He leads the way on the field and now All Blacks captain Kieran Read is set to break the $1 million salary mark after New Zealand Rugby revealed a major pay rise for its players.
New Zealand Rugby has boosted its fund of top-up retainer payments used to discourage its best players from heading overseas to pursue more lucrative contracts as part of a new collective bargaining agreement.
![Cash boost: Kieran Read is in for a big payday.](/web/20161216124855im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/r/2/9/c/0/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gtaydb.png/1481688788373.jpg)
The pool has ballooned to $NZ191 million ($A184 million) – with player revenue-sharing retained at 36.5 per cent for "player payments, education and welfare initiatives" – up from $NZ121 million.
The fund for retainer payments has been boosted from $NZ15.9 million to $NZ24.8 million.
The special retainer payments have previously only been employed for established All Blacks but would be extended to include players in Super and provincial rugby, the NZR said.
Off-contract in 2017, Read is poised to sign a new deal through to the 2019 World Cup. When all on-field contributions are taken into account it is understood he will crack the $NZ1 million salary barrier for the first time.
Stalwarts such as Aaron Cruden, Israel Dagg and Ben Smith have all attracted big-money European offers and may be lost to Test rugby after next year.
"More money is going to go essentially into giving us a chance to retain players," NZR general manager Neil Sorensen said.
"It's a balance between retaining our top 40 players who are our superstars, our All Blacks, and also ensuring our Super clubs have top-talented kids."
The new CBA also boosts player payments in Super Rugby, the domestic provincial competition and for the national men's and women's sevens teams.
New Zealand's five Super Rugby teams will have more financial firepower to compete in the southern hemisphere competition, with annual contracting budgets raised to $NZ4.65 million from $NZ4 million.
"In a highly competitive global market, we can't compete purely on money," NZR chief executive Steve Tew said.
"For us, the difference has to be in the environment we offer and the strength of our support for players to have the lifestyle they want."
The CBA also includes additional investment in education and career training for players, including anti-doping, mental health and anti-corruption programmes.
"If we can all work well together and generate extra dollars, we know it's shared, and that's respected and aligns us to common goals," NZRPA boss Rob Nichol said.
As part of the payment pool, more money will also be allocated towards expanding off-field player development programmes.
A savings scheme will also be implemented for Super Rugby players and those in the NZ sevens environment, running alongside Kiwisaver.
"We need to ensure our young men and women are fully supported and well-educated, we do put our players under a lot of pressure," Sorensen said.
"If we can assist our players in being better people, we're also confident we'll get better on-field results as well."
- Stuff.co.nz, Reuters
0 comments
New User? Sign up