'They're going to have to play a bit more semi-professional': Top Kiwi official warns NZ players may need second career
New Zealand Rugby Players’ Association chief executive Rob Nichol has warned that professional players in New Zealand may have to seek secondary jobs to accompany their rugby careers as the economic impact of COVID-19 continues to wreak havoc.
According to Newshub, players are being told to prepare for a scenario where they will have to work in another profession alongside their rugby commitments as New Zealand Rugby grapples with the financial implications of coronavirus.
Nichol said that while NZR and NZRPA are committed to combatting the virus, which has brought the sporting world to its knees over the past few weeks, the current crisis could have a long-lasting affect on the game in New Zealand.
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“Maybe they’re going to have to step away from rugby,” Nichol told Newshub.
“Maybe rugby does change shape a little bit, and they’re going to have to play a bit more semi-professional and have a career in parallel to professional rugby.
“It may well be that, over the next 18 months to two years, a number of players are going to find themselves having to fall back on that kind of work and actually maybe step away from rugby.”
A move into a secondary job by the likes of All Blacks stars could help sustain the financial futures those at the lower end of the professional spectrum, such as players on low-tier provincial contracts.
This is trying times, even for the most successful unions.https://t.co/2kMN3wfAvz
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“It is absolutely quite tangible that a number of our players may end up having to go to a career outside of rugby for a period of time,” Nichol said.
Pay cuts are imminent for players in New Zealand, with NZR confirming to AAP that their staff are already taking 20 percent income slash.
“At the end of the day, it is making a sacrifice,” All Blacks midfielder Anton Lienert-Brown told Newshub.
“But if it’s for the game we love, then we’ll do anything.”
His Chiefs and All Blacks teammate Damian McKenzie echoed those sentiments, telling Newshub that rugby’s uncertain future has forced him to survey at his options.
“It definitely puts it into perspective about our careers post-rugby, so now is a good chance to have a think about that sort of stuff.”
In other news:
Comments on RugbyPass
Who listens to this retard? He was a massive liability as a player but obviously a media sensation
40 Go to commentsI’m not surprised by such ‘virtue signalling’ by Sonny Boy. Butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth. He’s such a pious Islamic muppet, imo.
40 Go to commentsI’ve actually never heard of the guy (then I don’t watch League as it is boring). But if he is good enough.. then good luck to him. If not, well, he can always return to league.
2 Go to commentsIt is pretty clear that by almost any measure that NZ are a more successful rugby nation than South Africa. Quite aside from the distasteful events during the last RWC final. NZ lead SA in all significant measurements.
39 Go to commentsDickson went to his pocket for a card, saw who it was, changed his mind and spoke at length to TMO. One angle clearly shows Care diving over a Saints player to kill the ball. 1st yellow, reason given for not Red was player was falling backwards. He was only falling backwards after contact with Lawes. Graham try should have stood. Mitchell did not have both hands on the ball, ball went forward from a Saints boot dragging over it. 2 intentional knock-on's. One of which had an overlap on the outside. If Quins are happy to win by intentional foul play, then it does not say much for them. Would appear to be a bad day for Karl Dickson, also for the RFU in appointing a Ref who spent 8 years as a player at one of the clubs.
1 Go to commentsLet’s not forget about Ardie Savea just yet.
4 Go to commentsThe URC and the Euro Championscup can’t run at the same time, basically dilutes both competitions.
1 Go to comments“While Sotutu should start at No.8 for the All Blacks against England, but it’s only in that arena that he can prove just how good he really is.” And that my friends is where simply hasnt shone despite multiple opportunities. Even in this performance you can see what did him in in the test arena..he almost always still runs at the opposition almost ramrod upright making him easier to stop than it should be.
4 Go to commentsShould have been 0-0 and a message from SR CEO to both teams - “don’t worry about turning up next year”.
4 Go to commentsGreat work Owen Franks. A great of this team, scoring his first try for the Crusaders since 2010.He was beaming, justifiably. A fine win, he and the rest did the job up front.
1 Go to commentsDanny Care. Lang in die tand.
1 Go to commentsBig empty stadium does nothing for atmosphere but munster are playing well with solid performance
1 Go to commentsYes, Fiji can win the World Cup! With that belief plus their christian faith🙏 and hard work it is achievable. Great article. Ian Duncan Fiji resident 1981-84
2 Go to commentsInteresting comments about Touch. England’s hosting the Touch World Cup this year and the numbers have exploded since their last World Cup in 2019, something like 70% more teams and 40 nations taking part. And England Touch have made a big thing about how many universities are in their BUCS University Touch Championship as well as Sport England membership. Can only see this growing even more domestically as more people become aware of it
10 Go to comments“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
4 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
4 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
4 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
40 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
4 Go to comments