Rugby Players' Association CEO Says Elite English Players 'Deserve' £1M Per Year

Rugby Players' Association CEO Damian Hopley said that a top English player "deserves to make" £1M ($1.25M), according to Chris Jones of the BBC. The new pay deal with the Rugby Football Union means an England int'l will earn up to £300,000 ($374,000) "each year in match fees alone." Along with his club salaries, bonuses and commercial income, "an elite player could soon top seven figures per year." Hopley said, "The marketplace dictates what they deserve. ... The players generate huge amounts of money for the game. In the context of the revenues being generated through English rugby, it's a very reasonable deal." RPA Vice-Chair Mark Lambert denied that the new deal "will lead to a disconnect between elite England players and the rest." He said, "The way you earn respect as a rugby player is the way you carry yourself, the way you behave, and the example you set for other people" (BBC, 11/14).