English players furious at IRB's 'greed' claim

England's players have been labelled "money-grabbers" by the world governing body, the International Rugby Board, after allegedly demanding to be paid £10,000 for appearing in the ill-fated Northern Hemisphere v Southern Hemisphere match at Twickenham on 30 November.

Damian Hopley, the chief executive of the Professional Rugby Players' Association, revealed yesterday: "Earlier this week we received a fax from the IRB threatened to expose us as money-grabbers.

"We had an informal meeting with the IRB during which it had been suggested that the players be paid £10,000 each and that an additional win bonus could go towards the developing unions. But it was only a suggestion, not a demand. And the players would not have received all the £10,000, it is likely that their clubs would have wanted compensation for losing their services that weekend.

"The IRB is offering a normal international match fee of between £3,000 and £4,000 per player. But this is not a money issue and our players, to a man, are not interested in playing in this match. You could offer them £20,000 and they still would not play. This is a game too far. We are saying to the IRB that this fixture should be cancelled."

But last night the IRB communications director, Chris Rea, denied the charge saying: "I don't recall any comment by the IRB about the players being money-grabbers. I am at a loss to know where all this has come from. It defies belief.

"They have been talking about this for more than six months with the International Players' Association. I have met Damian Hopley. We talked through the issues, they have not mentioned burn-out, the timing or congested fixture lists. At no stage have the problems they are talking about been raised."

Hopley revealed that players from the five major countries – Australia, England, France, New Zealand and South Africa – had all decided not to take part in a match that is meant to be raising money for the poverty-stricken Pacific Islands. And with a crammed domestic and autumn international schedule – England play New Zealand, Australia and South Africa on the three Saturdays before 30 November – it is understandable.

In addition to all the above, that last weekend of November sees a full Zurich Premiership programme as well as the quarter finals of the Celtic League, so getting even half decent Northern Hemisphere players to turn out will not be that easy.

Nevertheless as hopeless as it looks, the Rugby Football Union insisted yesterday that the fixture will go ahead, even though they have no idea who will be playing and what standard of personnel they will have.

One name unlikely to play in November is Jonah Lomu. The giant All Black wing is struggling with a knee injury that will sideline him for at least a further week. Since Lomu has not played since 7 September the New Zealand selectors will be reluctant to pick him for the tour of Britain because of his lack of match practice.

The RFU performance director Chris Spice has promised that next season all Premiership matches will have countdown clocks, as in ice hockey and basketball, to show fans, and players, precisely how much time remains.