Paying the Barbarians

I always thought playing for the Barbarians was more of an honour or experience thing rather than a paid gig but apparently, players actually do get paid, often in cash envelopes.

I read that it’s usually split (one envelope on arrival, one after the match) and some ex-Wallabies even got in trouble with customs for not declaring thousands of dollars they received from Barbarian appearances. One Irish fan even recalled a player laughing about the “wad of notes” he had in his back pocket after playing.

So I’m wondering: • How much do players actually get paid for a Barbarians game? • Is it similar to test match fees for their country? • Do they still pay in cash? • And is this a well-known thing among fans?

Would love to hear from anyone with first-hand stories or more insight into how this works behind the scenes!