Rugby's rich list: The world's highest-paid players in 2020
While the salaries of athletes from top-tier sporting leagues such as the NBA, NFL and Premier League are flaunted throughout media outlets worldwide, it can be comparatively difficult to know how much the best rugby players rake in.
However, WalesOnline have gone some way to dispel that notion by publishing a list which has ranked the top 15 earners in the code from around the world – even in the midst of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Forming such a list has presented its challenges, though, with the outbreak resulting in some of the game’s biggest names are set to see their contracts expire without taking to the field again.
WalesOnline reports that legendary playmaking duo Dan Carter and Matt Giteau are on contracts worth around £1.1m (NZ$2.2m/AU$2.1m) at Kobelco Steelers and Suntory Sungoliath, respectively, but both players are set to move on following the cancellation of this year’s Top League.
Other big earners in Japan, including former All Blacks skipper Kieran Read and Wallabies great David Pocock, face uncertain futures, while it is difficult to accurately estimate the earnings of someone like star All Blacks lock Brodie Retallick.
The 28-year-old has signed a four-year deal with New Zealand Rugby which will see him through to the 2023 World Cup in France, but a two-year sabbatical with Kobelco clouds those estimations.
His long-time second row partner Sam Whitelock was in a similar position this year when he was allowed a six-month break from his new four-year deal with NZR to join the Panasonic Wild Knights, but has since returned to New Zealand due to the pandemic.
Add to that the mass pay cuts players have been taking around the globe, and it’s no easy task trying to unravel the yearly incomes of the planet’s best players.
Nevertheless, that is exactly what WalesOnline have done, with their list of the 15 best-paid rugby players around the world featured below.
15. Faf de Klerk (South Africa/Sale Sharks) – £500,000 (R11.m)
A key member of South Africa’s World Cup-winning Springboks squad last year, halfback Faf de Klerk signed a contract extension with Premiership club Sale Sharks in 2018 that sees him earn half-a-million pounds per year.
14. Beauden Barrett (New Zealand/Blues) – £520,000 (NZ$1m)
Two-time World Rugby player of the year Beauden Barrett quashed rumours of a big-money offshore move last year when he signed a four-year deal with NZR that included a high-profile Super Rugby transfer from the Hurricanes to the Blues.
13. Finn Russell (Scotland/Racing 92) – £535,000 (€611,276)
Out-of-favour Scotland star Finn Russell reportedly doubled his money when he joined Racing 92 from the Glasgow Warriors in 2018, and has since excelled in France’s Top 14.
12. Johnny Sexton (Ireland/Leinster) – £536,000 (€612,419)
2018 World Rugby player of the year Johnny Sexton returned to his native Leinster five years ago following a brief stint with Racing 92, and has gone on to become Ireland’s highest-paid player.
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10 = Manu Tuilagi (England/Leicester Tigers) – £550,000
One of England’s standouts during last year’s World Cup in Japan, barnstorming midfielder Manu Tuilagi turned down a lucrative £2.5m offer from Racing 92 to sign a two-year extension with the Leicester Tigers six months ahead of the tournament.
10 = Stuart Hogg (Scotland/Exeter Chiefs) – £550,000
WalesOnline reports that Scotland captain Stuart Hogg was the highest-paid player in Scotland during his time with the Glasgow Warriors, but added an extra £200,000 to his salary when he joined English club Exeter Chiefs last year.
9. Michael Hooper (Australia/Waratahs) – £572,000 (AU$1.1m)
Despite being able to command bigger paycheques abroad, Wallabies skipper Michael Hooper signed a mammoth five-year contract with Rugby Australia in 2018 in a deal that has made him the highest-earning player in the country following Israel Folau’s departure.
7 = Morgan Parra (France/Clermont) – £580,000 (€662,692)
Veteran France halfback Morgan Parra’s international career may have hit a speed bump, but a recent contract extension with Clermont has kept the 31-year-old among one of the game’s top earners.
7 = Nicolas Sanchez (Argentina/Stade Francais) – £580,000 (€662,692/AR$47.5m)
Argentina’s star playmaker Nicolas Sanchez left the Jaguares in Super Rugby two years ago to take a significant pay rise by joining Paris-based Top 14 club Stade Francais.
6. Dan Biggar (Wales/Northampton Saints) – £600,000
The fifth flyhalf on this list, Wales pivot Dan Biggar has made the most of his big-money move from Ospreys to Northampton, where he has shone for the Saints since joining in 2018.
5. Steven Luatua (New Zealand/Bristol Bears) – £650,000 (NZ$1.3m)
Former All Blacks loose forward Steven Luatua opted for financial riches ahead of an illustrious international career when he left New Zealand to join English side Bristol in the RFU Championship three years ago.
4. Owen Farrell (England/Saracens) – £750,000
Experienced England five-eighth Owen Farrell is one of many high-earners at embattled Premiership champions Saracens, but will remain at the club next year despite their relegation into the RFU Championship due to salary cap breaches.
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3. Maro Itoje (England/Saracens) – £875,000
Farrell’s club and international teammate Maro Itoje signed a new deal reportedly worth between £750,000 and £1m, with the lock remaining at Allianz Park next year as Saracens prepare to compete in England’s second division.
1 = Charles Piutau (New Zealand/Bristol Bears) – £1m (NZ$2m)
Ex-All Blacks speedster Charles Piutau deserted his international ambitions at the premature age of 23 when he signed a lucrative deal with PRO14 side Ulster in 2015, and then became British rugby’s first million-pound player when he joined Bristol three years later.
1 = Handre Pollard (South Africa/Montpellier) – £1m (€1.1m/R23.5m)
South Africa’s World Cup-winning Springboks playmaker Handre Pollard became the joint-richest rugby player in Europe alongside Piutau when he agreed to leave the Bulls in Super Rugby to join Montpellier in the Top 14 last year.
Comments on RugbyPass
In the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getitng to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
5 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
6 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
5 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
55 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
6 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
54 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
54 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
6 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
54 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
55 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
54 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
54 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
18 Go to comments