Top-level All Blacks typically earn in the high six figures to around NZ$1 million a year (including retainers and match fees), while newer or fringe players are on much lower, tiered deals that can be closer to total “normal job” money.

Core numbers (rough ballpark)

  • A commonly quoted average figure for an established All Black is around NZ$1 million per year once you add up national-team pay, Super Rugby, and endorsements.
  • Reports and analysis of NZ Rugby’s wage structure suggest that most full All Blacks sit more in the NZ$500,000–NZ$800,000 band, with only a handful of genuine superstars getting close to or above NZ$1 million from New Zealand contracts alone.
  • Entry-level or newer All Blacks often earn totals closer to NZ$250,000–NZ$400,000 once you combine provincial (NPC), Super Rugby, and All Blacks payments.

How the pay is structured

  • Players do not get “one big All Blacks salary”; they stack income from:
    • NPC (provincial) contract
    • Super Rugby contract
    • All Blacks retainer and match or camp payments
  • A typical example shared by people close to the system:
    • Around NZ$50,000 for NPC
    • Around NZ$150,000 for Super Rugby (can be lower or higher depending on status)
    • Plus weekly All Blacks payments (several thousand dollars per week in camp) and/or a central retainer.

Weekly / match-related money

  • One detailed breakdown puts All Blacks camp payments at roughly NZ$7,500–NZ$8,000 per week that a player is with the national team, regardless of whether they start, come off the bench, or sit out.
  • This can add up quickly over a long international season, but only for players who are consistently in the squad and stay fit.

Top earners vs the rest

  • Global “rich lists” in rugby show some of the absolute highest earners are now in French, English, or Japanese clubs, often making the equivalent of NZ$1.5–NZ$2.5 million per year.
  • New Zealand’s top All Blacks are usually below that level on domestic contracts, which is why overseas offers at “two or three times as much” are often mentioned when stars head to Europe or Japan.

Big picture: what NZ Rugby spends

  • Under the players’ agreement, New Zealand’s professional players (including All Blacks, Super Rugby, and NPC pros) receive around 36–37% of NZ Rugby’s total revenue, reported to be roughly NZ$80 million per year in recent seasons.
  • A significant slice of that pot goes to current All Blacks, but it is spread across the entire professional system rather than concentrated solely in the test team.

Information gathered from public data and forum discussions available on the internet and portrayed here.