Rugby is undoubtedly one of the biggest sports in the world. Some of the top rugby tournaments appreciated by fans globally include Rugby World Cup, Six Nations Championship, and World Rugby Pacific Nations Cup. Additionally, rugby players are among the highest-paid athletes in the world. Their massive salaries have figures similar to those you would see on top online casinos like ZAR Casino, as they mention their bonuses and promotions. So, who are the biggest earners in rugby?
This piece looks at the top earners in Rugby right now. The figures mentioned here are before tax but do not include bonuses and additional fees in the players’ contracts. Moreover, the figures also don’t include other sponsorship deals.
Owen Farrell
Country: England
Club: Bristol Bears
Salary: 750000 GBP
Owen Farrel, the England captain, signed his current deal with Saracens a while ago. The deal is set to run until 2022 when he can expect a pay rise when he moves elsewhere.
Beauden Barrett
Country: New Zealand
Club: Suntory Sungoliath
Salary: 780000 GBP
Barrett missed the Super Rugby campaign this year with the blues. He had taken a break to deal with Suntory Sungoliath in the Top League. The move made him the current top-pain All Black and Top League’s highest-earner.
Virimi Vakatawa
Country: France
Club: Racing 92
Salary: 780000 GBP
Virimi is the new kid on the top-earners block. He missed out on WalesOnline’s selection last year. However, he is reported to be among the best-paid rugby players at Racing 92, a Top 14 outfit.
Maro Itoje
Country: England
Club: Saracens
Salary: 800000 GBP
Maro Itoje is ranked as the highest-paid English rugby player. Additionally, Itoje would have added an extra 200000 GBP to his salary if Racing 92 had agreed to his demands when the club went after his signature last year.
Cheslin Kolbe
Country: South Africa
Club: Toulon
Salary: 850000 GBP
Kolbe is remembered as the star of the 2019 World Cup. He made his way into the rugby’s rich list with his off-season move from Toulouse, the French and European champions, to Toulon, their domestic rival.
Finn Russel
Country: Scotland
Club: Racing 92
Salary: 850000 GBP
Finn Russel is currently Britain’s highest-paid forward in professional rugby. His current salary is a 315000 mark-up from WalesOnline’s estimations last year.
Eben Etzebeth
Country: South Africa
Club: Toulon
Salary: 900000 GBP
Eben Etzebeth is in the second year of his three-year contract with Toulon. His current salary makes him the highest-paid forward in professional rugby.
Charles Piutau
Country: New Zealand
Club: Bristol Bears
Salary: 1 million GBP
Charles Piutau has retained his place as the joint top-earner in rugby. The former All Blacks utility back is also on the radar of Tonga. If that happens, it will be an unbelievable international eligibility switch. Piutau became rugby’s first million-pound player when he switched to Bristol Bears in 2017.
Handre Pollard
Country: South Africa
Club: Montpellier
Salary: 1 million GBP
Handre Pollard, Springboks’ pivot Handre Pollard maintains his place at the top of rugby’s top-earners thanks to his move to the Bulls of Montpellier. He made the move after the 2019 World Cup.
