'It's the right thing to do': Rugby Australia boss Raelene Castle set for further pay cut

Raelene Castle says she will slice another 15 percent off her salary as the Rugby Union Australia chief looks to strike a pay deal with the country’s top players, insisting: “It’s the right thing to do.”

Castle had already taken a 50 percent cut to set an example as the 15-man code confronts an uncertain financial future because of Australia’s ongoing coronavirus-enforced shutdown.

Billy Searle takes on Billy Burns in the quarter-finals of the RugbyPass FIFA charity tournament.

Billy Searle takes on Billy Burns in the quarter-finals of the RugbyPass FIFA charity tournament.

The cash-strapped governing body last week stood down 75 percent of their non-player workforce, after announcing a $9.4 million loss.

And with talks ongoing with the Rugby Union Players Association over a new emergency pay deal, Castle has promised to match the 65 percent pay the game’s professional players have been asked to shoulder until the end of September, in order to help the sport’s survival.

“It’s the right thing to do. I have made that decision and recommended it to the board because we’re facing really tough times and have to make these calls. Like everyone through the game that’s had to stand down and make difficult decisions, I’m no different,” Castle told the Sydney Morning Herald.

“We’ve been head down concentrating on trying to find a plan that protects the long term viability of the game, looking under every rock to try to save every penny we can to make sure the game is on a stable footing for the long term,” she said.

“Off the back of that I’ve decided to take an additional 15 percent that will take my pay cut to 65 percent.”

No resolution was reached in talks before the start of Easter, as planned discussions with the RUPA on Thursday were postponed, after a RA director fell ill.

Both sides are looking to advance the situation and will resume talks on Saturday morning.