Highest paid positions in the Top14, Pro14 and Premiership revealed

Using data collected over the past number of seasons by sports agency Esportif Intelligence, an interesting picture begins to develop on the key positions in Europes three major leagues.

Last month we brought you a comparison guide between the Aviva Premiership and the Pro14.

Now Esportif Intelligence have updated their figures to include the Top14, giving us a better idea about the different values each league puts on specific positions.

When looking at the information below it's important to note that there is a double up in each league for both wingers and locks.

This is an attempt to represent both the highest paid lock and winger at each club as well as the second highest paid (A and B), giving a representation of the full 15 on the pitch.

One of the most interesting findings from the survey is that fly-half isn't the highest paid position in the Pro14, whereas it is in both other leagues.

Charles Piutau's salary might be a large reason why we see fullback usurping the fly-half at the number one slot in the Pro14.

By comparison, fullback is only the 11th most valuable position in the Top14 and 8th in the Premiership, so quite a considerable jump.

No.8's in the Top14 sit in second, possibly also due to wage demands of players like Louis Picamoles and Victor Vito.

From a previous study conducted by Esportif Intelligence, we know that between the Premiership and the Pro14 the average wage is 15% higher in the Premiership.

The average is £200,000 per annum in the Premiership, equating to roughly a £30,000 a year difference between the two leagues.

That’s a lot but that figure is estimated to rise again throughout the course of this season by 5%.

However, the gulf in wages, like most sectors of society, isn’t felt across the board

The top tier of players in both leagues receive equally large salaries, meaning the differential lies with tier 2 and tier 3 players.

Tier 2 and tier 3 players in the Pro 14 earn considerably less than their Aviva Premiership counterparts.

“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,” said Hannah Bowe, head of Esportifs advisory services.

“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.”