"The product will be better if players are involved in discussions"

The Wales captain who has represented the Lions and Scarlets with distinction

- KEN OWENS

IT’S NOT so much that we want to be making the decisions, but often players are seen more as employees than assets. And yes we are employed, but rugby is very different to other businesses. We are the product. The way the game is developing, by including the players in the decision-making process you get more buy-in.

For example, in Wales recently, the Professional Rugby Board and Rugby Management Board have been discussing how to cut their cloth according to financial issues. Rightly so. They are looking at salaries and how to keep the game going in a cost-effective way. And it would be naive to think there are no financial struggles in the game.

But if players are around those tables, they find it easier to understand, earlier on. With fixed-variable contracts and new standardised contracts coming in, it would help to have players as part of the process, with early consultation.

You need players’ input earlier, instead of working on something for a year, putting it in front of us and going, “Well, you’re gonna have to get on with it.” It will explode, like it did recently in Wales.