Rugby player salaries are becoming more lucrative every year and the Rugby World Cup has only increased player value.

As is natural at the World Cup, players are eager to leave for pastures new in search of new challenges and, who knows, good wages.

With South Africa winning the Webb Ellis Cup again, some of their biggest stars have landed well-paid contracts in Japan’s Premier Rugby League.

Wales star Liam Williams recently signed for Kubota Spears and will reportedly take home £500,000 per season.

Other stars found new challenges without an improved pay package. South African Handre Pollard, who led them to World Cup final glory against New Zealand, took a huge pay cut to join Leicester Tigers.

Pollard even turned down offers from Japan to try his luck in rugby league, saying he wanted to come three years ago but the opportunity never came, reports the Daily Mail.

South African duo Cheslin Kolbe and Faf de Klerk have moved to the Far East, joining Suntory Sungoliath and Yokohama Canon Eagles respectively.

Many world stars have gone to Japan to enrich themselves and secure the future for themselves and their families. Many New Zealand internationals made the move; Sam Kane joined Kolbe at Suntory Sungoliath on a short-term deal, while Richie Munga and Ardi Savea followed suit at different clubs.

These rugby stars earn huge salaries, but they will likely earn even more thanks to endorsements and endorsement deals.

The list includes Dan Biggar, who moved from Northampton Saints to Toulon at the end of 2022, increasing his salary by £200,000.

Bath Rugby signing Finn Russell is top of the list, taking home more than £1 million per season. The Scot’s teammate Elliott Stoke even got a great show out of him over the weekend.

Here are the highest paid players on the planet.

  • Handre Pollard (Leicester Tigers) – £610,000
  • Stephen Luatua (Bristol Bears) – £620,000
  • Antoine Dupont (Toulouse) – £700,000
  • Maro Itoje (Saracens) – £800,000
  • Owen Farrell (Saracens) – £800,000
  • Dan Biggar (Toulon) – £800,000
  • Siya Kolisi (Race 92) – £850,000
  • Faf de Klerk (Yokohama Canon Eagles) – £900,000
  • Cheslin Kolbe (Suntory Sungoliat) – £937,000
  • Finn Russell (Bath Rugby): over £1 million