R21.75m a season for Dan Carter!

Cape Town - Former All Black flyhalf Dan Carter is reportedly the highest paid player in the French Top 14.

According to French rugby publication, Midi Olympique, Carter - who plays for Parisian club Racing 92 - earns €1.5m (R21.75m) a season.

Foreigners dominate the list of top earners in France, as behind Carter come a trio from Toulon - Australian Matt Giteau (€700 000, R10.1m), South African Duane Vermeulen (€600 000, R8.7m) and Welshman Leigh Halfpenny (€600 000, R8.7m) - who are also laughing all the way to the bank.

At around the €500 000 (R7.2m) mark are South Africa’s Bismarck du Plessis (Montpellier), New Zealanders Colin Slade (Pau) and Ma'a Nonu (Toulon), as well as an Italian Sergio Parisse (Stade Francais) and Samoa's Census Johnston (Toulouse).

According to the Rugby Rama website, South Africans Bryan Habana (Toulon) and Gio Aplon (Grenoble) earn in the region of €300 000 (R4.3m).

Among the local players, Clermont prop Rabah Slimani is the highest earner, with €600 000.