Aussie players and officials agree to pay cuts

WALLABIES players agreed to take pay cuts yesterday but only after assurances that boss John O’Neill and Australian Rugby Union (ARU) brass had their pay packets and travel perks slashed.

As part of moves to safeguard rugby against the deepening financial crisis, Wallaby stars accepted an AUS$873 (€439) cut to Test match payments in 2009 — totalling as much as $12,220 (€6,150) for top players.

But as part of the deal, players were told the pain would be shared across the entire ARU, including cuts to salaries and expensive travel for O’Neill and the ARU blazer brigade.