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Nick Easter's radical salary suggestion for Saracens in the Championship
Former England and Harlequins No8 Nick Easter has outlined how Saracens’ automatic relegation to the Championship could actually benefit them.
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The reigning European and English champions agreed with Premiership Rugby to take relegation last weekend rather than consent to a full investigatory audit, having already been fined £5.36million in November and deducted 35 Premiership points.
However, Easter – whose former club Harlequins provided a dossier to PRL regarding their investigation into Saracens’ breaching of the cap – has explained on Twitter how relegation could be the best for the dethroned champions in the long run. These were his three points:
1 – Rest current stars prolonging careers;
2 – Blood youngsters for rest of Prem season and some of Champ season developing depth;
3 – With no cap in Champ pay stars (for example) three seasons salary, then return to Prem and pay them half or less of their worth leaving room in the cap for more international signings!
Saracens’ Relegation could massively work in their favour:
1) Rest current stars prolonging careers
2) Blood youngsters for rest of prem season and some of champ season developing depth
3) with no cap in champ pay stars (for example) 3 seasons salary then return to prem and pay— Nick Easter (@nick_easter) January 23, 2020
them half or less of their worth leaving room in the cap for more international signings!
— Nick Easter (@nick_easter) January 23, 2020
With many of the high-profile Saracens players expected to stay with the club next season and just play potential exhibition matches, this will not only benefit them for the season after, but it could help England and certainly the British and Irish Lions.
With the Gallagher Premiership final next season set to take place only seven days before the Lions’ first match, Warren Gatland has implored to no avail that this showpiece fixture is moved forward.
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Here's one reason why Saracens' squad depth allowed them to steal a match on their rivals https://t.co/Ri8h7M7N6Q
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) January 21, 2020
There is likely to be a large Saracens contingent in that Lions squad should they stay at the club, meaning they will be fresh at the end of next season. However, the players may only have the autumn and Six Nations windows to impress Gatland, which may work against them.
With the raft of young players that Saracens have at their disposal currently, the Championship will certainly prove to be a perfect opportunity to give them exposure and playing time in preparation for the season after.
It's an exhaustive read… here are some of the takeaways https://t.co/fHkuYZTI4A
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) January 24, 2020
This can happen while effectively giving the mainline players a sabbatical, which is a popular option for many players in the southern hemisphere.
However, despite what Easter has suggested, this would not be an opportunity for Saracens to skirt around the salary cap again, as any promoted club in the Championship will not only need to prove that they were under the Premiership salary cap while in the tier below but declare they will be for the season after they have been promoted.
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Nonetheless, there clearly are some positives to take out of this situation Saracens find themselves in – and it could certainly be pleasing for Eddie Jones and Gatland.
WATCH: Eddie Jones insists the Saracens scandal could be beneficial to England
Comments on RugbyPass
“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets 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?
11 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.
11 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 comments