England head coach Eddie Jones has agreed to take a pay cut of more than 25% as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.

The Rugby Football Union, considered the richest union in the world, is braced for revenue losses of up to £50m, and Jones has now joined some of the organisation’s highest-paid executives in accepting a reduction to help limit the financial impact of the pandemic.

‘When I contacted Eddie regarding our executive pay reduction proposals he immediately agreed,’ said RFU boss Bill Sweeney.

It is understood the pay cuts for Jones and the executive team apply to their full remuneration package of salary, bonuses and pension, to the equivalent of more than 25%. Jones would have been due a sizeable bonus at the end of June after guiding England to the Rugby World Cup final.

Meanwhile, the RFU is also proposing a salary reduction across the board for their other employees.

Those outside the highest-earners, including the rest of the England senior team coaching staff, will be subject to a three-month cut of 10%. However, this will not apply to anyone in the organisation earning under £30,000 per year.

On Thursday, Sweeney outlined the serious financial repercussions of the coronavirus, with the RFU planning for Twickenham stadium to be out of action for the foreseeable future.

‘When we do not stage matches and events we do not generate revenue. The RFU’s biggest asset is also a major cost and the closure of Twickenham Stadium has a significant impact on the revenues we can generate to reinvest back into the game,’ Sweeney explained.

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