So how do Pr012 and Top14  budgets compare?

Wales Rugby online, which is a popular rugby outline have been doing a bit of research on the funding that is available to the Welsh regions in an interesting piece, but it’s the contrast across the league and countries that got the rest of us very interested.

Much has been said about the power financially that the French and English team seem to have over the PRO12 in recent years and these latest figures prove just that.

In Ireland and Scotland, the clubs are owned by the respective Unions, the IRFU and the SRU rather than being independent entities, so it’s difficult to work out, here is what is gathered from their overall spending.

Wales

At present, Cardiff Blues, the Ospreys and the Scarlets have budgets of around £5m per year, while the Dragons spend around about the £1.5m below this at the £3.5m mark.

Ireland

Scotland

It is said SRU chief Mark Dodson has been quoted saying the playing budget of Edinburgh is £4.8m, while Glasgow Warriors operate on £5.1m a year.

When it comes to the top English clubs  you are talking about £7.5m, with two marquee players allowed on top of the £6.5m wage cap, which is going up to £7m next season. This shows the jump in spending from the Welsh and Scottish teams to the English. A slight jump!

If you thought the price for the English teams what till you see what the French teams have on budgets. Playing budgets for some of the big French teams range from between £14m – £27m. Both Toulouse and Clermont are said to have budgets in excess of £27m this season. Ridiculous right!

Statistics courtesy of Welsh Rugby Online.