British and Irish Lions Players & Staff Take Pay Cut - Report

The British and Irish Lions stars and staff have accepted a 25 per cent pay cut ahead of this summer's trip to South Africa, according to a report by the Daily Mail.

2021 Lions will be paid basic wages of £48,750 for the eight-match tour to South Africa, down from £65,000 for the New Zealand series four years ago.

The cut makes the squad the lowest-paid Lions since the trip to South Africa 12 years ago, according to the report and it is not only the 37 players who will feel the financial impact of the pandemic with coaches taking a pay cut too.

Sportsmail state that the Lions boss Warren Gatland has taken a significant cut to his £500,000 salary, along with the rest of the Lions' permanent management and staff, with the cut kicking in last August.

The players' clubs will also receive £48,750 for every player they contribute to the squad, which has also been reduced by 25 per cent.

Players will still receive a bonus of around £10,000 if they win a series against the Springboks.