13 April 2020

Scottish Rugby cut wages of players and executives as hundreds more are furloughed

All Scottish rugby players earning more than £50,000 per year will be asked to take a pay cut of between 10 and 25 per cent.

The move, which if agreed will be enforced until September, is because of the 'increasing unpredictability' which the coronavirus pandemic has caused.

Scottish Rugby's chief executive Mark Dodson will also see his salary cut by 30 per cent.

Speaking about the decision, he told BBC Sport: "It is because our projected incomes have fallen so sharply, coupled with the increasing unpredictability of any further resumption of any rugby worldwide, that we have to cut costs through this upcoming period.

"The furloughing of staff and salary reductions for senior people reflect the seriousness of the situation."

There are a total of 157 Scottish players earning £50,000 or above, all of whom will be eligible to take a pay cut.

The scale of pay cut for players will be as follows:

  • Those earning up to £75,000 would lose 10%;
  • Those earning £75,000-£100,000 would lose 15%;
  • Those earning £100,000-£200,000 would lose 20%;
  • Those earning above would lose 25%.

Also, three quarters of the 450 staff working for Scottish Rugby will be furloughed as more cuts are made to the organisation.

Dodson also revealed Scotland's tour of South Africa and New Zealand this summer is 'almost certain not to take place'.

If the Scots' autumn internationals against Argentina, New Zealand and Japan are also cancelled, it is believed Scottish Rugby will have lost around £12 million due to the COVID-19 disruption.

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