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Sale Sharks agree permanent pay cuts for players and staff

Sale say every person at the club has accepted a reduction and is contributing to getting the club through 'difficult times'
Image: Sale say every person at the club has accepted a reduction and is contributing to getting the club through 'difficult times'

Sale Sharks players have agreed permanent pay cuts to alleviate the financial pressures brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, the Premiership team said on Wednesday.

Premiership clubs are asking players to sign new contracts which include 25 per cent pay cuts by next weekend, but that's been unanimously rejected by the Rugby Players' Association (RPA).

Top-flight clubs voted last week to temporarily reduce the salary cap for senior wage bills from £6.4m to £5m from the start of the 2021-22 season, before being restored to current levels by the 2024-25 season at the latest.

The measures were taken to help clubs weather the coronavirus crisis but Rugby Players' Association (RPA) chairman and Harlequins prop Mark Lambert says some of his members are being "strong-armed" into accepting reduced contracts as a result, and could not rule out players withdrawing their labour.

In a statement on Wednesday, Sale said: "In order to navigate through these challenging times, Sale Sharks have had to have some difficult discussions to ensure the future of the club for its supporters, players and staff and we are very pleased to say that all of our players and staff share the club's vision and ambition of a sustainable future.

"We are delighted to announce that the club has reached agreement with every single player regarding amended terms to their contracts to facilitate this and that our squad will remain together for the next three or four years.

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"The club would also like to thank all our non-playing team including commercial, coaching and medical staff, as they also have agreed pay cuts. Every single person at Sale Sharks has accepted a reduction and is contributing to getting Sale Sharks through these difficult times."

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