Canadian Press – February 8, 2024 / 3:54 pm | Story: 471500
Photo: Canadian Press
Rugby Canada and the Canadian Rugby Players Association have agreed to a three-year collective agreement.
While details of the deal were not revealed, veteran linebacker Ben LeSage called it “an important step in the right direction, giving the players a voice at the table to work more closely with the Canadian Rugby Union.”
“We are excited to continue working together to grow rugby in Canada and increase the support available to Canadian rugby players,” added Lesage, the federation’s representative for the Canadian men’s under-15 team, in a statement.
Rugby Canada CEO Nathan Bombress called the agreement “tangible progress” toward the governing body’s goal of “providing the best possible support to our players in achieving their aspirations on and off the rugby field.”
Rugby Canada and the CRPA received support from the Canadian Olympic Committee and their official law partner Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP in reaching the agreement.
Canadian rugby and its players have clashed in the past.
Sevens players boycotted training for two months in 2018, unhappy with changes to their contracts and plans to have one central group of players rather than separate squads of seven and 15 players. Players now move between the two teams.
This disagreement led the players to form a union. The agreement announced on Thursday is their first collective agreement.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 8, 2024
