Within the realm of professional sports, rugby boasts a cohort of top earners whose salaries often rival those of elite athletes in more mainstream sports.
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The recent disclosure of the earnings of some of rugby’s most prominent figures illuminates the lucrative landscape at the pinnacle of the sport.
As reported by Wales Online, let’s delve deeper into the earnings of today’s highest-paid rugby players.
Handre Pollard (South Africa) – £610,000
Formerly earning over £1 million at Montpellier, Pollard took a pay cut at Leicester Tigers, now earning £610,000 annually.
Steven Luatua (Samoa) – £620,000
Representing Samoa post-All Black career, Luatua earns £620,000 yearly at Bristol Bears since 2017.
Antoine Dupont (France) – £700,000
Toulouse’s star scrum-half, Dupont, commands a reported £700,000 salary, possibly changing due to Olympic Sevens and potential Japanese stint.
Dan Biggar (Wales) – £800,000
Biggar’s move to Toulon from Northampton Saints saw a salary boost to £800,000, making him Wales’ highest-paid player.
Maro Itoje (England) – £800,000
Maro Itoje, the towering English lock, has been the subject of considerable speculation regarding his future earnings. While his reported salary of £800,000 with Saracens is impressive, potential hybrid deals with the RFU could see his income increase even further, highlighting his importance to both club and country.