Taken from Stuff: http://www.stuff.co.nz/4552564a1823.html
I'm begining to think that mistrer Shiznit owes me an apology for saying i am full of sh*t....
Rugby salary cap cut coming
Provincial players facing possible $1.5m pay chop
By GREG FORD - Sunday Star Times | Sunday, 18 May 2008
rugby's salary cap is imminent.
It isn't a done deal yet but a whopping $1.5 million looks set to be shaved off the $2m cap meaning the days of our journey professionals rather than our star All Blacks earning big bucks for playing provincial rugby are nearly over.
Three different Sunday Star-Times sources, including the recently dumped New Zealand Rugby Union board member Warwick Syers, this week confirmed the accuracy of the figure. It would initiate one of the most dramatic changes to domestic rugby since the game went professional in 1995.
"It would mean that provincial players would need jobs,'' said Syers. "If they made the step up to super rugby only then would they become professional.
"The aim is to make domestic rugby semi amateur.''
A lot of water has to pass under the bridge before this comes to fruition but if it does the players will be the big losers.
New Zealand Rugby Players' Association chief executive Rob Nichol could not be reached for comment.
However, the horse may have already bolted.
Several provinces are in a dire financial position. Bay of Plenty is under the administration of its parent body the New Zealand Rugby Union which has set up three working committees, including one to look at the future structure of provincial rugby.
Their recommendations won't be made public for some time yet. But the committee is under considerable pressure from the provinces, where there is a general acceptance that player remuneration packages are unsustainable.
The latest salary cap spending figures show Waikato is the biggest spender among the provinces. It paid it players $1.81m in 2006. Next best was Canterbury $1.79m, then Wellington $1.78m, Auckland $1.75m, Otago $1.64m, Southland $1.54m, Northland $1.41m, Hawke's Bay $1.38m, North Harbour $1.3m, Bay of Plenty $1.19m, Tasman $1.19m, Taranaki $1.17m, Manawatu $1.08m and Counties $788,000.
Journeymen have become valuable commodities in the provinces in recent years. Their value has been enhanced because expansion to the Air New Zealand Cup meant their services were in demand. They also became the marquee players of the competition while the All Blacks were on test duty.
Syers said: ''Provincial player pay is totally out of kilter with what is affordable.''
The good news is stars such as Richie McCaw, Mils Muliaina and Keven Mealamu won't feel as much pain. Their salaries are topped up by the provinces but the lion's share of their pay comes from the New Zealand Rugby Union. If the Air New Zealand Cup was to become semi-amateur then the NZRU would have to shoulder the balance.
Exactly what format the competition will take and how many teams will play in the top division is still unclear. But Syers said inviting provincial sides to join in a new look competition a move being championed by some Auckland rugby administrators was likely to be rejected by his former colleagues on the NZRU board.
"Why would we want to give Australian rugby a leg up?''
I'm begining to think that mistrer Shiznit owes me an apology for saying i am full of sh*t....
Rugby salary cap cut coming
Provincial players facing possible $1.5m pay chop
By GREG FORD - Sunday Star Times | Sunday, 18 May 2008
rugby's salary cap is imminent.
It isn't a done deal yet but a whopping $1.5 million looks set to be shaved off the $2m cap meaning the days of our journey professionals rather than our star All Blacks earning big bucks for playing provincial rugby are nearly over.
Three different Sunday Star-Times sources, including the recently dumped New Zealand Rugby Union board member Warwick Syers, this week confirmed the accuracy of the figure. It would initiate one of the most dramatic changes to domestic rugby since the game went professional in 1995.
"It would mean that provincial players would need jobs,'' said Syers. "If they made the step up to super rugby only then would they become professional.
"The aim is to make domestic rugby semi amateur.''
A lot of water has to pass under the bridge before this comes to fruition but if it does the players will be the big losers.
New Zealand Rugby Players' Association chief executive Rob Nichol could not be reached for comment.
However, the horse may have already bolted.
Several provinces are in a dire financial position. Bay of Plenty is under the administration of its parent body the New Zealand Rugby Union which has set up three working committees, including one to look at the future structure of provincial rugby.
Their recommendations won't be made public for some time yet. But the committee is under considerable pressure from the provinces, where there is a general acceptance that player remuneration packages are unsustainable.
The latest salary cap spending figures show Waikato is the biggest spender among the provinces. It paid it players $1.81m in 2006. Next best was Canterbury $1.79m, then Wellington $1.78m, Auckland $1.75m, Otago $1.64m, Southland $1.54m, Northland $1.41m, Hawke's Bay $1.38m, North Harbour $1.3m, Bay of Plenty $1.19m, Tasman $1.19m, Taranaki $1.17m, Manawatu $1.08m and Counties $788,000.
Journeymen have become valuable commodities in the provinces in recent years. Their value has been enhanced because expansion to the Air New Zealand Cup meant their services were in demand. They also became the marquee players of the competition while the All Blacks were on test duty.
Syers said: ''Provincial player pay is totally out of kilter with what is affordable.''
The good news is stars such as Richie McCaw, Mils Muliaina and Keven Mealamu won't feel as much pain. Their salaries are topped up by the provinces but the lion's share of their pay comes from the New Zealand Rugby Union. If the Air New Zealand Cup was to become semi-amateur then the NZRU would have to shoulder the balance.
Exactly what format the competition will take and how many teams will play in the top division is still unclear. But Syers said inviting provincial sides to join in a new look competition a move being championed by some Auckland rugby administrators was likely to be rejected by his former colleagues on the NZRU board.
"Why would we want to give Australian rugby a leg up?''
