Vakatawa, Radradra are highest paid centres in the world

Virimi Vakatawa has played about 30 Test matches for Les Bleus. Photo: Six Nations

Two Fijian centres Virimi Vakatawa and Semi Radradra are the highest paid players in the position.

According to one of the UK’s leading rugby sites, Rugby Rucker, Vakatawa is the highest paid centre at $2.18 million (£780,000).
Vakatawa plays outside centre for Top 14 club Racing 92 and for Les Bleus.
Radradra earns $1.39 million (£500,000) annually has recently transferred clubs to the UK from France.
The Somosomo native plays for the Flying Fijians and club rugby for Bristol Bears.

Rugby Rucker (ruck.co.uk) looked at the data and listed 2021’s top four highest earning rugby players for every position on the pitch.

Back-three:

Charles Piutau

Charles Piutau (Bristol Bears) – $2.79m (£1m).

Beauden Barrett (Suntory Sungoliath) – $2.09m (£750k)

Simon Zebo (Racing 92) – $1.67m (£600k)

Stuart Hogg (Exeter Chiefs) – $1.53m (£550k)

Beauden Barrett

Centre:

Virimi Vakatawa (Racing 92) – $2.18m (£780k)

Semi Radradra (Bristol Bears) – $1.39m (£500k)

Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs) – $1.26m (£450k)

Damian de Allende (Munster) – $1.17m (£420k).

Semi Radradra scores a try for the Flying Fijians. Photo: Getty Images.

Fly-half:

Handre Pollard (Montpellier) -$2.79m (£1m)

Finn Russell (Racing 92) – $2.37m (£850k)

Owen Farrell (Saracens) – $2.09m (£750k)

Dan Biggar (Northampton) – $1.67m (£600k)

Scrum-half:

Aaron Smith (Highlanders) – $1.73m (£620k)

Morgan Parra (Clermont) – $1.56m (£560k)

Faf De Klerk (Sale Sharks) – $1.39m (£500k)

Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers) – $976.5k (£350k)

Prop:

Mako Vunipola

Tadhg Furlong (Leinster) – $1.34m (£480,000)

Mako Vunipola (Saracens) – $1.17m (£420k)

Kyle Sinckler (Bristol Bears) – $976.5k (£350k)

Vincent Koch (Saracens) – $837k (£300k)

Hooker:

French hooker Guilhem Guirado

Guilhem Guirado (Montpellier) – $1.39m (£500k)

Dane Coles (Hurricanes) – $1.05m (£375k)

Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs) – $641.7k (£230k)

Jamie George (Saracens) – $558k (£200k)

Lock:

Eben Etzebeth (Toulon) – $2.51m £900k

Maro Itoje (Saracens) – $2.44m (£875k)

Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys) – $1.34m (£480k)

James Ryan (Leinster) – $1.27m (£460k)

Back-row:

Michael Hooper (Toyota Verblitz) – $1.74m (£625K)

Steve Luatua (Bristol Bears) – $1.53m (£550k)

Kieran Read (Toyota Verblitz) – $1.45m (£520k)

 Pablo Matera (Stade Francais) – $1.34m  (£480k).