Black Ferns players to receive $25K bonus after RWC win

Each member of the Black Ferns’ Rugby World Cup-winning squad will receive a bonus payment of $25,000.

The payment was confirmed on Friday afternoon, just six days after the team completed an incredible turnaround in the space of less than a year to win the Rugby World Cup on home soil.

NZ Rugby Chief Executive, Mark Robinson said in a statement “New Zealand Rugby, with generous contributions from key partners Sky, Adidas and ASB, have created a bonus pool of almost $1m to acknowledge the incredible success of the Black Ferns team and management at the Rugby World Cup”.

Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern was among those agreeing with the growing chorus of voices saying the world champion Black Ferns deserve equal pay and equal opportunities to their male counterparts earlier this week.

In 2015, the All Blacks received a $150,000 bonus for winning the World Cup and are on track to receive a similar amount if they win the 2023 RWC.

“While bonuses were not built into Black Ferns contracts, NZR considers that they are appropriate given the scale of the Black Ferns’ RWC campaign,” said Robinson.

New Zealand Rugby said in a statement last month that its focus was on transitioning the professional women’s players to a full-time employment model.

A major contract breakthrough this year now means the majority of the Black Ferns squad are on retainers of between $35,000 and $70,000 a year.

Some earn more than $130,000 – comparable to lower-end Super Rugby players. Overall it meant the Black Ferns had higher remuneration than other teams, even including a lack of bonuses.

The announcement comes just a week after the Telegraph in the UK reported that each England player would receive a bonus of $30,000 per player if they won the Rugby World Cup.

“Accordingly, as we have done previously in respect of All Blacks RWC bonus payments, we have worked with commercial partners to create a pool that rewards the players for their historic and special performance,” said Robinson.

Sky Chief Corporate Affairs Officer Chris Major said the broadcaster was “delighted” to be involved in helping fund the bonus for the Black Ferns.

Major said Sky were “longstanding partners of NZ Rugby, and supporters and fans of the Black Ferns”.

“The Black Ferns’ success, along with the outstanding success of the whole tournament, has inspired and thrilled kiwis across the country,” Major said.

“At Sky, we care deeply about ensuring women and girls can ‘See The Possible’ in sport, and the Black Ferns have more than achieved that.

“In the coming years we will be showcasing Rugby World Cups, the new WXV tournaments along with other Black Ferns internationals, Sky Super Rugby Aupiki and the Farah Palmer Cup – and this bonus and acknowledgment of the incredible success of the Black Ferns is part of our commitment to be there every step of the way for women’s rugby in Aotearoa New Zealand.”

Three years ago the world champion Silver Ferns each received a $25,000 bonus from the side’s Netball World Cup partners after winning that tournament.

Sky Sport, ANZ, MYOB and Puma all contributed to a payment.

This article was first published on nzherald.co.nz and is republished here with permission