Average player income in Premiership in 2020-21 just under £144,000: Report

The average player income in the English Premiership in the 2020-21 season was £143,699 and fly-halves were the highest-paid, a salary cap report released by the league showed on Thursday (Jun 16).

The report, which gave a detailed analysis of the salary cap expenditure of the 13 Premiership clubs, showed fly-halves had an average income of £175,679. Hookers were the lowest earners, at £113,115.

The salary cap for the 2020-21 season was £6.4 million for clubs, most of which, the report said, cut salaries during the campaign because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The salary cap continues to be a crucial part of Premiership's strategic framework and is supported unanimously by all 13 Premiership Rugby clubs," said Chief Executive Simon Massie-Taylor.

"One of the main principles set out in the Myners Report emphasised the promotion of greater transparency to broaden and deepen visibility and scrutiny about how the salary cap operates in practice, so we are delighted to publish the first report today."