Gatland’s troops have already won cash war
By Gavin Mairs
Warren Gatland’s Lions squad have recorded two victories over Steve Hansen’s All Blacks — before they step on a plane bound for New Zealand.
Gatland’s Lions players are worth more than their All Blacks counterparts and — if they can succeed on their tour here — will earn substantially more in match payments than the men in black over the three-test series.
Analysis of the Lions squad, named in London late Wednesday night (New Zealand time), has revealed the 41 players named hold a record value of almost $22m in terms of playing contracts.
That makes them worth more than $1.8m more than their All Black rivals.
The analysis, undertaken by English-based company Esportif Intelligence, of the combined basic salaries of Gatland’s squad reveals a total value of $21.7m.
A study of the All Blacks touring party of November last year and also based on 41 players reveals Hansen’s squad have a combined basic salary of $18.9m.
So Gatland’s side travel to New Zealand with at least a financial advantage.
The research also reveals Gatland’s squad will be more experienced than the All Blacks. The Lions have 1,867 caps, compared with New Zealand’s 1,244.
Gatland’s tourists will also be paid more for success than Hansen’s men in the series.
The squad will share a record jackpot of $4.66m if they can become the first Lions team to beat the All Blacks since the famous 1971 tour.
Of that figure, if the Lions win at least two of the three tests, each player will be paid an $18,000 bonus. This is on top of the tour fee of $126,000 for all players who see out the entire tour.
When the Lions last toured New Zealand in 2005, players received a tour fee of $40,000.
In 2009 in Australia, the tour fee jumped to $69,000.
Meanwhile, it has been revealed that while the Lions are also taking a large back-room staff on tour, it will not include a legal representative for the first time since 2001.
In 2013 the Lions took Max Duthie, one of the UK’s leading sports lawyers, to Australia, while Richard Smith QC, England’s lawyer, went to New Zealand in 2005 and South Africa in 2009.
They acted in cases of on-field disciplinary issues and dramas such as the Brian O’Driscoll incident 12 years ago and were also on hand in case of any off-field controversies.
Smith acted for the Lions in the disciplinary hearing that followed Ireland wing Luke Fitzgerald’s eyegouging by Schalk Burger in 2009, while Duthie’s presence in Australia “gave the players and management considerable confidence”, given his in-depth knowledge of the disciplinary process.
The Lions board had decided that it would be an extravagance this time to employ a lawyer for the six-week tour of New Zealand — despite the offfield problems that England faced there during the 2011 World Cup.
It is understood the Lions will instead source local solicitors should they be required.
And they will also have one of their own solicitors on call at short notice.
— Telegraph Group Ltd