England pay dispute drags on

England's tour to Australia and New Zealand next month is in danger of being overshadowed by a pay dispute which is still to be settled despite extensive negotiations.

It is believed that players who feature in England's Test 22 against the Wallabies had been proposed to receive additional match fees of £5,000 per Test - plus a possible win bonus - on top of the basic £7,800 tour payment.

If approved, that could mean some players earning a minimum £10,000 more than those not involved in either Test match.

Talks between the Rugby Football Union and Team England Rugby, negotiating body for England's elite squad, have failed to resolve the situation and both sides have now agreed for an independent third party to deliver a recommendation that will be mutually binding.