Some rugby players earn vast sums of money every year and we’ve rounded up the highest-paid stars in the world in 2024.
They say money makes the world go round – and that’s certainly true about the game of rugby.
Two teams of 15 players throwing and kicking a ball around a pitch is big business, although the most amount of cash can be found kicking about in Europe’s top leagues.
The biggest earners in the game are well remunerated for their efforts, with ageing aces at the end of their careers and up-and-coming talents equally adept at bagging mega-money contracts.
RUCK.co.uk examines the top six highest-paid players in the world. We’ve based our figures on reports from trusted news sources and databases to boost our accuracy.
All figures mentioned are before tax – unless specified – and do not include bonuses, extra fees and players’ various sponsorship deals which, in some cases, can instantly double their annual income.
Highest-paid rugby players in the world 2024
6. Handre Pollard (Leicester Tigers) – £610,000
During his tenure at Montpellier, the Springbok fly-half was known as one of the highest-earning players in the sport, purportedly receiving an annual salary exceeding one million.
However, his transfer to Leicester Tigers entailed a reduction in pay, although he is still believed to be earning a respectable sum at Welford Road.
5. Antoine Dupont (Toulouse) – £700,000
The Les Bleus’ talisman is undoubtedly leading one of the most exciting teams on the international stage, all while helping to change the perception of the sport.
