CHAIRMAN Gareth Davies says the Welsh Rugby Union's pay cuts will be extended to the professional game.

The governing body announced on Tuesday that chief executive Martyn Phillips and head coach of the national team Wayne Pivac are among those to have their salaries reduced by 25 per cent because of the coronavirus crisis.

Some members of staff will have 10 per cent cuts and others have been placed on furlough in accordance with the UK government's job retention scheme.

The pandemic has had huge financial implications and a number of teams in England and Ireland have already reduced the salaries of players.

Negotiations continue for the same to happen at the Dragons, Scarlets, Ospreys and Cardiff Blues.

The Professional Rugby Board is working on the details with the Welsh Rugby Players Association.

"This week clubs will have read the news about Welsh Rugby Union pay-cuts across all staff with senior employees, from Wayne Pivac to executive staff, universally accepting a 25 per cent pay cut," said Davies..

"This policy is also due to be extended out to the professional game across Wales, with Professional Rugby Board currently working hard on the detail.

"Further staff at the WRU, anyone earning over 25k per annum, have also accepted wage reductions or engaged the government's furlough scheme.

"Across the board I would like to extend the gratitude of Welsh rugby to these individuals who are making personal sacrifices in the name of the long-term stability of our game.

"Around the country our club game is sustained by a network of volunteers who will be making similar and often deeper sacrifices over the coming weeks or will have already done so.

"We are all in this together and, together, we will see it through," he continued. "It is our collective aim to ensure that Welsh rugby remains intact through this current period of enforced inaction, so that we can pick up again where we left off when the time comes.

"We are doing all we can to make this happen and are grateful for the cooperation of all as we take each necessary step towards achieving this goal."

Meanwhile, chief executive Phillips believes a rescheduled Judgement Day would be the perfect was to restart the sport.

The Guinness PRO14 double-header at Principality Stadium was due to take place on Saturday, April 17 with the Dragons taking on the Ospreys before the Scarlets locked horns with Cardiff Blues.

The two western teams were set to have home advantage for the first time and Phillips hasn't ruled out resuming rugby with a bang in the capital this year.

"Judgement Day is the kind of event that could fit flexibly into any re-scheduled season, what a way to start off any resumption in playing, for example," said the chief executive, who has shelved plans to leave because of the coronavirus crisis.

"As with the Scotland Six Nations match, we urge all supporters to hold onto their tickets for the time being, of course refunds will be available if we re-schedule and you can't make the new time.

"But, for now, we are hoping for a resumption in rugby one day soon, giving the opportunity to re-activate all tickets."