Tonga are picking up only £500 a week RFU is making six-figure donation to Tongan unionEngland players have struck a new pay deal with the Rugby
Football Union that will see Eddie Jones’s squad earn around £70,000 each if they win all three of their autumn internationals. Victory over Tonga this weekend will give the players at least £23,000 in match fees while, in contrast, the Pacific Islanders earn just £500 a week.
Last September the
England players agreed a 25% pay cut for one season due to the financial impact of the pandemic on the union but a new more performance-related agreement has been reached. The minimum the players will make is less than the pre-pandemic match fee of around £23,000 but victory in matches against Tonga, Australia and
South Africa would activate a bonus clause, meaning the squad collecting a similar amount. In addition, the players may earn even more if the RFU’s commercial performance exceeds forecasts.