A typical rugby player in England starts out with low wages but quickly re-negotiate, so that the average English pro player is making about $70,000 to $130,000 a year. The top 25 players in the National Rugby League (NRL), can earn substantial yearly salaries up to $5.5 million, players in the league outside the top 25 can earn a base salary of $440,000 annually, and the top 20 players in the Holden Cup earn annual salaries up to $250,000. like players in some other sports leagues, have caps on their allotted base salaries. These caps put a limit on the amount of direct income players can earn, although they may receive supplementary income, sometimes several hundred thousand dollars from other sources. Players earn salaries, on average, of around $25,000, with national team players making closer to $40,000. The top players in the competition earn close to $70,000.
These wages are usually organised across 3 or 4 year deals. They are paid regardless of how many games they play each year. But they also have access to lucrative third party deals involving private sponsorship which can effectively double the amount they earn. A lot of Rugby League players will finish their careers earning a million plus a year playing Rugby in places like Japan or France for a couple of years before retirement. Their value in those cases is less about their talent and ability and more about their marquee value as an established 'name'. Considering the fact that rugby is the foundation of American football,the sport's lack of popularity is intriguing. Unfortunately, the "salaries" received by American rugby players typically reflect this lack of interest. To put it bluntly, American rugby players don't make much of a salary.
