We still need details from Genge but RPA deserves more credit - Andy Goode
Rugby needs more characters like Ellis Genge and I’m intrigued to hear more detail about his plans for a new players’ union but the RPA deserves far more credit for what they do. He has said he’s “not making a new RPA” but I’m just not sure what commercial or legal advice he thinks was lacking from the existing players’ union in the current climate. I’ve seen all of the RPA’s recent communication to players and they’ve done a good job.
It’s a great organisation and they have constantly been giving advice in recent weeks about the pay cuts and where players stand legally. It’s also much more than that though, and its members are the envy of other players across the globe who don’t have access to the same benefits.
Whether it’s Provale in France or equivalents in the Southern Hemisphere, none can match the work of the RPA and it only costs the players around £200 per year.
The Lift the Weight campaign and Restart, which is the official charity of the RPA, are doing amazing work and players have access to 24/7 confidential counselling if they’re struggling in any way so there is a huge amount of support made available.
One thing that has come out of this that needs clearing up is the perception that the RPA might have a conflict of interest because it receives funding from the RFU and Premiership Rugby.
That simply isn’t the case because there are very separate strands to the work that the RPA does. The money from the RFU and Premiership Rugby funds the welfare and education programmes that are run.
The players’ subs, revenue generated from various events or dinners and income from commercial partners goes towards representing the players, including providing massive insurance cover.
That insurance has paid out hundreds of thousands of pounds to players this season alone and that’s money most players just wouldn’t have got otherwise because that level of cover would cost a player thousands and thousands if they were to source it themselves.
I think players are also guaranteed full pay for ten and a half months now if they’re injured, which is something the RPA has fought for as part of a standard contract for Premiership players with just the remuneration and length of contract differing between players really.
Commercially, the RPA has done a phenomenal job too and the negotiation of the England players’ contracts is a prime example of that. Players get just under £25,000 per game to play for England and that’s £8,000 more than any other country.
Again, I’m really interested to see the detail of Genge’s proposal and I’m not knocking him at all without seeing that but at the moment what he’s describing sounds more like an agency or the kind of services that an agent would provide.
He says players were “advised from the off to sign the contracts without reading them almost” but no agent worth their salt would allow their client to do that and that wasn’t the advice from the RPA at all as they laid out the options available to players.
I had a close working relationship with my agent, Duncan Sandlant of Esportif, for 16 years during my career as a professional rugby player and I would’ve trusted him with anything to do with my career so maybe some players aren’t getting that commercial and legal support from their agents.
It is different now because when I was growing up nobody really dreamed of earning big sums of money from playing rugby, whereas nowadays you do hear stories of agents selling young players the dream.
Whether that’s buying boots in bulk themselves and telling their client they’ve got a deal with a brand when that may not be the case or just not being completely up front and honest with players, not all agents are equal but a good one is worth their weight in gold and they do provide good commercial and legal advice.
I think any new union will involve players contributing a significant amount more than £200 per year so it’ll be interesting to see what they would get back for that investment because that’s the crucial thing for potential members.
It has also been mentioned that a new players’ union may be able to get funding from external sources but wealthy individuals or companies aren’t going to be queuing up to invest money that they may never see again so it’ll be interesting to see what they’d get in return.
I was the first to admit that when this situation first arose I would have been very reluctant to take a pay cut but things have moved on now and I just think it’s a reality because rugby isn’t being played and we want to have a professional sport to come back to.
I also want the players to earn as much as possible but only within the realms of what is sustainable for the game and I think, with businesses losing money hand over fist at the moment, there has to be a recognition that there may be fewer commercial opportunities and less money available in the short term when we do return rather than more.
The proof of the pudding will be in the eating in terms of Gengey’s plans and I’ll reserve judgement until we have more details but I’ve eaten a lot of puddings and I think at the moment it looks like this one needs a few more ingredients!
Comments on RugbyPass
“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
3 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
2 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
3 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
3 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
3 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
2 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
4 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
3 Go to commentsBeaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to commentsHe is right , the Crusaders will be a threat. Scott Barrett, ( particularly), Fergus Burke , Codie Taylor, ( from sabbatical) etc due back soon for the Crusaders. There are others like Zach Gallagher too. People can right the Crusaders off, Top 8 , here we come !!
1 Go to commentsWe will always struggle for money to match the other sides but the least the WRU can do is invest properly in Welsh rugby. Too much has been squandered on vanity projects like the hotel and roof walk amongst others which will never see a massive return. Hanging the 4 pro sides out to dry over the last decade is now coming back to bite the WRU financially as well as on the pitch. You reap what you sow.
1 Go to commentsWhat do you get if you cross a doctor with a fish? A plastic sturgeon
14 Go to commentsWhat happened to feleti Kaitu’u? Hasnt played in a while right?
1 Go to commentsGregor I just can’t agree with you. You are trying to find something that just isn’t there. Jordie Barrett has signed until 2028. By the end of that he would have spent probably 11-12 years on Super Rugby and you say he can’t possibly have one season playing somewhere else. It is absurd. What about this scenario, the NZR play hard ball and he decides to leave and play overseas. How would that affect the competition. There seems to be an agenda by certain journalists to push certain agendas and don’t like it when it’s not to their liking. I fully support the NZR on this. Gregor needs to get a life.
3 Go to commentsHope he stays as believe he can do a great job.
1 Go to comments