Welsh Rugby
WRU ties stars down to new deals
ESPNscrum Staff
August 5, 2011
The Wales front row, Gethin Jenkins, Matthew Rees and Adam Jones, look on dejected as their good work is undone against Australia, Wales v Australia, Millenium Stadium, Cardiff, Wales, November 6, 2010
Wales front-rows Gethin Jenkins (L) and Matthew Rees (C) met a number of times with the WRU to thrash out new player contracts © Getty Images
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Wales players could earn up to £100,000 each if they win the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand after a new deal was struck with the Welsh Rugby Union.

Wales' senior international have signed new five-year contracts with the WRU, which covers all Test matches until the end of the 2016 season. And according to BBC Wales, the players will be in line for a huge payout should they play in each round of a successful 2011 Rugby World Cup campaign.

Negotiations between the players - led by Matthew Rees and Players Chair Gethin Jenkins - and the WRU have been ongoing since last December and it was confirmed on Friday evening that agreement had finally been reached over issues such as basic match fees, bonuses and player commercial appearances on behalf of the governing body.

"I am delighted this contract takes us through to 2016 because it removes any concerns the current and future players will have, and it allows us to concentrate on matters on the field without any distractions off it," Rees said.

"Young players can now concentrate on winning their caps and giving their all for their country in the knowledge that the honour of playing for your country is also rewarding in other ways."

WRU group chief executive Roger Lewis is delighted that the contracts, which will run up to and including Wales' tour of New Zealand in 2016, has finally been reached with the players.

"This new contract secures the long term future of the elite professional game at international level for an unprecedented term," he said.

"I want to particularly thank the players who engaged in a series of long and detailed meetings over the past eight months to ensure we reached an amicable agreement which recognises the needs of all the parties involved.

"The structure of the contract is based on rewarding success. The more matches they win the better the payments will be.This arrangement is good - it shares the spoils of victory fairly."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

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