The era of Irish rugby players earning €1million a year is closer than you think

Johnny Sexton, Rob Kearney, Conor Murray, Peter O'Mahony, Robbie Henshaw. Who's your money on?

The world is just about picking its collective jaw from the floor after the news, a fortnight back, that former Sunderland striker Asamoah Gyan would be earning €300,000 a week to kick a football about for Shanghai SIPG, in China. The majority of Ireland's World Cup hopefuls would be earning a basic salary of €300,000 a week but that figure is on the rise. Ireland's first professional contracts, 19 years ago, were €31k a year [and use of a Ford Mondeo]. World rugby will have its first €1,000,000 a year player following this year's World Cup, when Dan Carter arrives at Racing Métro. Sexton, the man he is replacing, will reportedly earn €650k a year with Leinster and Ireland. SportsJOE caught up with Ireland winger Simon Zebo for the official launch of the new Munster jerseys, and asked him if he thought there would be a €1m-a-year Irish rugby player during the course of his career.

'I hope so,' he told us. 'I hope I'm one of them.' 'Zebo continued, 'The way it's gone, it is catching up with football day by day. These players earning massive contracts in France, getting €30, €40, €50k a month. That's soccer money. 10 grand a week; even though it might not be the top end. ''Yeah, it is definitely going that way. there is more and more money coming into the game. It's great. Hopefully I'll be earning €1million a year.'

The winger has only recently witnessed Paul O'Connell - a man he went from revering to calling "a mate" - call time on his Munster career in order to play out his days in the South of France, with Toulon. While O'Connell will be slapping on the high-numbered sun factor and trying to pick up the lingo, Zebo would have few problems adjusting to life in France. His father, Arthur, is from the French island of Martinique [located in the Caribbean]. Arthur brought up his children in a bi-lingual household. Zebo says, 'It would be way less of a deal [to live in France]. I have a lot of family over there. I speak French, but that is something that I would have to think about come contract time.' As for Zebo's current contract situation, he is finished his Munster deal in June 2016. 'I’ll be negotiating very soon,' he says. 'Around Christmas time or maybe after the World Cup.' 'That will come when it comes,' he adds. 'I’m 100% focused on playing and trying to perform because these Test matches coming up are going to decide whether or not you’re going on the plane. It’s going to be a big couple of weeks to think about.'

Here are the 7 most likely Irish candidates to make €1m a year>>>

[caption id="attachment_33192" align="alignnone" width="630"] Munster's 2015/16 jerseys are available to buy from July 25 in Life Style Sports Stores nationwide.[/caption]