How Much Money Does A Rugby Player Make

As rugby players in the northern hemisphere enjoy a well-earned break after a season which lasted almost a full year, the transfer rumours have begun.

The latest is a report in The Rugby Paper, which claims that Finn Russell has been offered a contract worth in excess of £1million per season by Japanese club Green Rockets Tokatsu.

Were Scotland's fly-half to make the switch, it would make him the highest-paid rugby player on the planet, according to the reported top-earners in the game.

So what about them? Ever wondered who the best-paid players in the world are?

Here are the reported salaries of the game's biggest earners:

Semi Radradra - £500,000

Bristol's mercurial, game-busting centre is one of the most entertaining players in World Rugby and is reported to be earning half a million pounds at Ashton Gate.

The Fijian is currently in the middle of a three-year deal after signing on after the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

Cheslin Kolbe - £500,000

One of the hottest rugby commodities on the planet, Kolbe is reported to be taking home a sizeable salary.

In 2018, he signed a big contract, keeping him at Toulouse until 2023.

Guilhem Guirardo - £500,000

The former France captain may be in the twilight years of his career but is still said to be earning good money at Montpellier.

The hooker has revealed that next season will likely be his last.

Faf de Klerk - £500,000

Last year, The New Zealand Herald reported that the Springboks scrum-half had secured himself a sizeable salary when he signed a contract extension with Sale.

He'll stay in the north west until 2023.

Ngani Laumape - £510,000

The All Blacks centre decided to leave New Zealand when he was offered a new contract which required him to take a pay cut.

As such, he signed for Stade Francais with Stuff.co.nz reporting he would be earning just over half a million pounds per season.

Stuart Hogg - £550,000

The free-running Scotland skipper is reported to have added around £200,000 to his salary when he left Glasgow Warriors to join Exeter Chiefs after the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

Morgan Parra - £570,000

He might have fallen out of favour with the French national side but Parra, who signed a new deal in 2019, is still under contract at Clermont until 2022, and he is said to be earning a substantial amount of money.

Nicolas Sanchez - £580,000

The Argentina pivot's contract with Stade Francais runs until the end of the 2021/22 season and he is said to be raking in almost £600,000 per year.

Dan Biggar - £600,000

The only Welshman on this list, Biggar's reported salary far exceeds what he could bring home if he was playing his club rugby in Wales due to the banding system in place here.

However, because he is not captured by the 60-cap rule, he is able to earn good money playing for Northampton Saints without giving up his Wales career.

Steven Luatua - £650,000

The former All Black gave up his international career to join Bristol Bears and became an integral part of the club's journey.

There was some confusion over his contractual situation this summer, however Bristol Live report that he is locked in until the conclusion of the 2022/23 season.

Owen Farrell - £750,000

The England skipper is heading into the final year of his contract at Saracens and is reported to be earning a substantial amount of money on his current deal.

Last year, it was revealed he had deferred 90% of his salary to help the club navigate the financial implications amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Michael Hooper - £750,000

The Wallabies skipper penned a new contract with Rugby Australia in 2018, which netted him £3.2million over five years.

However, last season he took a sabbatical in Japan and is reported to have been earning £750,000 with Toyota Verblitz.

Maro Itoje - £750,000+

When Itoje was rumoured to be interested in joining Racing 92 last year, club president Jacky Lorenzetti let slip that the lock wanted €1million for the deal to go through.

Exact figures on Itoje's current salary at Saracens vary but it is widely reported that he is bringing home in excess of £750,000.

Beauden Barrett - £780,000

In 2019, Barrett signed a four-year deal with the New Zealand Rugby Union, which the New Zealand Herald claims netted him £540,000 per year.

However, on his year out in Japan with Suntory Sungoliath last year, the Daily Mail reports Barrett earned £780,000.

Virimi Vakatawa - £780,000

Last year, Les Bleus' centre signed a huge contract with Racing 92, according to reports in France.

English club Gloucester were said to be looking at luring him to Kingsholm but were left disappointed when he decided to stay put in Paris.

Virimi Vakatawa of France is tackled by Dan Biggar and Jonathan Davies of Wales (Image: Aurelien Meunier/Getty Images)

Finn Russell - £850,000

The talented fly-half signed a new three-year deal with Racing 92 last year. The Rugby Paper report he is earning as much as £850,000.

However, French rugby insiders have previously indicated to WalesOnline that the actual salary is likely to be far less than that given that Midi Olympique reported that he took a pay cut to stay in Paris.

Eben Etzebeth - £900,000

The Springbok enforcer is in the midst of a three-year deal in the south of France and is widely reported to be earning just shy of £1million.

Charles Piutau - £1million

For some time, the Kiwi has been reported to be earning £1million at Bristol Bears and he became the first player in British rugby to do so.

Handre Pollard - £1million

He moved alongside Piutau as the joint-highest paid player on the planet when he signed for Montpellier after the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

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