Why you shouldn’t judge a rugby ‘fat cat’ when he gets a corona pay cut

Earlier this week, Gloucester head coach Johan Ackermann told The Citizen that English rugby clubs will have to imminently cut player salaries by 25% to stave off financial devastation due to the Covid-19 epidemic.

The former Lions mentor, credited with reviving the union from the doldrums of Super Rugby exile, was typically diplomatic.

“It’s tough times for everyone,” was his pithy take on the matter.

ALSO READ: Rugby’s feeling corona’s immense financial pinch, says Ackers

Ackermann’s small but significant insight into the realities staring professional sport in the face raises an interesting question: with so many South African players plying their trade overseas, how would a pay cut affect them?

Anecdotally, you can already hear some supporters grumbling that any complaints on the matter would amount to nothing more than fat cat, complacent players whining whilst stuffing their faces at the trough.

Yet the reality is quite surprising.

The grass isn’t necessarily greener on the other side.

In February, MyPlayers – South African rugby’s player union – published “2019 Voice”, a definitive player survey that provides fascinating information on what life as a professional really entails.

Naturally, given that it’s one of the local game’s biggest challenges, the overseas players exodus is a major component of the report and one with prominent if somewhat contradictory conclusions.

What isn’t surprising is that the outward flow of South Africans won’t be stopped anytime soon – nine out of ten players are expected to sign an overseas deal within the next two years.

51% of all players also indicated that money is the sole reason for leaving the country.

Not even a factor that is consistently blamed for the exodus – transformation – comes close.

Only 9% of players said that racial redress was the major consideration for them departing.

A Super Rugby stalwart, who earlier played two seasons in France, noted that “earned more money there than he did for seven years playing in South Africa”.

Indeed, “superstars” like Duane Vermeulen, Handre Pollard, Eben Etzebeth, Bryan Habana, Johan Goosen, Cheslin Kolbe and Bakkies Botha do and did make money by the bucketful.

But one line helps shatter the whole perception that all overseas-based players lead coddled lives.

“Firstly, I think we’re over-romanticising going overseas,” said one prominent player.

“Rugby is rugby wherever you go – there will always be coaches, injuries, and weird team selections. So, besides rugby, what are you going to be happy with? Then, secondly, how much money will really make it worth your while?”

It is useful here to examine the living costs faced by a player going overseas.

Cape Town is considered the benchmark city for a local professional player wanting to lead a high quality of life in South Africa.

Assuming that player earned R1 million annually, the associated numbers with uprooting and going overseas become surprisingly complex.

If he chose London as destination, he would need to earn more than R2.3 million per year just to maintain his Cape Town lifestyle.

Housing (152%) and transportation (202%) costs are astronomically higher in the English capital.

Should a Parisian club like Stade Francais or Racing Metro offer to snap a player up, that player would need to earn in excess of R2 million per annum to enjoy the luxuries of the Mother City.

And, last but not least, going to live in Tokyo on that supposedly megal Yen-deal is also going to increase your overall living costs by 111%.

As one senior player remarked: “Have you considered purchasing power? You might earn R30 000 more per month, but you haven’t yet saved any of it, flew your folks over for a visit, you haven’t calculated your living costs, and you might not even know what the impact of foreign tax will be on your overseas adventure.”

“It’s really important to keep in mind that you’ll cough up more taxes, the more euros you earn. Once you reach a certain category of income, you’ll pay vastly more taxes than what you’re used to. If you go to France and you don’t negotiate your contract around that reality, you might end up earning much less than you had anticipated when you first decided to leave.”

The point is clear then.

Overseas-based South African players might not be able to plead poverty, but they’ll definitely feel the effects of a 25% pay cut.

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