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Wallabies captain Michael Hooper is the sole Australian named on a British rugby website’s rich list topped by a Springboks player and former All Black.
The ruck.co.uk website released their figures which they said were based on “reports from Forbes, reputable news outlets and a variety of official sources to get us as close to the mark as possible”.
Tellingly, however, the figures claimed failed to include bonuses or sponsorship deals which could add significant income for players and clearly change the pecking order.
The list features three Springboks, two All Blacks, two Englishmen, one Wallaby, one Frenchman and one Scotsman. Eight of them play in Europe and two, including Wallabies skipper Michael Hooper, play in Japan.
Hooper’s decision to skip this year’s Super Rugby with the Waratahs and take a sabbatical in the Top League with Toyota Verblitz has seemingly proved a lucrative one. He also said it fresehened him up ahead of a tough and successful Test campaign where Australia beat France 2-1 and have won five Tests straight since losing three against the All Blacks.
Topping the list are Springboks current flyhalf Handre Pollard, who joined Montpellier following the 2019 World Cup, and ex-All Blacks utility back Charles Piutau, who became rugby’s first million-pound player when he joined the Bristol Bears in 2017.
Here is the list.
Equal 9. Owen Farrell (England/Saracens) – $1.38 million.estimated earnings per year (figures were in GBP and converted here to $AUD).
Equal 9. Michael Hooper (Australia/Toyota Verblitz) – $1.38m.
Equal 7. Beauden Barrett (New Zealand/ Suntory Sungoliath) – $1.44m
Equal 7. Virimi Vakatawa (France/Racing 92) – $1.44m
6. Maro Itoje (England/Saracens) – $1.47m
Equal 4. Cheslin Kolbe (South Africa/Toulon) – $1.56m
Equal 4. Finn Russell (Scotland/Racing 92) – $1.56m
3. Eben Etzebeth (South Africa/Toulon) – $1.66m
Equal 1. Charles Piutau (New Zealand/Bristol Bears) – $1.84m
Equal 1. Handre Pollard (South Africa/Montpellier) – $1.84m
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