All Blacks: Injured stars to get medals - but French get the cash

Dan Carter. Photo / Getty Images

Injured All Black stars Daniel Carter and Mils Muliaina will receive winner's medals should New Zealand claim the Rugby World Cup, officials confirmed yesterday.

The two figureheads of the New Zealand side have both been replaced in the squad after succumbing to serious injuries.

They had to give up their accreditation once replaced because competing teams were capped at 30 players.

World Cup director Kit McConnell said medals were given to everyone in the 30-man squad and also those who had stepped down for medical reasons.

"In New Zealand's case, Daniel Carter would get a medal along with his medical replacements, Colin Slade and also Stephen Donald. Anyone who has been accredited and played a part in the tournament gets one."

Meanwhile, if the All Blacks win they will get less in bonus money than the French get just for making the final.

According to Midi-Olympique and Rugbyrama, the French players would get €180,000 ($310,383) each if they win, and €140,000 even if they lose.

That compares with an All Black individual bonus of $100,000 for winning the cup.

NZ Rugby Players' Association chief executive Rob Nichol said it was no use comparing what players in the different teams would be getting as the payment models in France were very different from those over here.

"If you're a French player, the majority of your income comes from your club that you play for and it's got nothing to do with the French Rugby Union. And when they play for the French Rugby Union they move on to match-fees and bonuses.

"The French guys will be on match-fees and bonuses. There's no guaranteed money there - they've got to make the team to get their money.

"When you play for New Zealand, you have a centralised retainer [fee]. You get assembly fees each week and then the Rugby World Cup is the only thing we'll change our structures around, whereas the French get the bonuses relating to Six Nations every time the team plays.

"You can't compare us - it's like comparing apples and oranges."

The All Blacks get a weekly assembly fee of $7500 each.

Mr Nichol said the All Blacks' winning bonus was locked in years ago. Before that the NZ Rugby Union offered no bonus at all. That had eventually changed to a $50,000 winning bonus on offer in 2003, but the All Blacks failed to make it into the semis.

As a result, he said, several players in the squad would not be aware they would get the bonus.

"They won't even know about it because they weren't in the team or weren't around - half of them were in high school [at the time]."

Despite the big pay packets, it was not all about the money, Mr Nichol said.

"Bonuses are really nice but the guys are intrinsically motivated to go out and win that cup. Bonus or no bonus, they'll want to leave it all on the pitch."

Payday

French bonus
* $241,364 a player for qualifying for the final
* $310,383 for winning the final

All Black bonus
* $100,000 a player for winning the final.