The sporting world has its fair share of high-profile stars who somehow manage to flirt between being involved in the game they play and indulging in their semi-celebrity lifestyles. These individuals can also boast magnificent wealth with salaries, sponsorships and private dealings that often see them command multimillion pound bank balances most of us can only dream of.
So ahead of the upcoming Rugby World Cup in France – where we’re likely to see some of the game’s biggest and wealthiest names – here we’ve taken a closer look at the sport of rugby union to see who the richest players and former players are right now.
Richest Players
If we look to those still playing the game, online research suggests these are the richest and best-paid players:
Handrè Pollard – estimated net worth of $5m
It shouldn’t be any surprise that South Africa’s marquee player is on this list. When you factor in several big money moves around the world, and the fact he’s a household name, it makes sense he should have amassed such a fortune already. He’s also still only 29 so there’s plenty of time for him to earn more.
Maro Itoje – estimated net worth of $2.5m
Speaking of household names, Maro Itoje is one of the biggest stars of the English game that’s still currently playing. Again, he’s only 28 so there’s every chance his current wealth will increase in the coming years, but a lot of this may depend on if he eventually moves away from Saracens – the Premiership Rugby side he has been with since 2012.
Aaron Cruden – estimated net worth of $2m
Although coming to the end of his playing career, the former New Zealand international Aaron Cruden has played for clubs all over the world at the highest levels, and in the process, managed to build up an impressive net worth.
Richest Former Players
There are a fair few other current players who also have similar respective wealth to those above, but there are also many former players who have really earned the big bucks. Here are a few examples:
Jonny Wilkinson – estimated net worth of $29m
A legend of the game and one of the most popular and highly decorated English players in history, Jonny Wilkinson has gone on to earn much more than most in rugby union. Largely this is down to things like sponsorship, but also that he apparently invested wisely and saved a lot of his money from during his playing career.
Sonny Bill Williams – estimated net worth of $15m
Sonny Bill Williams played rugby union and league and more recently had a career as a boxer. This trio of top professions, time with many clubs, plus lucrative sponsorship deals, has seen his net worth grow considerably since stepping away from the game.
Simon McDowell – estimated net worth of $54m
Most lists the richest rugby union players will place this man at the very top. His playing career was actually cut short through injury in 1990 and the Irishman had more success as a referee. However, several smart business ventures and investments in the last few decades have seemingly paid off quite well for Simon McDowell.
