Saracens facing potential 35 point reduction and a real threat of relegation
Saracens are facing the very real possibility of a mandatory 35-point deduction this season as Premiership Rugby look to throw the book at the reigning champions over breaches of salary cap regulations.
An imminent punishment will be the result of a seven-month investigation into the club following revelations around alleged gratuities given to the top players via ‘co-investment’ opportunities with Saracens’ chairman Nigel Wray.
As the panel’s decision comes following round 22 of the 2018/19 season, the points penalty would take place this season. If a 35-point deduction had been taken off last season’s tally, Saracens would have dropped from their regular season second place position of 78 points down to a lowly 43 points, which would have seen them finish in tenth place, just two points ahead of Leicester Tigers in 11th.
A 35 point reduction would likely leave Saracens effectively needing a campaign in which they finish in the top four. Having lost the services of both Alex Goode and Liam Williams through injury, the season hasn’t gotten off the most auspicious of starts for the North Londoners.
RugbyPass understands that the 12 other Premiership Rugby Limited clubs (including Championship outfit Newcastle Falcons) are keen to stick the boot into Saracens as they feel the integrity of the competition is at stake. Saracens are furious at the impending punishment, as they maintain that they’ve not breached salary cap rules.
Within the salary cap regulations framework, there is an option of reducing up to 35 of the club’s total points at the end of the season. However, the regulations state that this framework is merely a ‘starting point’. According to their official document on the matter: “The disciplinary panel shall have the discretion to increase or decrease (to zero if appropriate).”
If it is found that the club have overspent by more than £650,000, they face – at the very least – the maximum reduction 35 points reduction. Points deduction (greater that 35pts) to the point of relegation is the most severe reprimand open to the governing body – although it is unlikely in this case.
On top of the points deduction, Saracens’ senior salary cap is also set to be punitively reduced, which will inevitably hamper the club’s efforts to hold onto and to lure new talent to Allianz Park. They also face a lump-sum fine.
The body launched an official investigation into Saracens in March, but Sportsmail reported in September that the Premiership’s salary cap manager, Andrew Rogers, had passed on the case to an independent body. That independent body is set to reveal the extent of the punishment this month.
The trouble kicked off for Saracens earlier this year following revelations in the Mail around ‘co-investments’ between the club’s top players and millionaire chairman Wray.
Wray was listed with Companies House as a director alongside players such as Owen Farrell, Richard Wigglesworth and the Vunipola brothers in companies Faz Investments Ltd, Wiggy9 Investments Limited and VunProp Ltd.
The Premiership salary cap is currently set at £7million, although that can be overspent legally through the contracting of two marquee players, the creation of credits from senior England internationals and through medical joker signings.
In April, the Premiership effectively alleged that Saracens had been less than forthcoming with information around their arrangement with players.
“Saracens had not at the time of recent media speculation shared with the Premiership Rugby salary cap manager details of all the co-investment arrangements between connected parties and players,” the Premiership said in a statement.
In response, Saracens issued the following statement defending the co-investments and saying an oversight had led to not all of the investments being shared with Premiership Rugby.
“Unprompted, we invited Premiership Rugby’s salary cap manager into the club to openly discuss matters related to player salaries.
“Whilst co-investments are not part of the salary regulations, we disclosed these transactions in good faith and indeed divulged more information than was necessary. Separately, following a minor internal oversight, Premiership Rugby was provided with details relating to some of these agreements.
“We remain confident that we comply with the salary regulations and will continue to support the entrepreneurial spirit and future of our players.”
A spokesperson for Saracens said they would not be making any statements ahead of the determination.
RugbyPass requested a comment from Premiership Rugby but none was forthcoming before this article was published.
Saracens’ finance chief Bernard van Zyl resigned last month from the club, the second key figure to exit if you include the departure of Saracens’ director property tycoon Nicholas Leslau. There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing on their parts.
Comments on RugbyPass
Wasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
3 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
3 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
3 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
30 Go to comments