PLAYERS representing Australia during the Ashes Test series in the UK will receive AU$13,000 for the entire 26-day tour., according to The Daily Telegraph.
Though, on the face of it, that still appears quite lucrative (almost £6,500), that salary is less than half of the $30,000 player payment for a State of Origin game.
With the Ashes tour falling outside of the NRL’s collective bargaining agreement, the Rugby League Players’ Association (RLPA) negotiated a special deal with the NRL for those players representing Australia.
Each player will receive just $3,000 a Test plus an additional $1,000 a week, over the four-week tour, for daily expenses.
Australian players were previously paid $20,000 per Test, but they have been willing to give up part of that in order to allow players contesting the Pacific Championships to be paid $3,000 a Test – up from $750 for some players.
“We’re not here for the money,” Australian forward Keaon Koloamatangi told The Daily Telegraph.
“If you play the game for money, that’s when your career will go downhill. It shows what the jersey means to everyone
“I have never been big about money. It has always been for the love of the game, as long as I’m enjoying and loving the game.
“All these players are the best players in the game so for them to not worry about the money is a big thing, especially for the younger boys coming through.
“It’s about growing the game globally and that is the best thing for the NRL at the moment.”