Friday 13 May 2016 10:48 am

Wasps make Kurtley Beale the highest paid player in Premiership Rugby

By: Joe Hall

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Australia's Kurtley Beale will become the highest paid rugby player in England after putting pen to paper on a two-year contract with Wasps.

Wallabies star Beale will be paid £750,000 per season, making him the best-paid player in the Aviva Premiership and the third best player in the world behind international teammate Matt Giteau and former All Black Dan Carter at Racing Metro 92.

Read more: The highest paid rugby players in the world

The ambitious move comes as clubs' salary caps are increased from £5.5m to £6.5m next season and £7m in the 2017/18 season, boosting their ability to sign top players from abroad and bringing them closer to their French rivals who are currently restricted to £8.6m.

Wasps have already announced the return of former fly-half Danny Cipriani from next season, Leicester have signed the Wallabies' Matt Toomua and France back-rower Louis Picamoles will join Northampton.

Beale, capped 60 times by Australia, is one of the sport's most exciting attacking players and can play at fly-half, centre or full-back.

He has been in resurgent form for Super Rugby franchise Waratahs this season following a difficult few years in which he attended rehab for alcohol-related issues and was fined for sending an abusive photo to Australia team official Di Patston.

At £750,000-a-year, Beale's contract with Wasps would be well ahead of the £400,000 afforded to Manu Tuilagi at Leicester — currently the biggest contract in the Premiership.

Two-time World Cup winner and three-time world player of the year Dan Carter is the highest paid player in the game with an annual salary of £1.4m at Racing Metro.

How Kurtley Beale's Wasps contract compares…