Super League Makes Salary Cap Changes

Rugby league’s Super League is to implement a new salary cap system in a bid to
halt the worrying trend of clubs over-spending on player wages.

The 12 clubs making up rugby league’s top-flight will use the pro-active
salary cap system currently used by their Australian counterparts.

The system calculates clubs’ salary cap positions at the start of and during
the season, with signings only allowed if they have room under the cap.

RFL chief operating officer Nigel Wood said: ‘The current salary cap has
served the game well but it has a number of drawbacks which we aim to put right
under these changes.

‘At the moment, it is retrospective and a club breaching the salary cap
cannot be dealt with until the following season.

‘The new system, which is similar to the proven system in the NRL in
Australia is ‘live’ and means a club can no longer breach the salary cap by
miscalculation or mismanagement.’

The Super League has also recognised a need to provide a bigger pool of
talent for Great Britain in their decision to ratify proposals for a ‘homegrown
player’ rule.

From next year, clubs must include at least five players who have either come
through their academy or are aged under 21 in their 25-strong squads.