Data Reveals Average Premiership Vs PRO14 Salaries + Highest Paid Positions

The average salaries of rugby players in the PRO14 and Aviva Premiership have been revealed.

Sports agency Esportif Intelligence has collected data over a number of years from a number of avenues and sifted through it to come up with some intriguing information.

The average salary in the Aviva Premiership was about £200,000 a man last season. That’s roughly about 15%, or £30,000 a year, more than in the PRO12/14, and that is set to increase to 20% this season.

They’ve also looked at which positions get paid the highest in each competition, with an outhalf understandably getting paid the most in both leagues. The lowest in England is a blindside flanker, while it’s a tighthead prop in the PRO12/14.

It’s also interesting to note the the top players in the PRO14 get paid similar wages to the Aviva Premiership. The secondary players however, do not hence the gap in average.

“The PRO12 try to pay quality players at its top end more. It’s the second and third choice players at those teams who on a whole are not paid as much compared to those in the Aviva,” explained Esportif’s head of advisory services Hannah Bowe.

“To me, it is representative of the strategy traditionally employed by the PRO12 teams and unions to be competitive, which has facilitated their national teams’ competitiveness, by looking after their most influential players where possible, whilst being more constrained on total budget.

“That is now being somewhat eroded by the external revenue streams in the Premiership, which has enabled clubs to attract and keep marquee players who may have headed for France.

“If you looked at the best starting XV of the Aviva and PRO12 last season, the combined salary would be over £5m per team.

“Traditionally, the most expensive team would have been from the PRO12 but the signs are that is changing.

“The difference between the top and bottom spending teams in the Aviva will tighten this year but I don’t really see that happening in the PRO14.

“There are four or five teams spending comparatively with the Aviva but a wider gap to sides like the Dragons and Connacht. Organisers of the PRO14 will hope the new broadcasting deal with South Africa will help narrow the gap.”

Fascinating stuff. You can read more about this on WalesOnline.