Scottish Rugby Union asks players to take pay cuts

The Scottish Rugby Union (SRU) has confirmed salary cut for top players and executives following the financial instability caused by the pandemic coronavirus.

Chief executive Mark Dodson has accepted to a 30% reduction in salary while executive directors have offered to accept 25 per cent. Also SRU is planning to furlough around 75% of their 450 staff.

Employee earning less than £50,000 will go unaffected while those earning up to £75,000 will get a 10 per cent cut. Those between £75,000 and £100,000 will take a 15 per cent reduction while between £100,000-£200,000 will have a 20% cut.

Employee above £200,000 would lose 25 per cent cut as the SRU is expecting the summer tours of South Africa and New Zealand is unlikely to go ahead.

"Our income streams are being badly affected as match day receipts and other revenues and activity that might otherwise be taking place at Murrayfield are interrupted.

"Like many we hope the professional game season can be completed, but have no guarantee that even a truncated end to any of the competitions will happen

"As it now stands it would appear very unlikely the annual Summer Tours to the Southern Hemisphere will take place. This has a further impact on our income.

"There is also developing uncertainty on when Scottish Rugby might be able to put Autumn Test tickets on sale, and indeed if these games will go ahead as originally planned. We are due to play Argentina, Japan and New Zealand in November.

"No one knows with any certainty when any rugby can resume. We have seen many, many examples of our staff, clubs and players across the country supporting their local communities and demonstrating rugby's values in daily life.

"Rugby makes a positive contribution to society and it is this positivity and our whole sport working collectively that will give us the best opportunity to come through this crisis, safely, together."