Premiership Rugby confirm salary cap rise

Premiership Rugby today confirmed changes to the Salary Cap in Aviva Premiership Rugby. From next season, clubs will be allowed to spend £5.5m in players wages which represent a £500,000 increase from the current salary cap.
The total sum will be split with £5.1m reserved for the main squad (£4.76 currently) and £400,000 of Home Grown Player Credits (£240,000 currently).
These players are youngsters who joined the club’s academy before their 18th birthday.
But the biggest change comes in the addition of a second marquee player, whose wages will not be included in the salary cap. This second ‘Excluded Player’ must be a new signing for next season or a player who has not played in the Premiership for over 12 months.
Premiership Rugby’s chief executive Mark McCafferty said:
“The level of the Salary Cap is linked to central revenues which have increased significantly in recent years, as a result of new broadcast partner in BT Sport, new European revenues and the recent contract signed with our title sponsor, Aviva.
“This increase in central revenues has allowed us to increase the Salary Cap and further help our clubs compete in both the new European Rugby Champions Cup and European Rugby Challenge Cup.”
“Currently the ‘Excluded’ player (from the Salary Cap) can be nominated from a club’s current squad giving the clubs the ability to keep investing in English players to ensure they stay in Aviva Premiership Rugby.
“That will continue, but from the 2015-16 season clubs will be able to nominate a second ‘Excluded’ player. This will allow our clubs to attract the best players from other competitions who will add to our TV and commercial values. The second ‘Excluded’ player must be new to Aviva Premiership Rugby in the 2015-16 season and/or have not played in the competition for at least 12 months.
“We are delighted to confirm the number of England qualified players in Aviva Premiership Rugby has passed 70% for the first time and we want to drive the numbers even higher.
“The increase in the base level of the Salary Cap will help our clubs to retain English talent. Also the introduction of Home Grown Player Credits helps the enviable production line that has been established from our Academies to our Premiership squads and on to England.
“England and their clubs are getting stronger because of our commitment to the development of world class England players in Aviva Premiership Rugby; the most competitive league in the world. It is an essential part of our league and the strength of our system.
“Earlier in the summer we saw an England Under-20s team dominated by players from our Academies win their second IRB Junior World Cup in 12 months so the production line is getting stronger.
“As we have already seen in the first two weeks of Aviva Premiership Rugby the league is compelling and dramatic, with a core of players desperate to play in next year’s Rugby World Cup. It is performances for their clubs that win them places at the tournament.
“Attendances are up this season and a record number of tries have been scored in the first two rounds. The standard of Aviva Premiership Rugby ensures England is in great shape not only for the 2015 Rugby World Cup but also for 2019 and beyond.”