Boks not paid well enough — McGregor

A bigger share of SA rugby’s revenue should go to top players with short careers

COGNISANT of the Springboks’ dire away record against the Wallabies and All Blacks, they were offered a financial incentive. A reward for extraordinary performance, raises the odds for Saturday’s game against New Zealand. But the South African Rugby Union still does not pay our Boks enough,

writes Liz McGregor (pictured) on the Boks. Overseas a top Bok can earn as much as R10m a year while at home earnings could be less than half of that.

THE core of the Springbok team have committed themselves until after the 2015 Rugby World Cup. Heyneke Meyer can now build his team around Jean de Villiers, Jannie and Bismarck du Plessis, Tendai “Beast” Mtawarira, Adriaan Strauss and Siya Kolisi, confident that they won’t be lured abroad by better pay in the next two years.

It is a big step forward. Kudos to the South African Rugby Union (Saru) for making this happen.

And serious respect to the players concerned: it shows loyalty and a willingness to sacrifice material gain to stick with their country.

There has been speculation that the Du Plessis brothers would go abroad next year. Their current Sharks contracts end this season and it has been suggested that Bismarck, in particular, would have difficulties with new CEO, John Smit, given their rivalry over the position of hooker when Peter de Villiers was Springbok coach.

But both parties have risen above it: Jannie and Bismarck have signed new contracts with the Sharks as well.

Ever since his initial year-byyear appointment as Springbok captain, Jean de Villiers has made it clear he feels no sense of entitlement: he needs to earn his position continually.

At a press conference in June, he committed himself only as far as next year, when his Stormers contract ends. But his sterling performances, both on and off the field, have settled this question.

There is every likelihood now that Jean de Villiers will lead the

This is the third of a series of articles by acclaimed rugby author LIZ McGREGOR, explaining why SA loses so many Test matches and what needs to happen to Saru to help us win more often

Springboks at the Rugby World Cup in 2015.

Saru have made another clever move: cognisant of the Springboks’ dire away record against the Wallabies and the All Blacks, they have offered an additional incentive.

Last week’s win gained all 23 members of the match-day squad a bonus of just more than R100,000. Which makes the odds for Saturday’s game against the All Blacks even higher. Another win would double last week’s takings.

This is an extraordinary reward for an extraordinary challenge: the same bonus is not on offer for other games.

But the issue of inadequate pay remains unresolved.

A breakdown of Springboks’ earnings shows the financial sacrifice these players have made in staying here, particularly those whose careers will taper off after 2015, limiting the options for earning proper retirement funds while they are still marketable.

Springboks are paid between R900,000 and R1.4m a year, depending on their levels of seniority. Their franchises pay them an additional salary, which ranges between R600,000 and R3.5m.

This means a newly capped Bok is likely to be on a total of R1.5m a year, while an experienced player at the top of his game will be on R5m.

If they win all 12 Tests in a year, they will each get an additional sum of around R1m.

But that is gross income. So, 40% of that goes to tax. Players have to pay their own injury insurance, which is between 5% and 10% of their salaries, depending on which franchise they are contracted to.

A couple of the franchises continue to pay players their full salaries for six months if injury keeps them out of the game.

At others, they are paid only for two months, despite the fact that these injuries would be sustained on the job.

Players also have to pay their own medical aid contributions — at the top rate, because the job inevitably requires expensive treatment. Added to that is a compulsory contribution to a retirement fund.

Look at what our players are paid overseas by comparison: Toulon gives Bryan Habana R8m a year, whether his team wins or loses. In Japan, Jaque Fourie earns around R10m for playing about 10 games a year.

Saru does not pay our players enough. And the reason for this is that the Springboks have to subsidise the professional aspirations of minor union members.

Just under R700m pours into Saru’s coffers each year.

The vast majority of this comes from the sale of broadcast rights and from sponsors, chiefly Absa.

It is our national team that earns most of this — it is the Springboks who DStv customers will pay top dollar to watch, and it is with the Springboks that sponsors are most eager to ally their brands.

Yet, aside from their franchise pay, only 10% of this R700m goes to the Springboks each year — and that includes salaries, travel and training camps.

An almost equal amount goes to Saru’s smallest and least effective unions. Each gets R7.4m of the joint Saru income from the sale of broadcasting rights and another three-odd million to fund the accommodation and travel costs of their Vodacom Cup and Currie Cup teams.

Added to this is another R1m or so for “development” costs. What development? There is virtually no rugby played in some of these provinces.

They just buy in second-tier players from the schools who do the actual development, pay them about R10,000 a month, and give them the illusion they might one day be Springboks.

It’s not fair on them and the cost of it is crippling the true professionals.