Rugby: Australia extends COVID-impacted pay deal with players

MELBOURNE : Rugby Australia (RA) and the country's players union said on Thursday they had agreed another one-year extension to the players' pay deal as the domestic game continues to battle financial challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Players agreed voluntary pay cuts after the outbreak of the coronavirus in 2020 and extended the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) for a year in 2021 amid continued disruptions to competition schedules.

The second one-year extension means the CBA, which covers all male and female professionals, will run to the end of 2022.

"Whilst we would all prefer to be able to deliver a longer-term CBA, this extension will allow us all to navigate these uncharted, and uncertain waters with as much comfort as possible," RA boss Andy Marinos said in a statement.

The 2022 CBA includes a "recognition of performance" payment to reflect "the commercial upside of a winning Wallabies team", RA said, referring to the twice World Cup-winning men's national side.

RA did not provide details of that payment.

The CBA also includes "enhanced" daily support payments for players from the women's national team as they prepare for the World Cup in New Zealand later this year, RA said, without elaborating.

Rugby faces a crowded sports market in Australia, vying with rugby league, soccer and Australian Rules football for media exposure and commercial agreements.

(Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore)