RFL chief executive Nigel Wood has revealed that the salary cap of £1.85m will be applicable across ALL three top-level competitions next year.
Wood spoke at a media briefing on Wednesday and revealed that there will be no limit on what he described as “entrepreneurial owners” in the lower leagues from 2017.
“It will be one salary cap system for all the leagues,” he said.
“If you’ve got an entrepreneurial owner who wants to invest, there will be no restriction on that. Where there’s an owner who wants their club to ‘have a go’, then they can, although the ‘50% rule’ applies.
“There’s a finite cap of £1.85m or 50% of turnover – whichever is lower. The clubs are discussing all that and they will be looking forward at what the strategic tactics are to improve the supply and quality of players.
“The reality is that the salary cap is by the clubs, for the clubs.”
Wood also confirmed that England will play a mid-season international next year – although refused to be drawn on where it may be, after reports earlier this year suggested they could head to Dubai.
“It’ll be wherever it needs to be,” Wood said.
“The overwhelming consideration is that the quality of opposition deems where England go, wherever the best calibre of opposition is, that is conducive to where we go.
“It could be overseas, it might not; there’s two alternatives right now. One is in the southern hemisphere where we’d be playing a team down there, the other is one involving northern hemisphere teams.”
