Australian rugby is set to crown a new top earner following reports Toulouse lock Rory Arnold will move to Japan later this year on a multi-year contract worth £2.4million.
The deal would see Arnold earn in excess of £750,000 per year and is enough to put him ahead of Wallabies captain and Waratahs stalwart Michael Hooper, who currently earns more than any other Australian player.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported Rugby Australia "did not want to insult" their 6'10" lock by submitting their own counter-offer, which would have been worth less than half his potential earnings in Japan.
The situation has again highlighted the conundrum Australian rugby faces in attempting to keep its top players on home shores given the more lucrative wages on offer overseas.
It's understood those in power at Rugby Australia are considering further revisions to Giteau's Law, which could allow for greater flexibility selecting overseas-based players for international duty.
As things stand, a player can only be called up by the Wallabies if they play club rugby with an Australian franchise, or if they meet a certain set of criteria while playing abroad.
Arnold's 29 Test appearances to date leave him way short of the 60-cap threshold players need to play, and it's believed lowering this quota is a major possibility if the selection policy is altered.
Head coach Dave Rennie is permitted a handful of overseas exceptions, which is hoe the likes of Arnold, Samu Kerevi, Will Skelton and Sean McMahon were recalled last year despite failing to meet Giteau Law criteria.
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Arnold, 31, left the Brumbies in 2019 after agreeing to join French Top 14 outfit Toulouse, which meant he endured a wait of more than two years between international appearances.
Rennie may well be eager to see Arnold feature for his side at next year's Rugby World Cup in France, but a limitation on overseas-based players in his squad complicates matters.
Many would like to see Giteau's Law abolished so the Wallabies were free to pick any player regardless of his club employment, while others have defended the policy as crucial to the development of Australian rugby.
Teams in the northern hemisphere have started to flex their financial muscle in recent years, and clubs in Japan's Rugby League One are now a very attractive destination for those seeking a bump in earnings.
Arnold may not hold Australia's top-earner title for long, either, amid rumours Taniela Tupou is increasingly likely to leave the Queensland Reds in preference for a money-spinning move after the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
'The Tongan Thor' is highly coveted in Australia and is considered a potential face for their 2027 Rugby World Cup bid, but the Herald reported the sums on offer in Europe could see him eclipse Arnold's AU$1.5m salary.
The fleet-footed prop was recently quizzed on whether he'd consider leaving Australia and quoted a famous Jerry Maguire line in his response: “Depends. Show me the money.
"I’m joking. I’m not joking, though. Come on [Wallabies head coach Dave] Rennie."
