RUGBY RICH LIST: Rugby Union's 7 richest money men
Hans-Peter Wild
Nationality: German
Net Worth: €3 Billion
Rugby CV: Wild Rugby Academy Founder, Stade Francais Owner
German billionaire Hans-Peter Wild is the son of Rudolf, founder of the Wild company, one of Europe’s biggest natural ingredients manufacturers. In 1970 he co-founded the famous Capri Sun drinks line and his wealth has continued to rise ever since.
A huge fan of what he, with pun intended calls “the wildest gentlemen’s game”, he has heavily invested in German rugby at a grassroots level to huge success.
They are well on their way to their aim to “make rugby ‘made in Germany’ internationally successful”, taking huge strides into the European Nations Cup top division. Wild has taken this positive attitude to Stade Francais, where he recently acquired a controlling stake in the French club.
Given their recent troubles, perhaps an injection of both Wild’s funds and his attitude could see the Parisians return to the top.
Jacky Lorenzetti
Nationality: Swiss
Net Worth: €4 billion
Rugby CV: Racing 92 Majority Owner
Unlike most of this list, Jacky Lorenzetti was never a rugby fan growing up. Growing up in Switzerland and graduating from hotel school in Lausanne he understandably wasn’t exposed to the game.
After founding Foncia, which since 2006 has been Europe’s biggest real estate company, he married his wife in France and caught the bug from her brothers. He was soon so in love with the game that he bought a 62% controlling share in Racing Club 92, then a second division French team.
Now however, they’re anything but second rate. After taking the reins at the club Lorenzetti has built two state of the art training centres, brought in the world’s best players and catapulted Les Ciels et Blancs to the top of European rugby.
While the recent fallen through merger with Stade Francais almost certainly would’ve brought even further domination, Lorenzetti’s finances have still been the source of Racing’s successes and sit as the archetypal example of the power of deep pockets in the Top 14.
Bidzina Ivanishvili
Nationality: Georgian
Net Worth: $2 billion
Rugby CV: Super Rich Super Fan
Born into poverty, billionaire, former president of Georgia, rugby fanatic. If nothing else Bidzina Ivanishvili must have the richest story of any man in rugby. Having trained in Georgia and Russia as an engineer, Ivanishvili made his fortune buying small companies, revamping their operations and selling them on for profit. Starting with metal manufacturers and continuing until he owned so much of Georgia he decided to rule it.
In 2012 Ivanishvili formed his own political party to challenge the established government and was elected president of Georgia, but suddenly retired from politics in 2013 amid numerous offshore financial scandals. In terms of rugby, Georgia’s national budget is made up of Ivanishvili’s bank account.
We all know of their ambitions to enter the Six nations, and their potential to play at the highest level, and so do they. They’re investing huge time and money in grass roots and underage rugby.
Their hosting of the annual Tbilisi Cup and this years U20 World Championships has put them on the map. With the monetary and political backing of their former president they look primed to follow his example and head for the stars.
Stephen Lansdown
Nationality: English
Net worth: £1.5billion
Rugby CV: Owner Bristol Rugby
Bristol Rugby and Bristol City FC owner Stephen Lansdown co-founded Bristol-based financial Group Hargreaves Lansdown in 1981.
He’s the richest Briton in Rugby Union with a networth of approximately £1.5 billion. From the 2008–09 season Lansdown financed Bristol Rugby, which only became public knowledge when Lansdown formalised his ownership of the club in 2012.
Mohed Altrad
Nationality: Syrian/French
Networth: $1.7 billion
Rugby CV: Majority shareholder in Montpellier Herault
According to Forbes when Mohed Altrad immigrated to France from Syria in 1969, he didn’t speak French and survived on one meal a day. Now he heads Montpellier-based Altrad Group, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of scaffolding and cement mixers, with $2.4 billion in revenues and more than 21,000 employees.
He is the main shareholder in Montpellier, saying: “But above all I chose sport… because it reflects the values I have always defended, in my life and within the Group: passion, commitment, the will to succeed while respecting others, the solidarity, in fact, which cements teamwork. And of all sports, rugby, as those who are familiar with it or have played it are well aware, is perhaps the sport which most embodies these values. The MHR, for its part, is rising fast – you only have to look at its remarkable progress this year. And it represents the kind of challenge I like.”
Nigel Wray
Nationality: English
Net Worth: £300 million
Rugby CV: Saracens Owner
For a man worth £300 million, we don’t really hear much from Nigel Wray. Despite the fact that his club are possibly one of the most talked about in Europe the english investment banker is quiet on the scale of a normal man, never mind one that owns a club like his. Often called Britain’s most successful living investor, Wray is the epitome of traditional english demeanour and values.
Having been a sports fanatic all his life, he has collected huge amounts of sports memorabilia, not least owning London Saracens. Having taken charge in the 1990’s Wray remembers attending matches and hearing crowds shout “boring” onto the pitch. Almost everything has changed since then.
The high powered Saracen’s team are also well fuelled financially, having received repeated influxes of cash from their owner. He has never been one to speak out about himself, but Saracens do their talking on the pitch, and under Wray’s control, we’ve all been singing their praises.
Mourad Boudjellal
Nationality: French
Net Worth: Estimated to be around £40m-£50m
Rugby CV: RC Toulon President
Empty vessels and all that…. Not that $40m is anything to be sniffed, but it is surprising considering how much noise he makes.
While he and his comic book publishing company might not rake in as much cash as others on this list, it has been enough to finance his incredibly intelligent rugby dealings.
The early two-thousands saw him import world class talents approaching the ends of their careers. Men like George Gregan and Tana Umaga combined with and mentored unproven youngsters (a certain Sonny Bill Williams) and ensured performances for Toulon’s present and future, for a discounted price.
These days of course, Boudjellal’s wheelings and dealings have become so successful that the club finance their team of superstars without his external input. He may not be the richest man outside of rugby, but nobody has made more money using rugby than he has.
Comments on RugbyPass
Super rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
7 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
7 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
14 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
14 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
7 Go to comments