Former All Blacks winger Charles Piutau's switch to English club side Bristol has caused a stir in the Northern Hemisphere, with his pay packed labelled as "wrecking the market."
Piutau, 26, moved from Irish side Ulster to newly promoted Bristol - backed by billionaire Steve Lansdowne - with the former Blues man pocketing just shy of $2 million a year with the English club.
English regulations allow for teams to sign two marquee players, exempt from the $14.55m salary cap, of which Piutau is one.
However, Piutau's signing has not been welcomed by other clubs, with Sale Sharks boss Steve Diamond arguing that such high wages cannot be good for the English game.
Speaking to the Sun, Diamond raised his objection with Bristol's large spending power, with few other clubs able to match them in the player market.
"If I am honest, and I don't mind saying it, I think they are wrecking it," Diamond said.
"Piutau must be the highest-paid player by a country mile. A good player that he is, I think they have paid him half a million quid too much.
"They are probably still in the salary cap, but it is madness. Madness. All the clubs are losing millions and it is a false number in the Premiership."
Piutau will be earning an estimated $39,000 per week while with Bristol.
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