As international and club rugby grows in popularity across the globe, the salaries of the sport's biggest stars continues to rise.
Elite stars are earning lucrative contracts across international and club competitions. From World Cup winners to Six Nations standouts, the game's biggest names are being rewarded for their impact on the field.
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The Top 14 leads the way, with the top two highest earners playing for clubs in the French league, but players for PREM Rugby, Japan Rugby League One and URC clubs are all represented on the list.
Here are the top 10 highest paid rugby players in the world based on their reported club salaries.
10. Handré Pollard — $864,500 USD
- Club: Vodacom Bulls
- Country: South Africa
No. 1 on this list a few years ago when he signed with the Leicester Tigers, Handre Pollard signed one of the largest contracts in South African club rugby history in 2025 with Vodacom Bulls. The Springboks star caps off the list of the 10 highest paid players in rugby.
9. Jesse Kriel — $931,000 USD
- Club: Canon Eagles
- Country: South Africa
Despite being linked to Top 14 and PREM Rugby clubs, Jesse Kriel has committed himself to staying with the Canon Eagles. His contract with the Japanese club earned him £700k in 2026.
8. Pieter-Steph du Toit — $997,500 USD
- Club: Toyota Verblitz
- Country: South Africa
Pieter-Steph du Toit didn't play for Verblitz in 2026 after sustaining a major injury, but the South African star is still among the top 10 highest earning rugby players in the world.
7. Eben Etzebeth — $1,030,750 USD
- Club: Hollywoodbets Sharks
- Country: South Africa
Eben Etzebeth has been under contract with the Sharks since securing an early release from Toloun in 2022. He's the last player on the list with a contract worth more than $1 million USD.
6. Damian de Allende — $1,064,000 USD
- Club: Saitama Wild Knights
- Country: South Africa
Damian de Allende is one of the highest players in Japan Rugby League One. Despite rumors the centre could return to the Stormers, he'll stay in Japan as one of the league's best and highest paid talents.
5. Maro Itoje — $1,064,000 USD
- Club: Saracens
- Country: UK
Maro Itoje has the title of being the highest paid player in PREM rugby. The Saracens lock signed a long-term contract with the club to keep the English star close to home.
4. Malcolm Marx — $1,064,000 USD
- Club: Kubota Spears
- Country: South Africa
Malcolm Marx's contract with the Spears makes him one of the five highest paid players in rugby and keeps him with the club until 2027.
3. Finn Russell — $1,330,000 USD
- Club: Bath
- Country: Scotland
At the end of the 2024-2025 season, Finn Russell a signed a contract extension with Bath that keeps the Scottish star with the club through 2028.
2. Romain Ntamack — $1,330,000 USD
- Club: Toulouse
- Country: France
Romain Ntamack signed a five-year contract extension with Toulouse in 2022, locking him with the French club while securing the two highest-paid players in the sport on the same team.
1. Antoine Dupont —$1,596,000 USD
- Club: Toulouse
- Country: France
Antoine Dupont signed a contract with Toulouse in 2025 that secured the scrum-half's future with the club and made him the highest paid player in rugby.
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