How much does a S15 player earn?

[Tim&Bingo]

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/...me-in-danger-of-losing-its-voyce-8142356.html

I was just reading the above and was a little surprised at the monies available for the junior academy players, and the standard annual salary of a decent, but not really that exceptional 30yr+ winger.

Any clues as to how this compares with the Aussie franchises?

 

[qwerty51]

I don't have any sources but I think the average wage of Australian Super rugby players would be around 150k

 

[Mank]

I don't have any sources but I think the average wage of Australian Super rugby players would be around 150k

Quite surprised, that's not really a lot of money. Given these guys have a limited career life span, and they are the reason people turn on the TV, I would have expected more. I don't know how 150k compares in Australia, but doing the conversion it's a top 10% salary in the UK, but nothing spectacular.

 

[yourmatesam]

I think a rookie S15 player is on roughly 70k. I can't confirm that though.

 

[Jnor]

Rings a bell too Sam, but not sure why - it might actually be less. IIRC it's a fair bit more than SA and NZ tho

 

[H...]

I think a rookie would be doing pretty well to get 70K.

Quite surprised, that's not really a lot of money. Given these guys have a limited career life span, and they are the reason people turn on the TV, I would have expected more. I don't know how 150k compares in Australia, but doing the conversion it's a top 10% salary in the UK, but nothing spectacular.

They're allowed to get proper jobs like the rest of us when they retire from rugby, you know.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

They're allowed to get proper jobs like the rest of us when they retire from rugby, you know.

The other way to look at that is playing rugby at the top level is a full time profession these days. This leaves little time for career development in another field that they can transition to when they retire. All the other professionals they compete against for jobs have a head start of up to ten years by my reckoning, so unless they've been particularly diligent in setting themselves up while they're playing, they are at a disadvantage. For this reason, I think that trying to maximise their earnings during the prime of their career is a pretty sound strategy.

The rugby playing lawyer, doctor or stock broker isn't as prevalent as it used to be at the highest level.

 

[Mank]

I think a rookie would be doing pretty well to get 70K.

They're allowed to get proper jobs like the rest of us when they retire from rugby, you know.

But by that stage they'll be in their 30s, have a crocked body, no other training. Some might study, but a lot will just come through the system straight into pro rugby. If I look at rugby as a career, you'll have what, 30-40 players per franchise = 150-200 players in Australia who are the best in a pretty niche profession. I think the top 200 lawyers, doctors, bankers, IT staff, mine workers, executives, etc all earn far more than that.

 

[Train Without a Station]

I was under the impression that Academy players in Australia were only on around the $50k mark. I know the NRL minimum wage is set somewhere near that.

I also doubt that the average Super Rugby salary in Australia would be $150k. I think it would most likely, in fact be lower. If you factored in ARU top ups, the average professional rugby player's salary would probably be around the $150k mark.

I definitely agree this is not a great deal of money for what has because a demanding full time job which does leave minimal time for career development in anything else. Sure the guys could knock over a degree or two in the course of thei career, but even then, most graduates probably only get $50-70k in construction which is one of the more lucrative professions at the bottom end. You also have to consider that after being a year out of Uni, most degrees become irrelevant if you are not working in that field. But, on the other hand, if the game made more money, the players would be paid more. Like anything, professional sport is a business and needs to be run as such, not a charity. At the end of the day, Salary's are determined by the market.

 

[H...]

But by that stage they'll be in their 30s, have a crocked body, no other training. Some might study, but a lot will just come through the system straight into pro rugby. If I look at rugby as a career, you'll have what, 30-40 players per franchise = 150-200 players in Australia who are the best in a pretty niche profession. I think the top 200 lawyers, doctors, bankers, IT staff, mine workers, executives, etc all earn far more than that.

They most certainly do. I'm not sure what point you're making here, if I'm being honest.

If rugby made more money and the players were harder to replace, they'd get paid more, As TWS posted, the market dictates the salary. The idea that a rugby player should be paid enough in 10 years to avoid having to work for the rest of their lives seems pretty stupid to me. Not that I object to it, but you can hardly say they "deserve" it. When sanzar starts generating NFL money, the players will get NFL money.

There's no reason a Super Rugby player couldn't earn a degree part time whilst playing super rugby if they really wanted to. I don't doubt some of them do.

 

[TOCC]

But by that stage they'll be in their 30s, have a crocked body, no other training. Some might study, but a lot will just come through the system straight into pro rugby. If I look at rugby as a career, you'll have what, 30-40 players per franchise = 150-200 players in Australia who are the best in a pretty niche profession. I think the top 200 lawyers, doctors, bankers, IT staff, mine workers, executives, etc all earn far more than that.

Incorrect, it's part of the RUPA agreement that players be allowed and provided time to participate in external studies/traineeships... All junior players are educated and provided with avenues to do this. Read the RUPA CBA for further info on the topic.

I won't buy into that sob story....

 

[stoff]

But by that stage they'll be in their 30s, have a crocked body, no other training. Some might study, but a lot will just come through the system straight into pro rugby.

Although if they play out a 10-15 year rugby career you would hope that they have managed to put enough away to support themselves during a period of re-training, and lower salaries. If its a shorter career they were probably a fringe player, so it may have been harder to put money away, but maybe you just have to put that down to the cost of spending time chasing a dream. Is it really any different to taking time out travelling for a couple of years.

Even when they enter professional life they may have some advantage as their 'name' may have some perceived benefit to their employer. A very quick google of Wallaby and Business Development Manager comes up with Scott Staniforth, Glenn Panoho, Tim Horan and Brendan Cannon. There are also the sponsor contacts, etc, etc that they have the opportunity to build during their career.

The guys who were going to end up being succesful if they had gone straight into the 'real' world still will, because they will be the ones who are forward looking enough to begin preparing for life after rugby whilst they are still in it.

 

[daz]

At the end of the day, I don't really care what they earn. That is between them and their employer, the same as any of us.

I would expect that if they retire in their mid-30's, probably 80% of pro-rugby players would need a second career post-rugby to pay the bills to old age. No issues there.

Having said that, it is only fair that the players get a decent slice of the revenue pie. After all, without them there is no big show.

 

[qwerty51]

A league journo wrote an article today saying it's absurd the administrators in the game get more than the players, absolutely agree.

 

[Mank]

Seems I'm in the minority then

 

[Braveheart81]

A league journo wrote an article today saying it's absurd the administrators in the game get more than the players, absolutely agree.

It is a catch-22 though. Whilst the players are what is essentially sold, it is the administrators that sell them and try to extract the revenue that pays everyone. If you don't hire good administrators there will be less revenue to pay the players.

As you're competing against the corporate world, you have to pay reasonably to attract the best administrators.

 

[PiXeL_Ninja]

Read an article about a year ago that entry level contracts for SA S15 players is R27k pm

 

[PiXeL_Ninja]

But by that stage they'll be in their 30s, have a crocked body, no other training. Some might study, but a lot will just come through the system straight into pro rugby. If I look at rugby as a career, you'll have what, 30-40 players per franchise = 150-200 players in Australia who are the best in a pretty niche profession. I think the top 200 lawyers, doctors, bankers, IT staff, mine workers, executives, etc all earn far more than that.

What about performance bonuses? Also, they get alot from doing tv ads ala Lambie - Head and Shoulders Beast - BIC Spies etc etc etc

 

[East Coast Aces]

I don't have a source but I remember an interview, I think with Jason Little, who said that the players wage when super rugby started and for a long time, the rest of his career, the wages were about the same for everyone under an unwritten agreement where regular super rugby players were paid 150 000. Fringe players around 90 000. Rookies about 50k.

ARU top ups and 3rd party payments started to creep in but not sure what year?

Nowwadays there are limits on 3rd party payments and aru contracts are being rained in and controlled more and there is a loose salary cap rather then a flat pay scale. More free market less socialist model.

I heard something that eps/national academy players get 20 000$. They train just as much as super rugby players. But have less match and sponsor commitments, but have club rugby. They also tend to get a bit of cash from their clubs.

Great for someone out of school for a couple of years, but if ur not getting contracted by the time your 21 overseas is where ur eye wonders.(3rd tier we need you here)

I also have no sympathy for the short career excuse for chasing money over everything else. Most people don't stay in the same role for more then a decade. Most people retrain, develop outside of work commitments etc. all clubs encourage players to study further or have something outside footy, eg family, business, study or hobby. Sponsors are also willing to provide work experience and placements.

 

[chequebalance]

I thought when Beau Robinson was starting with the Reds that if he played 5 super rugby games that he was automatically awarded a base contract which was $70K or something?