Henry Pollock might be English rugby's biggest celebrity, but he isn't even Northampton Saints' highest-paid player.
The 21-year-old reportedly earns more than £1million from rugby and sponsorship deals.
However, his playing salary is still thought to be lower than several of his England teammates.
One of those is Ollie Chessum, who clashed with Pollock during last weekend's East Midlands derby.
The Leicester Tigers captain has agreed a huge new contract worth at least £500,000 a year.
That makes Chessum one of the Premiership's top earners.
Pollock, meanwhile, is believed to earn considerably less from his new Northampton deal.
And Chessum isn't the only England star earning more than him.
How much does Henry Pollock actually earn?
Pollock agreed a new Northampton contract in September after attracting interest from rival clubs.
According to BBC Sport, the deal is worth more than £400,000 per year.
That's a huge increase on his previous salary, which was believed to be around £140,000.
Add his enhanced England contract and Pollock's playing income could eventually reach approximately £550,000 annually.
However, his commercial earnings tell a very different story.
Henry Pollock has agreed a bumper new Northampton Saints deal, putting him among the highest-paid players in the PREM. Credit: IMAGO / Inpho Photography
His agent, Eddie Hearn, revealed that Pollock turned down offers worth hundreds of thousands more to remain at Northampton.
Some interested clubs were prepared to offer seven-figure packages.
Hearn also confirmed that sponsorship and endorsement deals had pushed Pollock's total annual earnings comfortably beyond £1million.
Not bad for someone who only turned 21 in January.
But when it comes to rugby contracts alone, several established England stars could still be earning more.
Eight England stars who could earn more than Henry Pollock
The following figures are reported or estimated annual earnings. Some include projected England payments, while older published estimates may include commercial income. Exact contracts are private, so these are not verified salary rankings.
8. Jamie George – £550,000–£600,000
The veteran Saracens hooker remains one of English rugby's most experienced players.
George has announced that the 2026/27 season will be his last before retirement.
His annual earnings have previously been estimated at between £550,000 and £600,000.
That could put him slightly ahead of Pollock's new package, although the lower end would leave them level.
7. Tommy Freeman – £550,000–£650,000
Pollock isn't the only Northampton star enjoying a bumper payday.
Freeman has established himself as one of England's most dangerous attacking players, earning selection for the British & Irish Lions.
His new long-term Saints contract has reportedly pushed his earnings into the £550,000–£650,000 range.
That means Northampton could have three players earning more from rugby than their biggest commercial attraction.
6. Ollie Chessum – £650,000+
Chessum is the latest England star to secure a bumper contract.
The Leicester Tigers captain has agreed a two-year extension keeping him at Welford Road until 2029.
According to RugbyPass, the deal is worth £500,000 per season.
With enhanced England payments potentially worth another £150,000, his combined playing income could reach £650,000.
There's also an interesting bit of timing.
Chessum was involved in a heated confrontation with Pollock during last weekend's East Midlands derby.
Leicester went on to win 28-7, scoring four unanswered tries after half-time.
Now Chessum has another reason to smile.
The Tigers captain has landed one of the Premiership's most lucrative contracts.
Six Nations France vs England - FA English Openside Ollie Chessum celebrates scoring a try during the Six Nations rugby match between France and England at the Stade de France stadium in Saint-Denis, north of Paris on March 14, 2026. Photo by Firas A
5. Ellis Genge – up to £700,000
Genge has been one of the Premiership's best-paid forwards since returning to Bristol Bears.
Previous reports have placed his club earnings at around £550,000 annually.
With an enhanced England contract potentially adding another £150,000, his combined playing income could reach £700,000.
That would put him comfortably ahead of Pollock's projected package.
However, Genge's current club salary has not been publicly confirmed.
4. Fin Smith – £650,000–£750,000
Another Northampton player reportedly earning more than Pollock.
Smith signed a lucrative new deal after attracting interest from rival clubs.
The England fly-half is believed to occupy Northampton's marquee-player position, meaning his salary sits outside the normal cap calculation.
His total annual rugby earnings have been estimated at between £650,000 and £750,000.
That's potentially £200,000 more than Pollock's projected package.
3. Marcus Smith – £750,000–£850,000
The Harlequins playmaker remains one of English rugby's biggest attractions.
Smith's club salary has previously been reported at more than £500,000 annually.
With England payments and commercial partnerships included, RUCK's previous salary analysis estimated his annual earnings at £750,000–£850,000.
His rugby-only income may be lower, but he remains among the country's leading earners.
2. George Ford – up to £1million
Ford has spent years among English rugby's highest-paid players.
The experienced fly-half signed a lucrative new deal with Sale Sharks despite interest from elsewhere.
He's also among the 25 players awarded enhanced England contracts for the 2026/27 season.
RUCK previously estimated his annual earnings at between £900,000 and £1million, although that figure was not limited to his club salary.
Ford's exact current playing income remains undisclosed, but his reported overall package puts him among England's biggest earners.
1. Maro Itoje – £1.1million–£1.2million
England captain Maro Itoje remains one of the country's highest-paid rugby stars.
The Saracens lock has previously been linked with total annual earnings between £1.1million and £1.2million.
That figure includes estimates of his rugby contracts and commercial income.
His status as a marquee player also allows Saracens to exclude his salary from their normal cap calculation.
Even without his endorsements, Itoje is understood to command one of the Premiership's biggest contracts.
Is Henry Pollock actually England's biggest earner?
Here's where things get interesting.
Pollock might still be chasing some of his England teammates when it comes to rugby salaries, but he's already playing a completely different game off the pitch.
Eddie Hearn has revealed that commercial deals have pushed his annual earnings beyond £1million.
And you can see why.
Pollock gets people talking. Half the country seems to love him, while the other half can't wait to see someone put him on his backside.
Either way, they're watching.
That's something money can't always buy, and something rugby has struggled to produce for years.
The remarkable thing is that Pollock is still only 21.
With the 2027 Rugby World Cup on the horizon, his profile could grow even further.
For now, several England stars might have bigger rugby contracts. But I'd wager most of them would happily swap their commercial pulling power for his.
