Anthony Watson has become the first male England player to sign a training contract with the Rugby Football Union, paving the way for the wing to stay in the Premiership with Leicester Tigers after the World Cup.
Watson is listed as “unattached” in the latest England squad update issued on Monday but Telegraph Sport understands the 29-year-old will be paid directly by the RFU through to the end of the World Cup after his previous contract with Leicester expired. Tigers are in pole position to re-sign Watson following the tournament.
French clubs, including Castres, had been circling Watson and it is thought the RFU were encouraged to make their move at the behest of England head coach Steve Borthwick, who wanted to keep him in the Premiership – and thus available for selection – after the World Cup. Watson was one of the few shining lights for England in a Six Nations campaign in which they finished fourth.
RFU insiders are at pains to emphasise this is not the same as a central contract like in Ireland where the Irish Rugby Union directly pays the wages of its leading stars. Instead it was an act of short-term expediency after Watson’s deal with Leicester came to an end. As Telegraph Sport previously reported, Watson struggled to find his market value in the Premiership as a result of the minimal salary cap compensation clubs would receive during his lengthy absences in a World Cup season.
The move is not completely without precedent. Centre Ben Te’o was also offered a training contract before the 2019 World Cup, although that was rescinded when he was cut from Eddie Jones’ squad following his brawl with Mike Brown at a training camp in Treviso.
RFU and Leicester remain tight-lipped over deal
Yet the RFU is still playing with fire by signing Watson. Other Premiership clubs could perceive that the RFU are handing Leicester a unique advantage by paying for Watson’s absence during the World Cup. Such is the sensitivity of the subject that neither the RFU nor Leicester were prepared to comment upon the deal.
At the end of last season, Leicester were unable to re-sign Watson due to salary cap restraints, but the training contract and Harry Potter’s departure to Western Force have opened up the fund for Watson to remain at Welford Road. Leicester have already bolstered their back-three options with the signings of Ollie Hassell-Collins and Josh Bassett from London Irish and Harlequins, while veteran full-back Mike Brown will remain at the club as cover during the World Cup.
Telegraph Sport also understands the RFU is proposing establishing a ‘hybrid contract’ for England’s leading players. This would give Borthwick and the RFU more control and input into the playing and training load of his main players in return for greater compensation. At present all clubs are paid £40,000 for every player provided to England’s Elite Player Squad, regardless if they are an established starter or unused player.
Information sharing may be key to entente cordiale
Premiership Rugby certainly recognises there should be greater recompense for providing England’s leading players but many clubs are resistant to the idea of losing autonomy over a player’s schedule. There is an increased sense of collaboration with England and the clubs agreeing to employ the same GPS units so they can monitor data on each other’s watch.
A sign of the more cordial relationship is underscored by the fact they have rebranded the Professional Game Agreement, which determines relations between the RFU and Premiership Rugby, as the Professional Game Partnership. However, while there are many areas of alignment, there is still a considerable difference of opinion on the cost of the PGP which is due to begin in 2024.
Under the previous PGA which was signed in 2016, the RFU paid the clubs £112 million for the first four years, with the second four-year period being linked to the RFU’s financial performance. After losing three Premiership clubs last season, the league is pushing for greater revenue. The RFU, however, are adamant they will not imperil the funding of the community game to prop up the Premiership. If they were to match or increase their backing, they would want greater input, whether in the form of hybrid contracts or a direct running of the academy system.
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