Highest paid positions in the Top14, Pro14 and Premiership revealed
Using data collected over the past number of seasons by sports agency Esportif Intelligence, an interesting picture begins to develop on the key positions in Europes three major leagues.
Last month we brought you a comparison guide between the Aviva Premiership and the Pro14.
Now Esportif Intelligence have updated their figures to include the Top14, giving us a better idea about the different values each league puts on specific positions.
When looking at the information below it’s important to note that there is a double up in each league for both wingers and locks.
This is an attempt to represent both the highest paid lock and winger at each club as well as the second highest paid (A and B), giving a representation of the full 15 on the pitch.
One of the most interesting findings from the survey is that fly-half isn’t the highest paid position in the Pro14, whereas it is in both other leagues.
Charles Piutau’s salary might be a large reason why we see fullback usurping the fly-half at the number one slot in the Pro14.
By comparison, fullback is only the 11th most valuable position in the Top14 and 8th in the Premiership, so quite a considerable jump.
No.8’s in the Top14 sit in second, possibly also due to wage demands of players like Louis Picamoles and Victor Vito.
A comparison of positions commanding the highest pay this season across @PRO14Official @premrugby @top14rugby pic.twitter.com/eY3davhO2y
— Esportif Intelligence (@EsportifIntel) December 29, 2017
From a previous study conducted by Esportif Intelligence, we know that between the Premiership and the Pro14 the average wage is 15% higher in the Premiership.
The average is £200,000 per annum in the Premiership, equating to roughly a £30,000 a year difference between the two leagues.
That’s a lot but that figure is estimated to rise again throughout the course of this season by 5%.
However, the gulf in wages, like most sectors of society, isn’t felt across the board
The top tier of players in both leagues receive equally large salaries, meaning the differential lies with tier 2 and tier 3 players.
Tier 2 and tier 3 players in the Pro 14 earn considerably less than their Aviva Premiership counterparts.
“The PRO12 try to pay quality players at its top end more. It’s the second and third choice players at those teams who on a whole are not paid as much compared to those in the Aviva,” said Hannah Bowe, head of Esportifs advisory services.
“To me, it is representative of the strategy traditionally employed by the PRO12 teams and unions to be competitive, which has facilitated their national teams’ competitiveness, by looking after their most influential players where possible, whilst being more constrained on total budget.
“That is now being somewhat eroded by the external revenue streams in the Premiership, which has enabled clubs to attract and keep marquee players who may have headed for France.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Let’s not forget about Ardie Savea just yet.
4 Go to commentsThe URC and the Euro Championscup can’t run at the same time, basically dilutes both competitions.
1 Go to comments“While Sotutu should start at No.8 for the All Blacks against England, but it’s only in that arena that he can prove just how good he really is.” And that my friends is where simply hasnt shone despite multiple opportunities. Even in this performance you can see what did him in in the test arena..he almost always still runs at the opposition almost ramrod upright making him easier to stop than it should be.
4 Go to commentsShould have been 0-0 and a message from SR CEO to both teams - “don’t worry about turning up next year”.
4 Go to commentsGreat work Owen Franks. A great of this team, scoring his first try for the Crusaders since 2010.He was beaming, justifiably. A fine win, he and the rest did the job up front.
1 Go to commentsDanny Care. Lang in die tand.
1 Go to commentsBig empty stadium does nothing for atmosphere but munster are playing well with solid performance
1 Go to commentsYes, Fiji can win the World Cup! With that belief plus their christian faith🙏 and hard work it is achievable. Great article. Ian Duncan Fiji resident 1981-84
2 Go to commentsInteresting comments about Touch. England’s hosting the Touch World Cup this year and the numbers have exploded since their last World Cup in 2019, something like 70% more teams and 40 nations taking part. And England Touch have made a big thing about how many universities are in their BUCS University Touch Championship as well as Sport England membership. Can only see this growing even more domestically as more people become aware of it
10 Go to comments“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
4 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
4 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
4 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
38 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
4 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
2 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to comments