Rugby Salaries: What Players Really Earn in Senior Leagues

When you think of rugby salaries, the money professional rugby players make from playing the sport. Also known as rugby player income, it rugby pay, it's often assumed to be huge—like in the professional leagues overseas. But in senior amateur and semi-pro setups like those in Nottinghamshire, the reality is very different. Most players aren’t signing six-figure contracts. They’re teachers, plumbers, warehouse workers, and parents who show up on weekends to play because they love the game, not because they’re getting rich.

There’s a big gap between the elite professional game and local senior leagues. In top-tier competitions like Premiership Rugby or the Top 14, salaries can hit hundreds of thousands. But in the Notts Senior Sports League, a community-based organization supporting senior athletes across Nottinghamshire, players rarely see any direct payment. Some clubs offer small match fees—maybe £20 to £50 per game—to cover travel or gear. A few might have sponsors who chip in for team kits or post-match meals. But actual salaries? Those are the exception, not the rule.

What you do see in senior rugby are non-monetary rewards: respect, camaraderie, and staying active well into your 40s and 50s. Many players in Nottinghamshire have been with the same club for decades. They play because it keeps them connected—to friends, to fitness, to a sense of purpose. The physical toll is real, but so is the payoff. And while you won’t find luxury cars or endorsements in the local pub after the match, you’ll find something more lasting: pride in the game and in each other.

There’s also a growing conversation about fairness. Should senior athletes get more support? Should clubs with better funding pay their core players? Some teams in the Midlands are starting to experiment with modest stipends, especially for players who travel far or train multiple nights a week. But without big sponsors or TV deals, it’s tough. The rugby league pay, the compensation structure within amateur and semi-pro rugby competitions is still mostly built on passion, not profit.

What you’ll find in the posts below are real stories from the field—not about million-dollar contracts, but about the men and women who show up rain or shine, who train after work, who coach kids on Sundays, and who still lace up for Saturday’s match. Some write about the cost of gear, others about how they balance jobs and training. One even talks about the first time he got paid £10 for playing. These aren’t glamorous tales. But they’re honest. And they’re the heart of senior rugby in Nottinghamshire.