New Zealand's previously undervalued mid-tier group of players who sit below the All Blacks have felt the love in the collective employment deal that has been signed and have been rewarded with major pay rises plus bonus and incentive scheme payments.
As a result of the 100 per cent increase in broadcast revenue and the impending cash windfall that will come with next year's British Lions tour, New Zealand's professional players have seen their overall cash pool for payments rise from $121 million to $191 million over the next three years.
New Zealand's players have one of the more innovative payment schemes in world rugby, with the New Zealand Rugby Players' Association entitled to 36.5 per cent of New Zealand Rugby's revenue.
That pool of money is used to pay All Blacks and Super Rugby, sevens, Mitre 10 and other development players. The main changes to the new deal that will run to 2018 are:
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• Maximum Super Rugby retainer contracts have increased from $190,000 to $195,000
• Minimum Super Rugby contracts have increased from $70,000 to $75,000
• Savings schemes have been opened where players can contribute over their careers and take a split windfall at ages 34 and 40
• Minimum payments for women have increased to a higher level than minimum payments for men
While all contracted players will benefit from the increased payment pool, it is players who have been in New Zealand for four to six years that the new deal is designed to most benefit.
NZR has been outstanding at retaining senior All Blacks and emerging young talent, but has struggled to keep those players such as Jared Payne, Nasi Manu and Andrew Horrell who come close to national selection and then shift offshore to give their senior years to foreign clubs.
NZRPA boss Rob Nichol hopes that the new payment model will see more players stay in New Zealand as the money on offer will in some cases be comparable to what they are being offered offshore.
