA or to combat the RFU. Honestly, it is nothing of the sort. It is just so people can get really good advice from trusted professionals in those specific fields: around commercial and legal.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Results probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
1 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
1 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
1 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
8 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
56 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
8 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
61 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to comments