how much do pro rugby players earn?

[goranski]

Is there is any data out there on the earnings of SH and NH professional rugby union players in the major rugby nations that compete in first-class competitions (i.e. Guinness Premiership, Magner's League, Top 14, Currie Cup, Super 14, etc.?)



I know internationals can make quite a bit more with their individual contracts, test match fees and endorsements...



Specifically are there any figures for:



1. England

2. Wales

3. France

4. South Africa

5. New Zealand

 

[Macsen]

Clubs in Wales pay some £180,000 a year to players.

 

[Sir Speedy]

Sale in the Guinness Premiership paid Dwayne Peel £250,000 a year to get him to sign, and they made a comment that only their best players (i.e. Sheridan, Chabal, Mcalister) are paid that much. Perhaps it's more in different, and bigger clubs.

 

[goranski]

interesting, considering the strength of the pound those are some substantial figures...guess it also depends if your club has a wealthy benefactor, as well as success, sponsorships, gate takings, etc etc etc

wonder how much the French top players earn - does anyone know if there is a minimum salary for any of these leagues?

 

[An Tarbh]

Brian O'Driscoll takes in €400000 a year in basic salary, not sure what it all adds up to though once everything else in taken into account. I would imagine that the top players are on similar deals in Ireland. So he's doing better than most GP players and considering the tax breaks to sportsmen in Ireland he's not doing too shabbily after Mr Cowen takes his share.

 

[Sir Speedy]

"400,000.00 EUR = 305,383.72 GBP," the Online Money Converter explained.

So that means O'Driscoll earns more than Mcalister, Peel, Sheridan and Chabal. Not bad, wouldn't you think?

 

[goranski]

remember reading somewhere that the average wage in the GP is somewhere around £60,000, although this might not be the current figure...

 

[MunsterMan]

I have heard that Ronan O'Gara and Paul O'Connell are both payed both â'¬350,000+ by Munster.

 

[An Tarbh]

They're all on central contracts so I'd imagine it's the IRFU who are paying the wages

 

[MunsterMan]

It's all the same

I was just wondering, are the players contracted to play for a province or just to the IRFU? could say Eoin O'Malley or Keith Earls move to Connacht for the rest of the Season?

 

[An Tarbh]

I'd imagine that the branches would pay their non internationals and the Union make up the rest. I'm pretty sure the provinces have taken players on loan during the season, just can't think of any off the top of my head

 

[USA_Rugby]

Also, for some of the really big players, keep in mind that they make money from advertisements.

 

[Bullitt]

Due to the salary cap, Premiership players generally have fairly low salarys (proberbly very few get more then £70k), however there are no rules against sponsorship "second jobs", nor how much they can receive for these second jobs.

So, for example, Martin Johnson recently recieved his long service gold watch from Next.

 

[candybum]

Ive read somewhere that pro NZ'ers that are signed with the nzru get about between NZ$100 000 to 200 000. not sure if that includes ABs commitment and sponsorship stuff

 

[melon]

Salaries in Australia Super 14 are (these aren't 100% accurate) between something like $60 000 and $500 000. Then there are ARU top ups, as well as sponsorships and extra test match payments and whatnot.

 

[Bullitt]

Surely Giteaus massive salary at Force pushed that average up somewhat?

 

[melon]

Yeah thats what I was thinking. Giteau's salary is an outlier though, as well as Tuqiri but to a lesser extent.

Whilst I like the way he plays, he is an overpaid git - eau. (bad attempt at a joke, i know).

 

[Hamster]

Gits 1.5 aus (600k uk) and tuqiri 1.2 most get around 400-500 aus I'm guessing the Wallabies, lesser super 14 might get 100-200.

Have you seen much the Japanese get and how much they offered overseas like Larkham and Mortlock.. where do they get the money from?

 

[candybum]

Arent Japanese club teams corporate owned? like Toyota etc (thats all i can think of lol). But the Japs have been known to have a lot o cash anyways

 

[melon]

Yeah the Japs get have so much money because they are all owned by large multinational corporations.