English clubs urge RFU to speed up enhanced hybrid contract plans

Leading English clubs are urging the Rugby Football Union to accelerate its plans to introduce hybrid central contracts for a limited number of key men’s international players. Saracens are one of several sides keen to know exactly how many of their squad will be offered deals and precisely how the new system will operate.

Sarries’ director of rugby, Mark McCall, who works closely with a number of England players including the national captain, Jamie George, and the lock Maro Itoje, is hoping the situation will be clarified sooner rather than later. “It’s pretty important that it gets sorted as quickly as possible,” said McCall, suggesting his star players had still not seen their final contracts.

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“As far as I know Maro and Jamie have agreed something in principle [but] I’m not sure there’s any contract on the table as it stands. It’s fair to say an agreement has been reached between them, the club and the RFU in principle. But as far as I know no contract has actually been signed by either of those players. The sooner all that can get done, the better for everybody.”

The England head coach, Steve Borthwick, has been given the license to allocate up to 25 enhanced EPS ­contracts worth in the region of £150,000 a year which would allow him a greater say over players’ individual preparation and workload. So far, however, there has been no confirmation of how many enhanced contracts will be dished out and McCall says an extended impasse could impact on the club’s recruitment plans for next season.

The RFU says that talks with leading English clubs about a reset of the domestic game as part of a new Professional Game Partnership are progressing well, although an agreement has yet to be reached regarding the long-term reintroduction of promotion and relegation between the Premiership and the second-tier Championship.

Two Scottish international forwards have confirmed they are moving on from their current Premiership sides, with Jonny Gray and Magnus Bradbury calling time on their respective stints with Exeter and Bristol. Gray has left Sandy Park with immediate effect “to explore other playing opportunities” having scored 10 tries in 48 games for the Chiefs. Bradbury, Bristol’s players’ player of the year last season, is returning to Edinburgh on a two-year deal.

Bath have confirmed the signings of the highly rated England Under-18s forward Kepu Tuipulotu and the wing Tyler Offiah on senior academy contracts. Offiah is the son of the former rugby league international Martin “Chariots” Offiah.