Japan's Top League is hoping to lure England star Maro Itoje as it pursues its soaring ambition of becoming the world's leading rugby competition, its chairman told AFP.
The well-heeled league has swelled its ranks of foreign players since the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan, with New Zealand's two-time World Player of the Year Beauden Barrett chief among them.
Finn Russell has also been recently linked with a move to Japan, but it seems itoje has priced himself out of a move.
The England lock, who was linked with a move to the Top 14 when Saracens were relegated, would demand a huge salary plus bonuses, according to Racing 92 owner Jacky Lorenzetti.
Asked if Itoje wanted too much money, Lorezetti told rugbyrama.fr : "Yes, it was unpayable.
“You know, we weren’t the only ones at the time: Bordeaux, Lyon, Montpellier were all called upon. We were talking about a salary of over £1m plus bonuses.
“That represented 10 per cent of our payroll. We made the choice not to go any further. I think he doesn't want to move, so they come out with ridiculous demands.”
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Premiership’s highest paid player each season from 1998 to 2022
1997-1998: Va'aiga Tuigamala (Newcastle Falcons) - £80,000 per season
1999-2000: Francois Pienaar (Saracens) - £85,000 per season
2000-2001: Jason Robinson (Sale Sharks) - £180,000 per season
2001-2002: Martin Johnson (Leicester Tigers) - £200,000 per season
2002-2004: Jonny WIlkinson (England) - £250,000 per season
2005-2007: Lawrence Dallaglio (Wasps) - £300,000 per season
2007-2010: Carl Hayman (Newcastle Falcons) - £350,000 per season
2010-11: Mike Tindall (Gloucester) - £380,000
2011-2013: Toby Flood (Leicester Tigers) - £400,000
2012-2014: Chris Robshaw (Harlequins) - £420,000
2014- 2015: Sam Burgess (Bath) - £500,000 per season
2016-2017: Louis PIcamoles (Northampton Saints) - £500,000 per season
2017-2018: Manu Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers) - £510,000 per season
2018-2022: Charles Piutau (Bristol Bears) - £1,000,000 per season
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- Jordie Barrett over Damian de Allende is far from being correct. The hype around Dupont is also overreaching, he's probably 4th in the world and has been since the 2023 WC. He also avoids certain matchups which is strange. The rest of the list is pretty good apart from minor subjective biases.JasonMarlow16-09-2026
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