Highlanders fullback and All Blacks vice‑captain Ben Smith has some serious decisions to ponder over the new year, with revelations the 30‑year‑old is being offered similar money to the NZ$2.4 million per season Dan Carter.
Carter is also the world's highest paid player.
New Zealand Rugby this week trumpeted a $70 million boost in funding for the players in the new collective agreement over the next three years, rising from $121m to 191m.
Almost $25 million of that has been set aside specifically to top up the country's best 40 odd players – another increase of nearly $9m on the last deal.
Source: stuff.co
