Wales legend Sam Warburton has told players they need to "reset their expectations" when it comes to wages if the game is to get back on track.
Professional rugby union in England and Wales is the midst of a financial crisis with Gallagher Premiership outfits Wasps, Worcester Warriors and London Irish having all gone to the wall. In Wales all four professional sides are being forced to aggressively push down the wages of players, while playing budgets will eventually get slashed to £4.5million.
And former Wales captain Warburton has told the Mirror this needs to happen to get the game back on the right footing.
“This is one of those moments where we need to re-evaluate where the game is at," the former Cardiff star said. "What has happened this year is an indication that change is needed along with a reset of expectation for players.
“But as a sport we have to accept that until we make the game more commercially viable player earnings can’t be what they have been. It’s completely obvious it’s never been sustainable. It was only a matter of time before this happened.
“That doesn’t mean the game is doomed. I remember post 2021 Lions tour there was a similarly downbeat mood. It wasn’t an attractive tour to watch, the games were only really for diehard rugby fans. Rugby came through that and people regained faith in the 15-a-side game."
Much of rugby's problems has been blamed on clubs allegedly spending too much on the wages of players, and Warburton believes this could have been avoided with better communication.
“Players don’t get told how the business works, you see what your market value is and you demand it,” he told the Mirror. “Going back 5-10 years had players been clued up I think there’d (now) be more understanding and sympathy to tough decisions being made.
“It is only once expectations are reset that players can move on. Fair play to a number of Welsh lads who were recently sent contracts worth '30 per cent' of what they were on.
“It’s still good money in the real world but compared to what they were earning it’s a massive change. A lot have accepted it. They’ve taken perhaps the biggest step to help the game become more sustainable.”
Despite the fact Wales can barely afford four professional sides, with many high-ranking figures in the game of the belief three sides would be the more financially realistic number, Warburton would like to see the Welsh Rugby Union form a side in north Wales.
“Some people have slammed me for saying we need a region up north, but look at the interest in Wrexham FC,” he added. “Rugby needs to tap into every possible resource.
“What is the best possible scenario, financially and for the long-term growth and prosperity of the game, rather than just going into this survival mode. Why can’t we reset and ask ourselves how great can we be?”
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