The bonuses are on top of match payments, which are understood to remain at $10,000 per game for centrally contracted players and $12,000 for those without a RA contract. All up, including bonuses and match payments, the Australians could share the spoils of a $5.5 million pool, which is roughly an $800,000 increase on the 2015 bonus scheme (combined total of $4.7 million). Those in the 2015 squad were offered a one-off $100,000 reward for winning the final but fell short at the last hurdle, going down 34-17 to New Zealand at Twickenham. The Wallabies are happy chaps after learning they will pocket up to $125,000 if they win this year's Rugby World Cup. Credit:AAP It meant players received no extra coin but pocketed their match payments for the seven games across the tournament.

However, the latest negotiations between RA and the Rugby Union Players' Association mean squad members will be rewarded even if Australia can make the final, as opposed to an all-or-nothing financial incentive to lift the Webb Ellis Cup. Initially RA wanted keep the same bonus scheme as 2015 but it is understood the game’s governing body actually proposed the final payment structure – with the semi-final element – which was then signed off by RUPA on behalf of its members. Loading “We believe it's a fair outcome," RA chief executive Raelene Castle told the Herald. “In 2015 the team played extremely well in making it through to the final. Whilst none of the players will be satisfied with anything less than bringing the trophy home, we feel that an achievement like reaching the final deserves recognition for the players. “That’s why we’ve agreed on a structure that includes recognition for a semi-final win at the 2019 World Cup in Japan.”

Given the Wallabies haven’t been in terrific form since the last World Cup – winning 17 of their 42 matches – a $25,000 incentive to win a semi-final may be a viewed by players as a favourable result. During recent negotiations the Wallabies wanted to scrap the all-or-nothing bonus payment strategy and have access to a larger pool of $6.2 million. They wanted $100,000 for making the final and then another $75,000 to $100,000 if they were crowned world champions. RA knocked that audacious request on its head and the two parties were able to meet in the middle. The deal is decent in comparison to other tier one nations who have set up bonus schemes for the World Cup, many of which have not been made public yet.

The $125,000 bounty the Australians could receive is just shy of the $150,000 the All Blacks will pocket if they win a third consecutive World Cup. The Wallabies came within a whisker of picking up an extra $100,000 if they won the 2015 Rugby World Cup. Credit:Dan Mullan All Blacks players will make $35,000 each if they qualify for the final and then rake in another $115,000 if they can put the icing on the cake in the final. It is understood Ireland have secured an agreement to get a bonus for simply making it out of their pool, which features Scotland, Japan, Russia and Samoa. Each win thereafter will result in varying amounts of bonuses. At the 2015 World Cup, if England won the tournament and a player featured in every match, he would have pocketed the equivalent of $AUD383,000.