Dan Carter set to be richest man in rugby

New Zealand All Blacks 1st-five Daniel Carter during a press conference at the team hotel, Cardiff, in preparation for the Pool C match between New Zealand and Georgia. Photo / Brett Phibbs.

If Dan Carter fails to finally play a meaningful role in a World Cup over the next month, he can at least console himself by taking a look at his bank account.

The All Blacks superstar is set to become the richest man in world rugby next month when he officially quits New Zealand rugby to take up a three-year deal with French club Racing Metro.

The French club has forked out a world record $NZ3.3m a season to secure the man regarded as the best match-winner in the game.

The rugby rich list is dominated by players signed by rich French and English clubs, bankrolled by massive TV broadcasting fee hikes for their lucrative domestic premierships.

The figures listed are solely for playing. Endorsement deals, such as Carter's worldwide Jockey underwear deal, are cream on an already large cake.

Super Rugby contracts, even when topped up by All Blacks, Wallaby or Springbok match fees, just don't compare to the money in the club game in the northern hemisphere, ensuring the likes of Richie McCaw, Ma'a Nonu, Conrad Smith and Sonny Bill Williams aren't in this ball game.

Like Carter, Nonu and Smith join French clubs after this World Cup. Nonu has signed a two-year deal with Toulon, although no money figures have yet emerged around what he will earn there. Australian maverick Quade Cooper is also joining Toulon after the Cup.

Smith will play for second division Pau but his deal isn't big enough to crack the top 10.

The only player currently within a bull's roar of Carter's deal with Racing Metro is gifted Wallaby Matt Giteau who re-signed with French rugby powerhouses Toulon last year.

Interestingly, the only other New Zealander beyond Carter in the top 10 is not playing at this World Cup and barely registers a blip nowadays on the radar of most Kiwi fans.

Former Blues prop John Afoa turned his back on the All Blacks jersey several years ago to join Irish club Ulster before then being signed by English club Gloucester in a deal worth more than $NZ1m a year and making him the highest paid player in the English premiership.

Former NRL star Sam Burgess is England's highest paid player despite the fact he has barely played the game.

But if you think our top rugby stars are rolling in it, think again.

He kicks a round ball instead of an oval one but football's highest earner Cristiano Ronaldo has a salary more than 20 times larger than Carter, worth £33.8m ($NZ81m) a year. It would take Carter almost a quarter of century more of top rugby in France to make that much.

1 Dan Carter, Racing Metro: £1,400,000 ($NZ3.3m) per season

The All Blacks star will become the world's highest-paid player after agreeing to join big-spending Racing Métro following the World Cup.

2 Matt Giteau, Toulon: £900,000 ($NZ2.1m)

Matt Giteau is ranked No 2 after the Wallaby utility back signed a lucrative new contract with French club Toulon this time last year. Toulon had to fight off a big offer from Racing Metro.

3 Leigh Halfpenny, Toulon: £600,000 ($NZ1.4m)

The Welsh star was railroaded out of the World Cup with an injury only a week before the tournament started. But he can console himself via his huge deal, signed at the beginning of last year, with Toulon that saw him become the highest-paid Welsh player of all time.

4 John Afoa, Gloucester: £510,000 ($NZ1.22m)

The former All Black prop is said to be highest paid rugby player in England. Afoa's deal with the Gloucester club is reportedly worth over $NZ1m a season.

5 Sam Burgess, Bath: £500,000 ($NZ1.2m)

The jury might be out on Sam Burgess as a rugby player but it didn't stop English club Bath agreeing to pay the former NRL star £500,000 per season. He is officially England's highest paid player.

6 Johnny Sexton, Racing Metro: £494,000 ($NZ1.18m)

Some reckon the Irish No.10 is as good as Dan Carter. But the All Black has replaced him there and Sexton plans a return to Irish club Leinster after the World Cup where he will be on similar money.

7 Bryan Habana, Toulon: £474,600 ($NZ1.1m)

Universally regarded as the fastest man in rugby, the Springbok winger signed an extended deal with Toulon worth almost £500,000 a year.

8 Morgan Parra, Clermont: £436,000 ($NZ1m)

They love him in France even though Kiwi fans don't rate him as highly. The gritty halfback is the highest-paid French player in the world, turning out for Clermont in the Top 14.

9 Thierry Dusautoir, Toulouse: £408,120 ($NZ980,000)

All Black fans certainly rate this bloke. The veteran French skipper earns a good wicket by virtue of his leadership qualities and strength and speed with the ball.

10 Bakkies Botha, Toulon: £389,000 ($NZ934,000)

South African Bakkies Botha rounds off the 10 highest-paid rugby players but will soon disappear off it. The Springboks hard-man has just finished a huge deal signed with Toulon in 2011 and worth £389,000 per year.

HOW CARTER'S COMPARES

Brendon McCullum: $NZ2 million a year in match fees from Black Caps, IPL, the Big Bash and the Pro 20 in England.

Steve Adams: $NZ2.8 million for his last season in the NBA with Oklahoma.

Cameron Smith: $NZ1.8 million as the highest paid player in the NRL.

Scott Dixon: $NZ10m per year in IndyCar racing.

Lydia Ko: $NZ2.5m this year alone.

Winston Reid: $NZ12m a season with West Ham in the Premier League

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