According to a piece in Rapport, top South African rugby stars look set for big salary cuts to mitigate the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

The report suggested that players could lose up to 40% of their salaries.

"We still need to quantify the impact of no rugby being played and it will be based on the worst-case scenario for SA Rugby," MyPlayers CEO Eugene Henning told the players. "The next step is to decide how much to cut salaries. It will then be submitted to players' representatives for approval."

Henning added that the industry intended to use tax tables to determine the reduction of salaries, which means players who earn more will get a bigger cut, while those who earn the least could even avoid cuts.

SA Rugby is hopeful that there can be a return to action by 5 June, which would see a radically changed rugby calendar.

Should the game get the green light to go ahead, the following plan has been formulated:

- A two-month long tournament starting on 5 June featuring South Africa's four Super Rugby and two PRO14 teams

- The Rugby Championship to be played in August and September, with the SuperSport Rugby Challenge and Currie Cup also starting in this period

- The Springboks' two tests against Scotland, initially scheduled for 4 and 11 July, to take place in October, with the 18 July test against Georgia scrapped

- The Springboks' year-end European tour - where they are due to face Italy (7 November), Ireland (14 November), France (21 November) and Wales (28 November) - to go ahead.