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Clubs should stop paying players that 'are simply not good enough' - Moore

(Photo by Fotopress/Getty Images)

Former England international Brian Moore has called on lower-tier clubs to stop paying players who ‘simply aren’t good enough’.

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What’s more, the former hooker says that English rugby is not fulfilling its true potential.

Every year millions of pounds are on spent on match fees for semi-professional players in England’s third, fourth and fifth flight.

As it stands clubs are at Level Three are allowed to spend up £250,000 on players. At Level Four that drops to £125,000 and at Level 5, it falls further to £50,000. At Level Six, clubs are not permitted to pay players and are only allowed to pay a maximum of £10,000 to a ‘player coach’.

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    RFU Belonging – Back in the Game

    Moore believes the practice must end, as he believes it’s effectively draining teams of resources that could be spent better elsewhere. The 60-year-old believes that money is being wasted on players that ‘are simply not good enough’.

    Writing in his Telegraph column, Moore states: “English rugby is wasting millions of pounds on players who are simply not good enough,” he wrote. “The maximum total payments to players are set at £250,000, £125,000 and £50,000 in levels three, four and five, respectively, and they have effectively become what a club need to spend to play at that level. Think what that yearly spend could achieve, rather than use players who are not good enough.”

    On the professional front, Moore is in favour of minimum EQPs (England Qualified Player) quotas for teams, a move which is coming in 2024. He also believes in central contracts for England players.

    “I doubt whether there is the altruism on either side for the good of the wider England game, but if there is not then England’s potential will never be fulfilled and success will be sporadic.”

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    From August, 2024 onwards, Gallagher Premiership clubs will be obliged to have a minimum of 15 EQPs in each match-day squad.

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    Comments

    2 Comments
    D
    David 1199 days ago

    Moore's statement of "stop paying players that are simply not good enough" demonstrates how distanced he is from middle tier rugby. Part of team sport is about competition and winning, teams go up and down; their club's finances are up to them, and most are prudent with their playing budgets. The game is open, it always finds its level if the management manage.

    c
    christopher 1201 days ago

    There are some very valid points in this article. The money that is taken out of the game at levels 5,6 is particularly galling. It also encourages players to move from their home club for a very small payment at a "bigger" club who have played no part in player development or nurturing.

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    C
    CO 31 minutes ago
    Are other All Blacks better suited to number six than Tupou Vaa'i?

    Some Bok supporters might argue in vain but Vaa’i is the model that superseded the previous model known as the Pieter-Steph du Toit.


    Hansen's pack got beaten to a pulp in 2019 by the English pack and it would've made zero difference who started at six.


    Believing that Scooter starting at six was because they lost that semifinal ignores the reality that Hansen had overstayed his welcome as head coach and having effectively lost the Lions tour and become besotted with SBW should've been fired in 2017 and replaced with any one of Rennie, Schmidt or Joseph.


    Both Nonu and Kaino should've been in that 2019 squad. Proven world cup final starters.


    Frizzell is never getting the six jersey, he had a shocker of a world cup final and is yesterday's man dining out on one good performance against the Bok B team at Mt Smart. Frizzell is a myth.


    The Allblacks current pack needs to bulk up due to it having a lot of small back rowers and no, Finau is not good enough to start, he's not direct enough or punishing enough.


    The Allblacks need to stop anointing Sititi as the greatest thing since sliced bread, he's done very little this year, Christian is looking very solid at eight and seven is Saveas best spot to keep Christian starting.


    Rassie is using loosies at hooker and so should the Allblacks. Playing Vaa’i at six isn't three locks, it's ensuring size to counter the other tier one packs and Vaa'i is fantastic at six.


    Kirifi is okay but again hasn't done much and is too little, Lakai and Kirifi shouldn't be in the squad together.

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