French rugby is hit hard by the health crisis. A hundred players found themselves unemployed, others could see their wages reduced by 30%. Some club presidents even fear the end of the Top 14. 

The announcement of a limit of 5,000 spectators in the stadiums dealt an additional blow to French rugby. The health crisis had already put a hundred players out of work and the wages of those still in office could suffer a drop of 30%. Some club presidents even fear the death of the Top 14. Because unlike football, which lives largely on TV rights, rugby clubs, despite the manna of Canal +, remain very dependent on entry to the stadium.

"We are going to recruit fewer players than we would have liked"

The absence of a match is therefore a financial tsunami: the losses of French rugby could amount to 120 million euros. It was also necessary to cut in the workforce. "We have to tighten our belts," admits the president of the Lyon club, Yann Roubert. "We have undoubtedly reached a peak in the remuneration of players and in the standard of living of French professional rugby. Salary cuts are being implemented in the vast majority of clubs. We are going to recruit fewer players than what we are doing. 'we would have liked. "

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French rugby has so far been able to get by thanks to partial unemployment, and looks forward to the resumption of the season on September 4, with as many spectators as possible, hope the club presidents.