England squad agree equal pay for Six Nations

A five player committee of senior squad members have agreed on a new pay structure for the 2021 Six Nations, with equal pay throughout the England squad. Splitting the £2.1 million pot evenly between the 28-man squad, each player will receive around £75,000 for the five games.

Generally, only players a part of the 23-man matchday squad entitles them to full match fees, equating to roughly £15,000. However, with a smaller-than-usual 28-man squad, the pay structure now includes all players, regardless of appearances.

The five player committee, including captain Owen Farrell and Ben Youngs, therefore decided their pay would match uncapped members of the squad, such as Alex Mitchell. Ensuring everyone’s effort in the squad is recognised, Youngs described it as an “easy decision” to BBC Sport.

“Only 23 get to take the field but that doesn’t mean that only 23 are training hard and doing everything they can to prep the team. Everyone is pulling their weight to make this team as good as they can.”

Before opting for equal pay, England players would receive £17,000 as part of a full match fee. Any players outside of the 23-man squad wouldn’t earn anything, even if they participate in squad training throughout the seven-week long tournament. Now though, the five-player committee’s decision includes all members of the squad, not just the match day 23.

The restructure of payment within England’s Six Nations squad comes after taking a year-long 25% pay cut in September. With RFU revenue reduced through the impact of Covid-19, players agreed to lower pay. Assisting the logistics of elite rugby in England, the squad still includes some of the world’s best paid players.

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