RFU also in discussions with clubs over Premiership seasonTop-flight clubs weigh up asking players to take 25% pay cutAll rugby clubs below the Premiership are facing potentially serious financial implications after the Rugby
Football Union confirmed all remaining league and cup fixtures this season below the top division have been cancelled because of the coronavirus outbreak. The RFU will not, however, confirm until next month how key issues such as promotion and relegation will be resolved.Bill Sweeney, the RFU chief executive, has also indicated the union expects to make a “considerably” bigger financial loss than anticipated this year, which will have knock-on effects across the English game far beyond the proposed 25 per cent pay cuts forPremiership players which are being mooted.“In this extraordinary situation we are working through a range of potential financial scenarios dependent mainly on the length of this crisis,” said Sweeney in a message to the community game. “This was already budgeted to be a loss-making year within a 4 year cycle due to the costs of the 2019 RWC campaign and only hosting two home Six Nations games. The loss will now be considerably more as we face challenges similar to businesses across the entire country.”
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