Jonny Sexton's contract with Racing Metro makes him highest paid player in Europe

Would this also make Sexton now the best paid player in the world? I can't think of anyone that would be getting more in Japan or Super Rugby.

The top 5 earners in France are now:

Jonathan Sexton (Racing Métro) €55,000 per month
Jonny Wilkinson (Toulon) €47,000
Bryan Habana (Toulon) €42,000
Nicolas Mas (Montpellier) €38,000
James Hook (Perpignan) €35,000

From an Irish perspective, even central contracts might not keep our best here if these sums of money stay about or increase.

that kind of money cant be competed with.
but im sure dan carter was on more when he went to play for perpignan

Wasn't Carter £700k for a season (so 8 months). That work out to be about 37 weeks. So just under £20k per week. And this was a few years ago now. Before Wilkinson went over

its massive amounts of money and rugby used to be better off with out it

Slight edit to the op - those are the five top earners in France not Europe. Some of the highest paid in the Rabo and Aviva might be higher than Hook and Mas. Pienaar at Ulster for example is on about £350'000 which is about the same as Hook at Perpignan.

Carter may well have been getting a bit more at Perpignan. Currently though I imagine Sexton is the highest paid in the world.

Is sexton worth that much though IMO no

Blimy they earn more in a month em than most dragons players in a year..

People wonder why we get beat!

In fairness most seem worth the cash.

3 outside hands in The top 5..

Also talk of cater and pinnar..

So I'm guessing 10 is what most teams think of as the most vital position.

I thought only players worth their weight in gold are Tight head props because world class ones are hard to come by

Dont they pay very high tax rates in France though? Id say the amount they take home after tax could be matched for a few players in Ireland.

I personally would pay any play that kind of money but the only few that would come close would be carter, McCaw, pocock and Adam Jones

Sexton is the best tackling 10 there is and as close as Europe has to Carter in attack (still not very close to Carter but you know what I mean). His goal kicking is generally over 80%, he can slot over a pressure drop goal from distance, his game management is very good and he also brings a strong winning mentality and leadership.

The way things are in France these days they'll probably just want him to score drop goals.

Sexton is the best tackling 10 there is

Nope that's still Johnny.

Castro earns around 350k (Pounds Stirling) so would be on that list, possibly closer to the top after he completes his move to Toulon.

Best paid in Europe but I read in an excellent article by the demented mole (link below) that Jaques Fourie is the highest paid player in the world.

http://dementedmole.com/

Read this one on your break, it's long, but well worth it.

Mickado wrote:Best paid in Europe but I read in an excellent article by the demented mole (link below) that Jaques Fourie is the highest paid player in the world.

http://dementedmole.com/

Read this one on your break, it's long, but well worth it.

SBW was reportedly being paid about 10% more than Fourie in his Japanese stint over the winter, a nice wee top up before entering the salary-capped world of the NRL

Pete C (Kiwireddevil) wrote:

Mickado wrote:Best paid in Europe but I read in an excellent article by the demented mole (link below) that Jaques Fourie is the highest paid player in the world.

http://dementedmole.com/

Read this one on your break, it's long, but well worth it.

SBW was reportedly being paid about 10% more than Fourie in his Japanese stint over the winter, a nice wee top up before entering the salary-capped world of the NRL

Ahh, found it https://www.606v2.com/t28948-panasonic-wild-knights-chasing-sbw-with-930000-a-season-on-the-table

Fourie $US1.1m a year (and he only has to play a dozen matches), SBW reportedly got $US1.5m

Massive money, but the teams are backed by huge multinational corporations, only a drop in the ocean to them, certainly not like the local sugar daddy who puts his own money in at a loss and could up sticks and leave a team in trouble.

Would love to see even highlights of one of the matches from this league, I'd say it's carnage with the likes of Thorn (i know he's not there any more) or Collins up against these Japanese lads.

Anyone know what Ferris will be on over there?

That is a serious wedge. The team Fourie plays for also has Bekker and Peter Grant.

I imagine watching the higlights would be repetitive; Bekker catches lineout, ball to Grant, who either kicks or passes to Fourie. If Fourie doesnt score, recycled, Grant to Bekker and repeat!

Golden wrote:Anyone know what Ferris will be on over there?

He has to sign a contract first.

sushi

.....and just to think, some of the Irish fans the other day were trying to tell me that this move wasn't about money, but rather his desire to experience a new city and expand his horizons!!

It is VERY important that this juncture that the Scots, Irish and Welsh regions and the Aviva clubs don't get sucked into this. Let the top players go to France, and only pay wages which you can afford and justify. If the French clubs can seriously sustain themselves financially paying these wages, then fair play to them.

Where did you get these numbers from Artful? I'm not saying that they're wrong - I'm just interested to know what others are on, so that I can cry into my herbal tea.

I was always under the (clearly mistaken) impression that tightheads get paid the most. To make up for their ears being gradually rubbed off.

The smaller nations, and clubs would soon have a case for transfer fee's surely...

Spending 8 years plus investing in a player to lose him to a French club who can offer double the salary, and reap the benefit of his talent at an age when he can use it just isn't quite right IMHO...

Think of the kind of money Welsh regions wouldve received over the last 2 seasons!!

Well Mas is a tighthead and seems to be doing well so there is truth in your assumtion GC.
TH and FH are the 2 specialist positions we lack the most in France so no suprise they get more.

And yes would be for a transfer fee that goes straight to the academy where the player learnt most of his rugby before going pro.

The only reason he is the highest paid player is because Wilko had to take a wage cut.

The only reason he's paid that much is because the owner of the club was steaming drunk when he drew the contract up

Isnt Sonny on a $100,000 a match contract in Japan? I think when it comes to salary, players value goes beyond on-field performance. If they provide their teams with an increased turn-over, its bordering on criminal for them to put life and limb on the line for the CEO to by that Ferrari, while they can barely afford that Toyota. Its not like they are on footballer wages, and I think that its pretty deserved.

"Sexton is the best tackling 10 there is"

Maybe at Leinster but there's much better defensive 10's than Sexton

SBW is playing RL KingRaf

Sgt_Pooly wrote:"Sexton is the best tackling 10 there is"

Maybe at Leinster but there's much better defensive 10's than Sexton

Paddy Jackson?

In Japan?

Honest question, I have no ide what SBW does anymore

No he's playing in Aus for the Roosters

Oh I see that. Good on Sonny. Made a packet playing for a variety of teams, World Cup Winner, Super Rugby winner. Cant really critique the guy.

kingraf wrote:Oh I see that. Good on Sonny. Made a packet playing for a variety of teams, World Cup Winner, Super Rugby winner. Cant really critique the guy.

He earned himself a nice wee wage in Japan over the winter, this weekend he's in action for the Roosters against his old team the Bulldogs - should be plenty of edge there, the Bulldogs got him banned from RL for 5 years after he walked out on his contract.

Sgt_Pooly wrote:"Sexton is the best tackling 10 there is"

Maybe at Leinster but there's much better defensive 10's than Sexton

For example?

GunsGerms wrote:

Sgt_Pooly wrote:"Sexton is the best tackling 10 there is"

Maybe at Leinster but there's much better defensive 10's than Sexton

For example?

My top 3 tackling 10s would be Wilko, Farrell & Carter

I wouldn't necessarily call them "much better" than Sexton, but "better" for sure.

I wouldn't consider Farrell or Carter to have defense or tackling as good as Sexton's. Wilkinson maybe.

Sorry but Wilko hasn't been a great tackler since his shoulder problems in 2004. The ABs turned him in to a doormat in 2005. He isn't a patch on Sexton as a defender.

Was it Cudmore Sexton stopped in his tracks last year against Clermont near the end?

I thought Wilkinson put in some pretty big tackles against Tigers last weekend rodders.

There's life in the auld dog yet then ....

Still think he struggles head on on his weak shoulder.

Not seeing Sexton as a strong defender at all, he's just ok there imo.

Farrell & Wilko are leaps ahead, Carter although not known for big hits is very strong in this area too.

"Sorry but Wilko hasn't been a great tackler since his shoulder problems in 2004. The ABs turned him in to a doormat in 2005. He isn't a patch on Sexton as a defender."

Totally baffled with this, Wilko is world class in this area even after his injury. Sexton has many talents, he's top draw but is nowhere near Wilko in defense.

Totaly disagree Pooly, have you ever actually watched Sexton play? Sexton is one of the best defensive 10s around in fact in contrast to Wilkinson and Carter I actually cant recall him missing a tackle.

What set Sexton apart is that his front on defense is superb by any standards and he actually stops players on the gainline.

Wilkinson has struggled against both big men and fast players since 2003/4. His defensive ability is a myth based on his ferocious tackling ability early in his career, something he toned down due to injury.

Go watch the Lions 2005 tour and tell me he can defend.

"Totaly disagree Pooly, have you ever actually watched Sexton play?"

I wouldn't have an opinion on Sexton if I hadn't have seen him.

Agree to disagree I think, I have no idea where your opinion on either Sexton or Wilko comes from. We must watch different players.

rodders wrote:Go watch the Lions 2005 tour and tell me he can defend.

To be fair to Wilkinson he was played out of position at 12 on that tour, one of the most stupid selection decisions of all time, and the Lions were totally overrun in that series. Very few players in red covered themselves in glory on that tour in any facet of the game. The Lions barely touched the ball.

In Sexton, Farrell and Wilkinson you are talking about three very good defensive fly halves.

Compare to the likes of ROG, Hodgson and Parks....

As far as tackling 10's go i'd have Sexton in the OK bracket along with Biggar Priestland, Flood, Cooper etc. Very good would be Carter, Wilko, Farrell,Beale etc. Shoite would be ROG, Castaignède (and others im sure!)

hjumpshoe wrote:As far as tackling 10's go i'd have Sexton in the OK bracket along with Biggar Priestland, Flood, Cooper etc. Very good would be Carter, Wilko, Farrell,Beale etc. Shoite would be ROG, Castaignède (and others im sure!)

Agree with that but Cooper is def in the garbage bracket

Sgt_Pooly wrote:

hjumpshoe wrote:As far as tackling 10's go i'd have Sexton in the OK bracket along with Biggar Priestland, Flood, Cooper etc. Very good would be Carter, Wilko, Farrell,Beale etc. Shoite would be ROG, Castaignède (and others im sure!)

Agree with that but Cooper is def in the garbage bracket

Can either of you cite some examples of Sextons defensive inadequacies?

In fact he leads the defensive line for Leinster and Ireland. Can't think of anther 10 who does that. No one else on that list is close.

It's not that he's poor, he's just not as good as you seem to think he is (imo)

One on one I've seen him targeted numerous times. He's quite a slight build so this isn't really a surprise. He punches above his weight if anything and is solid but not in a top class bracket imo