SA Rugby confirms across-the-board pay cuts for players, staff, administrators

SA Rugby on Friday confirmed across-the-board pay cuts for players, staff, administrators as finer details of the Industry Financial Impact Plan to save up to R1.2 billion from the budget were revealed.

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The plan was collectively designed and concluded by organisations representing SA Rugby, provincial unions, players and rugby industry employees.

The plan was formulated and agreed by bodies representing SA Rugby, MyPlayers (the players' representative organisation), Sport Employees' Unite (employees' trade union) and the South African Rugby Employers' Organisation (SAREO - representing the provincial unions).

Midnight on Thursday, 14 May was the cut off for players and coaches who wished to cancel their current contracts under the plan.

Unions were hard hit by departures, in particular the Lions who lost the services of seasoned Springbok hooker Malcolm Marx who was among four players and a coach to bid farewell to the Johannesburg franchise.

The Sharks managed to hold on to star wing Makazole Mapimpi despite a staggering R9 million (after tax) offer from Japanese club NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes.

The KwaZulu-Natal side did however lose the services of Tyler Paul (Japan) and Andisa Ntsila (Cheetahs).

The Stormers are yet to confirm their 'ins and outs' with an official statement expected as late as Saturday.

In contrast, the Bulls continued with their spending spree, confirming the return to Loftus Versfeld of loose forward Arno Botha . Botha joins prop Marcel van der Merwe and utility back Gio Aplon as acquisitions in recent weeks.

The R1.2 billion saving will be achieved by reduced expenditure following the cancellation of competitions (49.7 percent of savings), cuts in other operational budgets (37.3 percent) and in salary reductions (13 percent).

The salary cuts amount to 25 percent of total remuneration across the industry, including all employees, players and officials although persons earning below R20 000 per month have been exempted from any cuts.

Higher earners have agreed to cuts on a sliding scale of up to 43 percent.

"It was a complex process to find alignment with a number of entities representing 1 396 people in the South African rugby industry but throughout everyone collaborated fully," said Jurie Roux, SA Rugby CEO.

"The group identified our collective areas of financial risk and what savings had to be made and then identified a plan to mitigate those risks.

"It has meant salary cuts for many, but we have put together a plan that will ensure the industry will be positioned and resourced to get straight back to action just as soon as we are permitted."

Roux said that the focus of the sport had now shifted to those return-to-play plans.

"From the moment we went into lockdown we have been preparing and workshopping internal guidelines and protocols for return to play and return to work," said Roux.

"Those are complete and are ready to be actioned as soon as we get government's go-ahead.

"We have presented our case to the Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture and believe we have a strong case.

"We do not run hospitals or build ventilators and we are not an industry that is critical to the South African economy; but we do believe that we add huge value to national life in other ways.

"The sight of the Springboks running out for the first time since winning the Rugby World Cup would be a powerful milestone on the nation's journey to the other side of this crisis as well as being a boost for national morale.

"While the return to play of our provincial teams - even if it is behind closed doors - would similarly be hugely beneficial to a nation in lockdown.

"We understand that there are bigger agendas at play but believe the risk of transmission could be well managed by our protocols. We trust the minister and Government will view our case seriously."

The Industry Savings Plan came into effect on 1 May and is scheduled to run until the end of December in the first instance.

Meanwhile, SA Rugby issued a video (below) to thank the industry and its broadcast and sponsor partners for their on-going collaboration during these challenging times.

This article originally appeared on Sport24

Photo: Gallo Images