Introduction:
Rugby is a sport that is growing in popularity among both men and women. Previously, rugby was not a popular sport among women, but today, women’s rugby is one of the fastest-growing sports in the world. It has been reported that over 2.7 million women have enrolled in rugby and are known to have been popularly playing in several university competitions and even in the Olympics. Here we will see about Rugby Player Salary.
Countries where Rugby is recognised?
Rugby is played in 117 countries around the world. It is well-known and widely played in the United Kingdom, particularly in England. Rugby is also played in the United States of America, Africa, Australia, the Middle East, Asia, and Europe, in addition to the United Kingdom.
What is Rugby?
Rugby is a popular, physically demanding contact sport that requires players to be on the move almost constantly. Two teams of fifteen players each compete in the game. The attacking team is required to move the ball up the field. They can run or kick the ball forward to chase it down for a score point. The defending team must try stopping the attacking team by tackling and attempting to retain the ball. The team that scores the most points win.
The game follows a list of some basic rules which are listed as follows;
1. The game must be of 80 minutes, which can be broken down to 40 minutes each with 10 minutes rest in between.
2. Both teams should have 15 players and 7 substitutes.
3. If any player is fouled during the game, the game stops.
4. A foul is announced if a team makes a tackle above shoulder height.
5. The attacking team should always stay behind the ball.
6. The defending team must tackle the player by grabbing hold of him and then pulling him to the ground.
7. Players can stay in front of the ball when they aren’t playing.
8. A line out is called if someone touches the ball.
9. Seven players are allowed for a line out. Any of the players can be lifted to catch the ball being thrown in.
Rugby player salary
A Rugby player earns an average salary of $70,000 per year, thereby leading to total lifetime earnings of $2,922,360.
However, earnings in sports are typically determined by how well you play, your physical strength, the organisation with which you work, the country you are playing for, the time you devote, your experience, and so on.
The total salary of a player can be made up of several income streams:
- The club that you play for can offer you a monthly salary
- You can obtain endorsements for your club membership
- You can receive bonuses for every win that you make or additional bonuses for your outstanding performances
- Payment for termination
- Playing international test matches
Here’s a breakdown of a rugby player’s earnings by country:
The United States of America-
The United States of America Rugby Football Union, Ltd. Is the country’s national governing body for rugby unions. Today they are working with over 140,000 members in their department comprising of both men and women. They organize several national and international competitions among various rugby teams worldwide.
On an average scale, the top earners, earn about $95,000 annually. The average salary of a player is $55,300 and for the 25th Percentile group, it is $30,000.
Some of them are listed as follows;
For Men;
- U.S. national rugby union team-
The average salary for players is around $25,000 and for national team players, the earning is closer to $40,000. The top competitors in the competition usually receive up to $70,000 in prize money.
- U.S. national rugby sevens team-
The players earn $281,118 to $140 million by being a part of the U.S. National Rugby Sevens Team.
- U.S. national under-20 rugby union team-
Earnings are up to $50,000 for individual players.
For Women;
- U.S. women’s national rugby union team-
The average salary for players is around $30,000 and for national team players, the earning is closer to $40,000. The top competitors in the competition usually receive up to $70,000 in prize money.
- Women’s national rugby sevens team-
The players earn $200,000 to $140 million by being a part of the U.S. National Rugby Sevens Team. They also receive incentives and bonuses if they play well on the field.
- United States national under-20 rugby union team-
The top competitors in the competition usually receive up to $100,000 in prize money. Players get a salary of around $50,500.
Canada-
The Canadian rugby player earn an average base salary of $19,716 to $21,150 per year. The entire rugby community in Canada, Toronto has made a revenue of $16.66 million which is even probable to rise within the next few years.
The United Kingdom–
Rugby is well known and popularly played in England. An experienced, senior players earn about $1,62,377.88 (£120K). Whereas a player well versed but not yet experienced or considered as a senior player earns $54,125.96 (£40K) on an average scale. A players salary may however increase as per the player’s efficiency and productivity in his or her games. A beginner earns about $20.28, but every individual’s income may vary based on the company or the organization that they work with.
The player’s income here is also dependent on several aspects including;
- Payment for being a member of the British and Irish Lions – The players can earn up to $1,01,486.17 in a game.
- Bonuses for playing for the Barbarian Football Club- The players can earn $115,000 as their minimum wage.
- Image rights if you are associated with a club- Earnings around $2,70,629.80.
- Earnings of $70,000 for test matches.
The union Rugby players earn $10,811,37,395 to $11,37,395 whereas the super league clubs offer cap salary at a rate of $28,41,612.90, plus appearance fees, promotional signings, after-dinner speeches, and so on, depending on how good they are, whether they play nationally or regionally, and how many appearances they make for the team for which they play.
It is also probable that the NRL clubs would raise their per capita income to $71,71,689.70 by the year 2022.
Like the Olympic champions, Fiji players were paid between $7,500 and USD 15,500 per season.
Australia-
The average salary of an individual rugby player in Australia is around A$110K. A$4000 is the average salary that a player may receive when he or she participates in test matches. The salary cap for NRL clubs is expected to rise to AUS $10 million in 2022. In addition, for the Super League clubs, it is about AUS $39,11,906.40. However, in professional sports, players aren’t is uncommon for all players to be paid the same. Instead, player salaries are influenced by a combination of skill, experience, and international caps.
Cameron Smith, an Australian player is listed among the highest-paid NRL player in the world. He is the captain of the Melbourne Storm and receives about $1 million for his outstanding performance in the fields.
South Africa-
In South Africa, professional rugby players are paid by their franchises. If they are called up to play international tests for the Springboks, they will receive a bonus from the South African Rugby Union of about $81,499.39 (R 1.3 million).
Springbok flyhalf Handre Pollard is the highest-paid Rugby player in the world. His net income is about $8,11,889.40.
Europe-
In Europe, the best rugby players earn an annual salary ranging between $281,118 up to $140 million. Johnny Wilkinson is the highest Rugby player in the French 14 league. He receives $75,000 per month. However, Rugby isn’t hugely popular in mainland Europe but is loved dearly in France.
Top Rugby Players earnings:
- Eben Etzebeth and Charles Piutau – earns nearly to $13,53,149.
- Trent Merrin – is reported to have an annual salary of $750K.
- Greg Inglis- Was awarded as the ‘World’s Best Player’ by Rugby League World in 2009. He is said to be earning $800K.
- James Graham- earns about $700k for his outstanding performances in the game.
- Robbie Farah- Earns nearly $900k.
- Michael Hooper- Highest paid Australian player who earns nearly $10,14,861.75.
Tips to become a professional Rugby player:
- Try to become a member of a professional club’s junior academy – Nowadays, almost all of the major clubs have academies. If you can get them to sign you up, you’ll be in a great position to get noticed and win a professional contract.
- Get noticed by playing for semi-professional or amateur clubs – Once you’re over the age of 20, the only way to become a professional rugby player is to excel at the lower levels and then be invited to train with professional teams, where you can eventually win a contract.
- Be physically fit and stay committed to your decision. There should be no going back once you enrol yourself into something which you truly desire the most. Self-motivation is very important to keep yourself going throughout the process. Be focused and practice regularly.
Conclusion-
Rugby is all about teamwork and sportsmanship. It may appear difficult to become a professional rugby player at first, but it is not impossible. A positive attitude, dedication, and effort are required to achieve your goal.
