A Scotsman heads up the list of the top-eight biggest earners in the 37-man British & Irish Lions squad.

According to a Ruck.co.uk compilation of the best-earning Lions players, Scotland’s Finn Russell tops the list with a paycheck of around R17 million per annum from French club Racing 92.

Englishman Maro Itoje is the next-best earner, with an estimated R16.5m at Saracens, while compatriot and club teammate Owen Farrell completes the top five with a payday figure of roughly around R15m.

Welshman Dan Biggar is the fourth-highest Lions earner with a R12m wage at English club Northampton Saints, while Ireland’s Conor Murray (Munster) and Scotland’s Stuart Hogg (Exeter Chiefs) earn R11.2m and R11m, respectively.

Ireland and Leinster’s Tadhg Furlong is ranked seventh with an estimated R10.6m income, while Wales and Lions skipper Alun Wyn Jones rounds off the list with his R10m payday.

Highest-paid Lions

1 – Finn Russell (R17m, Racing 92)
2 – Maro Itoje (R16.5m, Saracens)
3 – Owen Farrell (R15m, Saracens)
4 – Dan Biggar (R12m, Northampton Saints)
5 – Conor Murray (R11.2m, Munster)
6 – Stuart Hogg (R11m, Exeter Chiefs)
7 – Tadhg Furlog (R10.6m, Leinster)
8– Alun Wyn Jones (R10m, Ospreys)

Photo: Getty Images