Austin Healey reveals why players should be paid less - Ruck

Austin Healey reveals why players should be paid less

Former England international Austin Healey has suggested that rugby players will have to be paid less to make the game sustainable.

The BT Sport Pundit believes financial troubles in the game could potentially be solved by reducing the amount of games and subsequently players wages.

His column comes following a week which has included a ludicrous world league proposal, a possible merger in Wales and salary cap shenanigans in the Premiership.

In todays edition of the Daily Telegraph he wrote: “Less can be more sometimes be a lot more. Look at the NFL, the biggest sports league in the world.

“The regular season runs from September to December. That means nearly every game is important, which attracts fans, television audiences and sponsors.

“To make it a premium event, rugby needs to cut down the number of games.”

He added: “But the crucial part of this plan is that if players are playing fewer games then they need to be paid less.

EDITORS PICKS:

“Everyone agrees that player face an unsustainable number of games but if you want to make is sustainable for players then you need to make it sustainable for the unions and clubs.

“If you can get the accelerating wage growth under control in France and England then that will go a long way to solving the financial problems.”