Top earning Wallabies to take large pay cuts to protect their lower-paid teammates

Australian rugby players who are top earners have volunteered to take pay cuts of more than 65 percent to protect their lower-paid teammates while the game rides out the coronavirus shutdown.

Stuff.co.nz reports that senior Wallabies player Michael Hooper, Matt Toomua and Dane Haylett-Petty has spearheaded the push for the country's highest-paid players to shoulder the pay cuts.

Should the plan receive the support of the players, it means Hooper, Kurtley Beale, Taniela Tupou, Izack Rodda, Allan Alaalatoa, Marika Koroibete, Toomua, and Haylett-Petty will approve a pay deal that will hit them hardest.

There was no confirmation of the numbers of players who agreed to this deal as negotiations are dragged into its third week.

The highest earners including Hooper who is paid close to $1.2 million a season and Tupou who will earn $1 million in his final year will take higher pay cuts, allowing players on base contracts in both formats to be buffeted from the worst of the pain.