All Blacks won't fight about the money
Thu, 01 Jul 2010 09:17
Scoring some cash: All Black fullback Mills Muliaina
The All Blacks will play to win and not concern themselves with cash bonuses at next year's World Cup on home soil.
Veteran fullback Mils Muliaina admitted that preoccupation with getting a financial bonus had been the undoing of the New Zealand team at previous World Cups.
His comments came after a new collective employment agreement was signed by the New Zealand Rugby Union and the NZ Rugby Players Association on Thursday.
In terms of the agreement each All Black will receive a NZ$100,000 (US$68,000) bonus if the team win next year's World Cup. The agreement also provides for a minimum Super Rugby retainer of NZ$70,000 (US$48,000) a year, up from NZ$65,000 (US$44,000).
Players selected for next year's World Cup will receive NZ$35,000 (US$24,000) each if the All Blacks makes the final and a further NZ$65,000 (US$44,000) each if the team wins the tournament.
Muliaina, speaking to NZPA, said winning, rather than the prospect of getting a financial bonus, will be what drives the All Blacks next year.
"We've had the situation before where we've talked about bonuses and things like that and I think now you get to the stage where you just want to win the thing," said Muliaina, a senior member of the present Test squad with 83 caps.
The fullback suggested that money was not really an incentive to win the World Cup.
"Although there is, I suppose, a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. it's certainly not an incentive for us to go out there and win it. The incentive is to win it for the people," he told NZPA.
However, Muliaina, who played in the past two tournaments, was pleased the collective agreement had been reached before World Cup year.
In 2003, the issue of the level of bonuses the All Blacks should be paid led to a standoff between the players and the NZRU.
"I think it was a bit niggly for us back then," Muliaina said.
"It's nice to have not only that, but the whole collective being sorted. It just gives guys in the franchises an opportunity to get secure incomes and things like that. It's great to have that done and dusted before World Cup year."
* Meanwhile the NZRU and the NZRPA revealed the details of the new Collective Employment Agreement for professional players in New Zealand from 2010 to 2012.
The formal signing of the agreement followed the December announcement that they had reached agreement on the major issues raised during collective bargaining, and detailed contract drafting and ratification by the NZRU Board, Provincials Unions, Franchises and the NZRPA members and its Board.
As signalled last year, the new Collective Agreement includes:
* an on-going commitment by all parties to work in partnership to ensure the growth and success of New Zealand rugby
* the continuation of the revenue sharing model at a revised level,
* the introduction of a new player
contracting and payment model that will see:
1) Super Rugby Franchises (working in conjunction with the NZRU) directly contracting Super Rugby players to their squads (regardless of which Province they choose to play for);
2) Super Rugby Squads expanded to between 30 and 32 players with an ability to include two overseas players subject to certain criteria and NZRU approval from 2011 onwards;
3) Provincial Unions subject to a revised Salary Cap model that includes a cap on what any individual player can be paid by a Province
the incorporation of the new format for the Super Rugby and NPC domestic competition from 2011; and
4) confirmation of initiatives relating to Players at Provincial Union and academy levels being unable to assemble for rugby requirements between the hours of 9am and 5pm outside of the competition period and required as part of their contract to undertake some form of meaningful work and / or study.
NZRU General Manager
Professional Rugby Neil Sorensen welcomed the new agreement as a significant milestone for professional rugby in New Zealand which will provide the professional game with a significant amount of certainty about the future.
"It has taken significant work to get here but there has been tremendous goodwill and effort by all those involved. This marks the culmination of that work from players, the NZRPA, Provincial Unions, Franchises and the NZRU.
"The new agreement is one that achieves a positive result for the New Zealand rugby community at large. The NZRU and Players can be proud of it as the agreement positively reflects the strength of the relationship we have with our professional players. We are confident it will provide a basis for the sustainability of Professional Rugby at all levels of the game," Sorensen said.
NZRPA CEO Rob Nichol also welcomed the formal agreement noting that it dealt with a number of challenging issues.
"The Agreement provides a level of certainty around the competitions and the overall contracting model that will provide a better platform for the game to move forward.
"The Players are proud of the results the process and final agreement has produced for rugby in New Zealand but we know we still have on-going challenges and opportunities to address to ensure rugby’s long term growth and success. We will now look forward to some exciting competitions, performances and success stories on the field and working with New Zealand rugby to ensure the game’s health off it." Nichol said.