New Zealand Rugby has made a big push for double gold at the Rio Olympics, with sevens the financial winner in the new collective employment agreement.
The agreement, signed by New Zealand Rugby and the New Zealand Rugby Players Association, governs professional rugby from 2013 to 2015 and includes a big windfall for the abbreviated version of the game.
With sevens now included in the Olympics, both parties have reflected the obvious opportunity for two gold medals, with both the men's and women's sides winning this year's world championships.
The new agreement includes a significant increase in the amount of money in the player payment pool to be allocated to the All Blacks Sevens' retainer.
The previous payment fund of $1.6 million has more than doubled to $3.5m, providing the opportunity for a core group of players to specialise in, or prioritise, sevens ahead of the Rio Games in 2016.
