Scotland rugby begins cutting salaries; will ask players

EDINBURGH, Scotland, April 14, (AP): The Scottish Rugby Union began cutting salaries on Monday amid fears it will lose more than 12 million pounds ($15 million) in revenue if the November home tests are canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic.

CEO Mark Dodson was cutting his salary by 30% to Sept. 1, and the board was reducing its fees by 25%.

Dodson and the executive directors were also waiving their annual bonuses.

They were also going to furlough about 25% of their more than 450 employees, and help them through the government’s job retention scheme.

Every player earning more than 50,000 pounds will be asked to take pay cuts until September on a sliding scale of 10%-25%, the BBC reported.

Two weeks ago, the SRU announced wage deferrals by the national and regional coaches and board, but

RUGBY

the board changed that to wage cuts on Monday after looking at finances on the basis of a worst-case scenario.

Without income from Pro14 and European club matches at Murrayfield since last month, the SRU was also going to be impacted by not touring

South Africa and New Zealand in July. The three-test tour was “very unlikely,” Dodson said in a statement.

Dodson added there was “developing uncertainty” on when they could begin selling tickets for the November home tests against Argentina, Japan, and New Zealand.

Those home tests would earn the SRU more than 12 million pounds, but the union already doubts those matches will go ahead.

“We have to assume that any league or tournament rugby would also then be unable to take place for a period, exacerbating the loss of income,” Dodson said.