If you want to know who the highest paid rugby players in the world are as of 2022, check out this post. We’ve highlighted the top ten players for you. According to our source, the RugbyWorld Cup is the fifth most viewed sporting event in the world. This goes to show how widely acclaimed this exciting sport is. So, the players of the game should be handsomely paid too.
It is vital to remember that the values presented are before tax and do not include the variety of bonuses and additional costs included in every contract’s tiny print. Additionally excluded are the players’ different endorsement agreements, which, in certain circumstances, terminate their pay stubs with zeroes.
Here is a list of the rugby players who earn the most money: the top 10
10.Morgan Parra (ARGENTINA) – £620,000 p/a
Parra, the “petit général” as he is fondly called, is very much liked in his native country France. How the name came about, is by virtue of his outspoken leadership style and energy. He is a key figure in his French club Clermont, having played more than 300 times for the team. He plays at the Test level and he is also a front-line goal kicker at the highest level. Also, he has played more than 70 times for his country. In addition, his deal with Clermont is said to be worth about £620,000 yearly, making him one of the highest-paid rugby players in the world, and 10th on our list.
9. Nicolas Sanchez (FRANCE) – £620,000 p/a
Nicolás Sánchez has been playing flyhalf for Stade Français, a French professional rugby team since 2018. He rakes in a whopping £620,000 annually. However, prior to his joining the team, he represented Pampas XV in the Vodacom Cup in 2011, as well as RC Toulonnais between 2014 and 2015.
Furthermore, Sanchez has also played for his country, France on more than 90 occasions. And to the highlight of his career, he singlehandedly won all 25 of his team’s points in 2020 when they defeated New Zealand for the first time. He tops 9th on our list of the highest-paid rugby players in the world.
8. Dan Biggar (WALES) – £640,000 p/a
Dan Biggar plays outside-half for Wales and is one of their top players. Besides, he plays rugby union for the Ospreys and has participated in a hundred games so far. He has played more than 90 times for Wales, participated in each of England’s RBS Six Nations matches, and scored Wales’ debut try against France. And, in the same year, he received the BBC Cymru Sports Personality of the Year award among other accolades. The outside-half also competes for Northampton, having joined the saints in 2018 and participated in their victory in the Premiership Rugby cup of 2019.
7. Steven Luatua (NEW ZEALAND) – £745,000 P/a
Steven Luatua represents Bristol Bears in the English Premier League and playing for his team, currently brings in over £700,000 yearly. He also competed for New Zealand’s under-20 teams which won the IRB Junior World Championship in 2010 and 2011. In August 2013, he played for the All Blacks Rugby Championship side against Australia.
At 21 years of age, he scored his first international try in 2014, bringing home a 51-20 victory for the team. Luatua either plays in the second or third row for his New Zealand rugby team. However, despite his great talents, Luatua has only represented his country 15 times on the field.
6.Michael Hooper (AUSTRALIA) — £750,000 P/a
Hooper tops 6th on our list of the highest-paid rugby players in the world, having signed a huge five-year contract with Rugby Australia. However, at some point in the year, Hooper decided to forego playing in this year’s Super Rugby in favor of a break in the Top League with Toyota Verblitz.
5. Owen FARRELL (ENGLAND) — £800,000 p/a
Farrell is the captain of the English football team as well as being a part of the rugby union for the Saracens of the RFU Championship. The fly-half is his country’s second-highest point scorer with over 1000 points. He’s also one of the greatest test scorers in history winning 1080 points from 97 examinations. Farrell is presently Ireland’s head coach and a patron for Joining Jack, an organization dedicated to helping those with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. On the field, Farrell is renowned for his quick reflexes and adaptability.
4.Maro Itoje (ENGLAND ) – £860,000 P/a
Itoje, a UK-born – Urhobo rugby player, is a blindside flanker for Saracens of the English Championship. He has played more than 130 times for his team and earned more than 50 England caps as well. Also, he has three European Rugby Champions Cup victories and five English Premiership titles to his name, in addition to his most popular rugby achievements. According to credible sources, the highest paid members of the England rugby team, are reputedly Maro and Farrell earning hefty six – digits in pounds yearly.
3.Eben Etzebeth (SOUTH AFRICA) – £900,000 p/a
In July 2020, Etzebeth, and Toulon agreed to a new contract that remains valid until 2023. Furthermore, this contract is to rake in a huge £900,000 at the end of each year. It is therefore not surprising that he is one of the highest-paid rugby players in the world.
2.Charles Piutau (NEW ZEALAND ) – £1,000,000 P/a
Charles Tu’ipulotu Piutau was born in Auckland, New Zealand, and plays flanker for Bristol Bears. He plays in the English premier league alongside Luatua. On a few occasions, he plays fullback. Piutau is known as an All-Black speedster who rose to stardom despite quitting rugby at a young age. At age 23, he quit rugby, ending his career early. His early retirement made the headlines, after which the young player, relocated to Dublin in 2015. Presently, he is signed on a lucrative contract with the PRO14 team Ulster.
1. Handre Pollard (SOUTH AFRICA) – £1.52 Million P/a
Super Rugby’s Bulls signed Handre Pollard to Montpellier in 2020. Currently, Pollard earns a total of £1.52 million every year, coming first on our list of the highest-paid rugby players in the world. Also, he has participated in more than 60 games for his country. Pollard scored 22 points in the 2019 World Cup final. His net worth is presently over £1 million.
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