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Mark McCall has finally broken his silence over Saracens' salary cap breaches
Mark McCall has finally broken his silence four days after Saracens were found guilty by Premiership Rugby of breaking the salary cap.
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The Londoners were fined in excess of £5.3million and deducted 35 league points, a punishment they are appealing.
The salary cap revelations resulted in director of rugby McCall, along with skipper Brad Barritt, missing Wednesday’s Champions Cup launch in Cardiff, an absence their club is likely to be fined over.
However, McCall finally fronted up on Saturday prior to Saracens taking on Gloucester in the Premiership at Kingsholm. Here is what he has to say in a six-question, two-minute interview with BT Sport.
BT Sport: With Saracens found to be in breach of the salary cap, how much of this does and should fall at your door”
MARK McCALL: It has been a really challenging week. I am thrilled with how the players and staff have rallied during the week and got on with the task in hand which is all we can do. This group, in particular, have shown a lot of grit and toughness over the last few weeks and we are going to have to show that today against a full-strength Gloucester side.
(Continue reading below…)
BT: Within the rugby world people are questioning how this has happened. You as the director of rugby, you put in your request for the players that you need for your campaign, those players arrive. At any time have you questioned how that has happened and whether Saracens have been breaching the salary cap?
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MM: I understand why you are asking me that question. But hopefully, you understand that the club are appealing the decision and in those circumstances, it’s probably not right to add to what had already been released by the club by way of statements.
'It’s almost like with Leicester, you play them after two losses you know you are going to get a side that is going to be bang on it, and it is the same thing with Saracens'
– Johan Ackermann tells @heagneyl what Gloucester expect to face on Saturday https://t.co/QvnxlLESHl— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 8, 2019
BT: With this review pending, although nothing officially has been launched, Saracens are still subject to the 35-point deduction. Does that change your approach for the Premiership campaign and how you manage your squad through this season?
MM: In all likelihood, yes, those decisions are ones that we are considering at the moment. All of this has happened a little bit unexpectedly at the start off the week and we have got some big decisions to make in that regard.
BT: When the news broke to the players, how did they respond, how did they react?
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MM: They were shocked if I am absolutely honest. But like I said at the start of the interview, they have been magnificent in terms of how they have rallied together and got on with the job at hand. I guess my job at the moment is to get on with the rugby and try to get the best out of this group, and that is what we are going to try and do.
How did it happen?
How does this impact the squad?
How did the players respond?Saracens' Director of Rugby Mark McCall addresses the salary cap breach for the first time. pic.twitter.com/CN2wTZDfLD
— Rugby on BT Sport (@btsportrugby) November 9, 2019
BT: At any point have there been discussions about the possible need to trim the size of the squad?
MM: No, there hasn’t been.
BT: What is the emotional message you are giving to the players today?
MM: As you know from down the years we have got a really tight group here and we were really encouraged that all our World Cup players were in twice last week. It was certainly an internal show of unity and today is just about the players fighting for each other and supporting each other and that is all.
WATCH: Former Saracens player Jim Hamilton discusses the salary cap scandal surrounding his former club
Comments on RugbyPass
Lets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
10 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
10 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
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