How having a star-studded squad will hinder - not help - Saracens' bid to avoid relegation
Saracens’ bid to avoid relegation after a 35-point reduction and £5.3million fine for salary cap breaches will be severely affected by the star-studded squad the Heineken Cup and Premiership double champions have assembled – and the far-reaching implications of the sanctions will cascade into next season.
RugbyPass understands the club is already examining the implications of the independent panel’s ruling which Saracens will appeal against, identifying which players may have to be let go. Wales winger Liam Williams is one name in the discussion.
The club is also discussing the possible need for salary cuts to deal with the implications of Tuesday’s PRL ruling and any battle to avoid relegation is certain to be shaped by the number of international players who will be involved in the 2020 Six Nations championship.
Saracens, who would be 30 points behind 11th place Bath on -26 points is they were to be unsuccessful in their appeal, will be unable to call upon their significant England squad presence, which includes Owen Farrell, Maro Itoje and Billy and Mako Vunipola, for up to six rounds of Gallagher Premiership matches taking place either before or during the Six Nations.
Their England contingent also includes Elliot Daly, who arrived from Wasps in the summer, and it was his signing that many believe was the final straw for rival clubs.
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This season’s elongated campaign caused by the impact of the World Cup in Japan looks certain to have a messy climax with any appeal by Saracens certain to take a considerable time to unfold. That could leave the question of who goes down hanging in the legal balance.
With so many of their England stars tied up with Six Nations matches and also affected by the agreed rest periods for internationals, Saracens’ battle to stay in the top flight will come down to their wider squad, many of them home-grown players who have come through the academy.
Saracens' owner Nigel Wray has responded to Tuesday's Premiership Rugby Limited salary cap sanctionshttps://t.co/cvTvkGkZb3
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 5, 2019
Owner Nigel Wray, who is currently flying back to Britain, has made it clear he wants to appeal the independent panel’s ruling but he cannot affect the impact of those six rounds of Premiership matches will have on the club’s fortunes with a 35-point reduction ready to be implemented by league officials.
Wray has wanted the whole concept of the salary cap examined, but RugbyPass has been assured that the other Premiership clubs are more adamant than ever that a cap is vital for the future health of a league whose members struggle to make a profit.
Supporters of Wray are asking if the cap has been “evenly and accurately” administered across all of the clubs, but insiders insist there isn’t an appetite for a witch-hunt of other Premiership outfits whom many believe have also pushed the envelope when it comes to the salary cap.
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Comments on RugbyPass
Hopefully this will mean a new Auckland league team to support in the west. Big Warriors fan but it’s very, very stale on that front and I’d like the option of another team if it was to watch league again. League needs to step up BIG time if its to get anywhere, another AK team and something from the capitol or south is a must for the game.
3 Go to commentsGood, deep interview, nice job Frankie!
1 Go to commentsNRL players don’t have anywhere near the number of Tests. Some people would be happy having Rest Homes full if 40 yo ex-players walking, or hobbling more like it, into walls. It’s just a game!
4 Go to commentsNOW Razor is worried about ABs getting injured or overplayed! Didn’t bother him last year. He happily played his AB Crusaders.
4 Go to commentsWhat is the World Rugby U20 players born year.
2 Go to commentsMuch like the Chiefs finally gave up waiting for Atu Moli to ever not be injured, you have to wonder if the Chiefs and Crusaders will let Josh Lord and Ethan Blackadder go next season. They’re being well paid to sit in the injury ward every year. Better off putting those funds towards someone who might actually play.
7 Go to commentsShowed better basic skills than some nz Super sides, who probably would have botched some of those backline moves. This tournament really is too short though. Needs more teams, or have them play two rounds to properly prepare them for the near full-time NH U20 sides.
4 Go to commentsGood grief it’s only six months. Probably just upset it’s not an established kiwi entering their prime they can “project” into green to join the rest.
1 Go to commentsGood player but far from being best in the world. That's an exaggeration. Perhaps Best in world by Northern Hemisphere standards and biasis but certainly not Southern Hemi standards
3 Go to commentsWell one thing about World Cup knock out rounds and Ireland is very clear: they won’t be getting ahead of themselves in ‘27! Because making it beyond the QF is well and truly ‘IN THEIR HEADS’ now…😉
75 Go to commentsHas this guy been dope tested? Sounds like a case of “roid rage”.
1 Go to commentsI would like to see him say that to Eben face to face in a dark alley.
75 Go to commentsYep, lost in translation. There are arrogant people in Ireland, yes. As there are arrogant people in every country, but as a nation, arrogance is not a general characteristic in Ireland. There has not really had a strong representation for any global sport over the years, and hence arrogance is not endemic to Irish people in this regard. I seriously doubt that was said or meant by 12 or 13 players. If it was said, it would have been said in jest and to pay Etzebeth and the Springboks a compliment for how hard fought the game was.
75 Go to commentsOne of the few Bidwell articles I can agree with. If coaches played their players through niggles and consistently played them 80mins then you could make an argument for resting protocols - they obviously don’t and are incredibly responsible, let’s give up the resting nonsense and let the boys play.
4 Go to commentsDaniel Gallan, please for the love of all that is holy, stop writing about rugby. Or at the very least stop telling people you are South African.
21 Go to commentsThis Dr.Rassie 6-2 filth is spreading. We need to ask World Rugby to ban something
1 Go to commentsPity he couldn’t call him a liar to his face, such a brave man.
75 Go to comments“You ain’t counting to 12 or 13 straight after a game, son!” Just because you don’t doesn’t mean everyone else doesn’t “I reckon if anyone said it they would have said, ‘Hopefully, see you in the final’.” Oh, you “reckon”, do you? You weren’t there, you weren’t part of the conversation but you know what was said… Id10T
75 Go to commentsNZ has such a rich history of quality number nines, and woman beaters.
1 Go to commentsThat’s what happens when you are scared of scrums
3 Go to comments