Not-so-fine detail
How the RFU contracts work
Within a week of winning the World Cup in September 2014, the Rugby Football Union stated it would provide professional contracts to 20 sevens players, bringing it in line with New Zealand, Australia and Canada.
Last July, the RFU became the first union to award contracts to XVS players. After the Rio Olympics, in which Great Britain finished fourth, 16 players were given full-time contracts in preparation for this year’s XVS World Cup in Ireland, 16 were handed three-day-a-week deals with a sevens focus and a further 16 contracts were awarded on a short-term basis, allowing Simon Middleton, England head coach, to draft in further players before major tournaments.
The full-time contracts were initially worth £18,000 and, although this has risen, it is still a long way below the rate that the male sevens players are paid by the RFU. The part-time contracts for some of England’s longestserving players amount to just £6,000. Training takes place at Bisham Abbey, a facility they share with other sporting teams, while the majority of the squad live together.
With players being managed full time by the RFU, Premiership clubs were, however, suddenly missing their marquee names and the league suffered.
Yet contracts allowed players to focus on rugby full time. Before the last World Cup, three players had to quit their jobs while others took unpaid leave.
Sarah Hunter, the World Cup captain, said on going full-time: “It is one of those things that you almost dare not to dream about.” As a XVS specialist, that dream will come to an end in September.