Central contracts

[GB72]

Be interesting to know if the central contract runs for the same length of time as the club contract.
I recall Jonah Holmes being enticed away to further his Welsh career, join Newport Gwent Dragons on a club + Wales contract, then Wales decide Jonah is surplus to requirement and suddenly the guy is out of work as Newport cannot afford him. Fortunately he secured a move to Ealing in the Championship but a far cry from the glories he anticipated when joined Leicester and achieved international selection.

I remember posting at the time that Holmes had made a big mistake.

I think everyone but his agent could see it coming.

This is why I think that if nations are going to put playing requirements before international selection then it needs to work both ways. Looking at Wales for example, surely it would be more equitable to say that you can need to earn 15 caps before you can qualify for a central contract and have to move to a region, that is long enough to be established, and then you can move on and play anywhere once you have 35 caps.

[Lutontiger]

Looking at the mess England’s cricketers have made of their latest efforts, I do worry about the effect on the mentality of players - why fight for your team if you’re selected and paid anyway??

[Darc Tiger]

Anthony Watson is director of a new company alongside Genge, George, Marler and Itoje, (Team England Rugby Ltd) to handle negotiations with the RFU, following news of a split with the RPA.

[GB72]

Does this new company suggest that the players as a whole were not happy with the deal that the RPA were negotiating. Seems a long way into the negotiations to be bringing in a new negotiating team when some were expecting solid details of the agreement soon. In fact, in general, there seems to be very little detail floating around.

Will be interesting to see the stance taken by the players through this new company. Will they be on the side of their clubs, the RFU or very much out for themselves (as they are more than entitled to be).

[Soggypitch]

Very interesting article by Brian Moore on this in todays DT, see;

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union ... rpa-union/

If it's behind a pay wall for some, hopefully someone more IT literate than me can provide a suitable link.

Food for thought.....

[longlivethecrumbie]

Minus the paywall: https://archive.is/Cgg2f

[Offside]

Fair points made in the article. Rugby is a team game but players are selected and paid as individuals both at cub and country level. If the RPA is not perceived by players as doing a good job them they can make other arrangements. If there is an element of cross subsidy of fees for negotiation to player benefits there will be losers.