What if rugby players were valued at the same price as footballers

Although Charles Piutau will become the highest paid rugby player on the planet when he joins Bristol, his one million pound plus salary is still some way off that which is paid to football’s elite players.

Below we will project the outrageous value of modern-day footballers onto rugby players, based on either their most recent transfer:

They are two of the most creative players in the world, meaning they'd both command substantial transfer fees. The duo can beat defenders, putting team-mates into space to create try/goal-scoring opportunities.

Both are superb athletes that are capable of the spectacular. They could be labelled as the complete package and are international superstars.

Arguably the best players in their respective sports, Lionel Messi and Beauden Barrett have the ability to cascade through any defence. Although there is little chance of the Argentinian magician leaving Barcelona in the near future, any club that hopes to lure him away from the Nou Camp will have to meet the massive £250 million release clause in his contract.

They are both athletic, aggressive, dangerous at the set piece and most crucially of all, win turnovers in the middle of the field. Itoje and Pogba also play key roles for their international teams.

Strong in possession, quick, and with an uncanny ability to expose space, both Neymar and Stuart Hogg are at their best when they attack defenders from deep-lying positions. They each have the ability to play in a number of positions and are among the best-attacking players in their respective sports.

Aggressive, powerful, but susceptible to injury, Sergio Aguero and George North can force their way past the strongest defenders. On their day, both players are almost impossible to stop.

Disciplinary problems, run-ins with the police and persistent injuries have hampered the careers of Diego Costa and Manu Tuilagi. However, both remain key cogs of their respective sides. Tuilagi and Costa use their immense power to brush past defenders on their way to scoring.