REVEALED: RUGBY’S BEST-PAID STARS
NEXT year’s World Cup will be all important when it comes to determining how much rugby stars are worth.
Values will soar and plummet during the tournament in Japan as players shine or disappoint.
Here are 20 of rugby’s reported highest earners heading into World Cup year...
1. Israel Folau £1.14m
The talk Down Under has been about Michael Hooper’s bumper long-term deal with the Australia Rugby Union, but Folau’s flexible contract with it and the Waratahs is signficantly higher.
The full-back was a poster boy of Wallaby rugby with his value heightened by continued interest from rugby league and Aussie football clubs. However, his deal is up at the end of the year and he may have to take a drop in salary if he wants to re-sign with the ARU.
It’s unclear exactly how much Folau has earned during the length of his contract, with the initial $2m AUD a year figure thought to maybe include supplementary wages he would have received for a 12-game stint in Japan, which didn’t happen.
2. Dan Carter £1.1m
Dan the man was reported to be on £1.4m a year with Racing 92 and has had to take a pay cut after agreeing to join Japanese club Kobe Steelers.
But a reputed drop of £300,000 in wages for an outside-half who is 36 and has been wracked by injuries seems insignificant.
3. Matt Giteau £1.1m
Money doesn’t seem to be an object in Japan with the country’s top clubs being company enterprises.
Former Australia wizard Giteau, who bagged big money while he was at Toulon, is building up his pension fund with Suntory Sungoliath, already guiding them to a domestic title.
4. Charles Piutau £1m
The former All Black full-back or wing, who surprised many by leaving New Zealand before reaching the peak of his powers, has allegedly become British rugby’s first million pound man.
He penned a huge deal to leave Guinness PRO14 Ulster for English Premiership Bristol Bears, who won promotion last season.
5. Aaron Cruden £680,000
Was Carter’s understudy with New Zealand – he started the 2011 World Cup final but hobbled off injured early on – and was overtaken in the pecking order by Beauden Barrett.
Turned down an alleged higher offer from Bristol to join French club Montpellier, citing rugby reasons for his decision.
6. Steven Luatua £650,000
All Blacks coach Steve Hansen bristled when Luatua left for Bristol because he was in line to eventually take over from Kieran Read at No.8.
And Hansen won’t be too happy to learn the powerful ball-carrier is reportedly seeking a contract extension in the west country.
7. Dan Biggar £600,000
Wales’‘Governor’ was a catalyst for the Ospreys, being a superb club man and racking up a points record.
But he decided to sample life “outside the goldfish bowl” of Wales with a big money offer enticing him to Northampton Saints.
8. Ma’a Nonu £600,000
He was the best centre in the world when he signed for Toulon in the wake of the 2015 World Cup and has proved a brilliant acquistion.
Although his best days are behind him he still commands a high salary in the south of France and remains a crowd favourite.
9. Nicolas Sanchez £581,000
Argentina’s No.10 play-maker has been lured from home and the Jaguares Super Rugby franchise by a massive deal to sign for Stade Francais.
10. Michael Hooper £572,000
He may lead the Wallabies to the next two World Cups after signing a lucrative new five-year contract with Rugby Australia that has seen him dubbed the $6million dollar man.
“I never really thought about going elsewhere. I was really keen to stay in Australia and keep doing what I can for the Wallabies and the Waratahs,” he said.
11. Morgan Parra £570,000
The Clermont Auvergne scrum-half star is a precious commodity in France because he’s also a top-class goal-kicker and is a hugely popular figure with the country’s rugby watchers.
12. Rhys Webb £550,000
His Wales career sadly ended when he signed for Toulon from the Ospreys with Webb not having enough caps to continue to be picked by Warren Gatland.
But a big pay packet in France will provide some consolation for the ace scrum-half.
13. Johnny Sexton £536,000
Happy back at Leinster and being “looked after” in terms of money and the number of matches in which he plays by the Irish Rugby Union.
14. Finn Russell £535,000
Has doubled his money by succeeding Carter at Racing 92 after switching from Glasgow Warriors with the Scottish Rugby Union unable to come anywhere near matching the money he was offered to cross the English Channel.
15=. Kieran Read £519,000
All Blacks captain and one of the greats of the game, the Crusaders’ No.8 colossus is in the highest earning bracket in New Zealand.
15=. Beauden Barrett £519,000
The best attacking outside-half on the planet, whether it be for the Hurricanes or New Zealand, is another of the Kiwis rewarded handsomely.
15= Sonny Bill Williams £519,000
Another at the top end of the pay scale but may have to take a cut to stay around when his current deal with the New Zealand Rugby Union ends with his value having dropped.
16. Maro Itoje £500,000
The Lions and Saracens lock is regarded as a poster boy of English rugby but is also a top player with his ability rewarded in his pay.
17. Sergio Parisse £492,000
Italy’s captain has been a star for more years than most can remember and continues to be paid big money for his services at No.8 by Stade Francais despite being in the latter stages of an illustrious career.
18. Manu Tuilagi £460,000
On a pound-for-pound basis, this must be the craziest contract of the lot with the England centre’s appearances for club Leicester and country sporadic through a variety of ailments.
19. Ross Moriarty £450,000
Dragons wanted a big-name signing to lure others to Rodney Parade and pushed the boat out to bring him home from Gloucester.
Because he’s not on a National Dual Contract, they were able to pay the back-row powerhouse more.
20. Owen Farrell £450,000
He a points-machine with England and Saracens, and the outside-half or inside-centre is one of England’s best paid players.
What’s the situation in Wales, Ireland and Scotland?
Ireland pay marquee players more, with the likes of Sexton and scrumhalf Conor Murray earning more than their home-based counterparts in Wales and Scotland.
The WRU has a threshold for players on national dual contracts with the likes of skipper Alun Wyn Jones, Leigh Halfpenny, Jonathan Davies and George North thought to be earning around the £350-375,000 a year mark, which is less than the £400,000 Taulupe Faletau is reported to be receiving at Bath.
The Scottish Rugby Union also has a ceiling, with exciting full-back Stuart Hogg and lock Jonny Gray on similar salaries to high-end earners in Wales.
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