Scotland fly-half Finn Russell joining Bath for a significant wage from next season has seen him rise towards the top of the financial elite of the game.
At a time when money and focus on it is all the more prevalent in the modern game, some might wonder how Bath have managed to make Russell's place towards the top of rugby's highest earners list all the more safe. Whatever, they have and Russell is now safely near the top of the best-paid players in the sport.
But who are the rest of them? As you'd expect, such details are closely guarded, but here are the reported salaries of some of the game's biggest earners:
Beauden Barrett - £540,000
In 2019, Barrett signed a four-year deal with the New Zealand Rugby Union, which the New Zealand Herald claims netted him £540,000 per year. However, on his year out in Japan with Suntory Sungoliath, the Daily Mail reports Barrett earned £780,000 - with Barrett reportedly keen on plying his trade outside of New Zealand once again.
Stuart Hogg - £580,000
The Scotland captain is reported to have added around £200,000 to his annual salary when he left Glasgow Warriors to join Exeter Chiefs after the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
Handre Pollard - £610,000
The Springbok fly-half was previously one of the sport's biggest earners during his time at Montpellier, reportedly taking home more than a million a year. The move to Leicester Tigers resulted in a bit of a pay cut, but he's still said to be earning a decent wedge at Welford Road.
Steven Luatua - £620,000
The former All Black gave up his international career to join Bristol Bears and such a decision doesn't come cheap. Bristol Live report that he is locked in until the conclusion of the 2022/23 season, with recent reports suggesting that he could head to France next.
Owen Farrell - £750,000
The England skipper signed a deal to stay at Saracens back in 2020 up until the 2023 World Cup, at least. There had been reports that he had signed a bumper new deal to take him up to around the £820,000 mark earlier this year, but they were unsubstantiated. Previously, it was revealed he had deferred 90% of his salary to help the club navigate the financial implications amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
Virimi Vakatawa - £780,000
The France centre signed a huge contract with Racing 92 a couple of years ago to take him up to the end of the current campaign, according to reports in France. English club Gloucester were said to be looking at luring him to Kingsholm but were left disappointed when he decided to stay put in Paris.
Dan Biggar - £800,000
The only Welshman on this list, Biggar was previously earning around £600,000 at Northampton Saints, having joined the Gallagher Premiership side from the Ospreys. However, he recently left the Saints to join French giants Toulon, where he is reportedly earning around £800,000.
Maro Itoje - £800,000
When Itoje was rumoured to be interested in joining Racing 92 two years ago, club president Jacky Lorenzetti let slip that the lock wanted 1million euros for the deal to go through. Exact figures on Itoje's current salary at Saracens vary but it is reported that he is bringing home around £800,000.
Cheslin Kolbe - £850,000
The Springbok star was already one of the hottest commodities during his time at Toulouse. However, when he swapped one French giant for another and joined Toulon, he reportedly began earning around 1million euros a year. Toulon also paid a massive £2.23million transfer fee to Toulouse for his services.
Finn Russell - £1million
The mercurial Scotland fly-half had been taking home £850,000 a year at Racing 92, but his deal with Premiership club Bath is understood to be even more lucrative. Some place it around the £950,000 mark, while other reports suggest it's actually £1million that he'll be earning for each of his three years at the Rec.
Charles Piutau - £1million
For some time, the Kiwi has been reported to be earning £1million at Bristol Bears and he became the first player in British rugby to do so. That might not last as he's expected to leave Ashton Gate before long, paving the way for Russell to stand outright as the game's biggest earner.
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