The very mixed reaction to Nigel Wray's departure bombshell
Nigel Wray has left a mixed legacy throughout the rugby world after he announced his departure as Chairman of Saracens with immediate effect.
This comes two months after Saracens were deducted 35-points in the Gallagher Premiership and fined £5.36m for breaching salary cap rules over the past three seasons.
In a statement released by the reigning Premiership champions, Wray said: “As we enter a new year, a new decade, it is time for the Club to make a fresh start. I am not getting any younger and feel this is the right moment for me to stand down as Chairman and just enjoy being a fan of this incredible rugby club. I will always be committed to the wonderful Saracens family.”
The statement also added that a new Chairman will be appointed imminently. Elsewhere, Edwards Griffiths will serve as an interim CEO for twelve months while Mitesh Velani will take up a consultancy role whilst remaining on the Saracens board.
It was also stressed by the long-time Chairman that he is not ending his association with Saracens. He said: “The Wray family will continue to provide the required financial support to the Club, and I will remain actively engaged in the work of the Saracens Sport Foundation and Saracens High School, as part of the club’s ongoing commitment to our community in north London.”
In the wake of an unprecedented few weeks in the history of professional rugby, this announcement has garnered a mixed reaction. The salary cap scandal has certainly tarnished Wray’s and Saracens’ reputation, but many seem to look beyond that and realise the impact that he has had on the game.
https://twitter.com/RugbyPass/status/1193868712429989895
Having been associated with Saracens throughout the professional era, Saracens’ success was not instantaneous, and the club’s focus on developing players has been praised. The litany of stars that have come through the Academy is one department where the London side seem to have an edge over their rivals.
However, Wray has been showered with praise for many more things, particularly for his fundamental role in the transition to professional rugby 25 years ago, as well as England’s recent success. Boasting eight players in the 2019 Rugby World Cup final matchday squad against South Africa, as well as the Springboks’ Vincent Koch, it is hard to deny that Saracens have been a driving force in England’s growth over the past ten years.
https://twitter.com/sussexfox1/status/1212671921621475329?s=20
https://twitter.com/CouvreFeuFire/status/1212668833296719872?s=20
https://twitter.com/TimHobden1/status/1212670592505266176?s=20
https://twitter.com/TSchurchy/status/1212679192451567617?s=20
https://twitter.com/kev13miller/status/1212682961864318977?s=20
I will remember him as being the Chairman who built the finest Academy in the country. One that has already produced some of the finest talents this country has seen but is still producing more and more each season….
— Richard Edwards (@Redwards36) January 2, 2020
However, the recent scandal has left a black mark against Wray which many people cannot look beyond. Although Saracens have only been punished for the past three years, they have been labelled as cheats ever since the investigation began in early 2019, and their success throughout this past decade has been marred by the findings.
Chairmen, players and fans have chastised Saracens over the past weeks, with some even calling for them to be stripped of their five Premiership titles. While Wray leaves a legacy to some as being a pivotal architect of the Premiership’s success, some feel this was done dishonestly.
https://twitter.com/s_hayes93/status/1212673398075281408?s=20
https://twitter.com/Velo_Vicar/status/1212675582984695808?s=20
https://twitter.com/AnnaSels/status/1212679473025429506?s=20
https://twitter.com/Liqueurs13/status/1212684034817560577?s=20
https://twitter.com/conorgmcnamara/status/1212686649781575680?s=20
https://twitter.com/JHC17626935/status/1212686216220598273?s=20
https://twitter.com/Geraint_Bull/status/1212688591626878976?s=20
Regardless of the differing views after this announcement, the consensus is that Wray’s resignation as Chairman was inevitable given the ordeal over the past months. Many clubs have voiced their indignation in light of this, with Exeter Chiefs being one of the most vocal, and they were able to enact revenge in some way last weekend by beating Saracens at Sandy Park.
This leaves Mark McCall’s side sitting at the bottom of the Premiership table, 18 points behind eleventh place Leicester Tigers, and fighting for their survival in England’s top flight.
Comments on RugbyPass
This article is missing some detail, like some actual context or info about what led to him abusing the ref.
1 Go to comments*They used to say that football is a gentleman sport watched by hooligans and rugby is a hooligan sport watched by gentlemen. How times have changed.*
3 Go to commentsexcept ot wasnt late wasnt late at all so dont know why you all saying its late he commits early and its your fault fir not paying attention
29 Go to commentsNot sure the Bulls need another average utility back in their ranks. Chamberlain has been ok for the Sharks but is by no means an X-Factor player. Bulls bought several utility backs which they barely use. A typical example would be Henry Immelman who plays mostly Fullback. The Bulls however have rarely played him this year and he has played wing or centre. Bulls want to build depth but seems like they have too many surplus players
1 Go to commentsABs lost against a side playing without a hooker - The guy playing, had one shoulder. Line outs were a gimme for the ABs, and the last 8 minutes 14 played 14 against a team that had been smashed 3 weeks in a row… Yet with all that possession, with all that territory, with all the advantages they actually had, especially in the last 8 minutes, they couldn’t buy a point. Those last 8 minutes determined if they outplayed the Boks or not. History will show that the Boks completely outplayed the ABs, especially in those last 8 minutes, the business end of any rugby match
226 Go to commentsWould’ve, could’ve, should’ve, didn’t.
226 Go to commentsKok will become a fan favourite
1 Go to commentsI am really looking forward to Leigh Halfpenny playing his first Super rugby game for the Crusaders Playing a long side his former Welsh and Scarlets team mate Johnny McNicoll.Johnny has been playing great, back in a Crusaders jersey.The attack has strengthened big time. Also looking forward to David Havili at 10. David is a class act, it also allows Dallas McLeod to remain at 12. A good thing.
1 Go to commentsIf he had stopped insisting on playing in the backrow, instead of wing, where everyone told him he should, he would have been a Bok years ago….
11 Go to comments‘Salads don’t win scrums’ 😂 I love that.
19 Go to commentsCan’t wait for the article that talks about misogyny in Ireland. Somehow.
18 Go to commentsI would like to see a rule change, when the attacking team is held up over the try line, by allowing the defensive team to restart a goal line drop out releases the pressure for the defensive team, but what if the attacking team had to restart a tap 5m out from the defensive team it gives the attacking team to apply more pressure, there are endless options for the attacking side and it will keep the fans in suspence.
2 Go to commentsLess modern South African males predictably triggered.
18 Go to commentsMy heart is with Quins, but the head is convinced Toulouse have too much. Ntamack is back, his timing and wisdom has been missed.
1 Go to commentsWow, what a starting line up for the Sharks) Tasty up front,kremer vs Tshituka or venter …fiery ,,Lavannini ,,will he knobble etzebeth? Biggest game for belleau?
1 Go to commentsIt was rubbish to watch, Blues weren’t even present. Did what they had to do, nothing more. Should be better next week against canes.
1 Go to commentsI’ve just noticed that this match has an all-French refereeing team. Surely a game like this ought to have a neutral ref? Although looking at the BBC preview of the Saints game, Raynal is also down as reffing that - so there may be some confusion about who is reffing what.
1 Go to commentsIf Havili can play anywhere in the back line, why not first 5. #10.
11 Go to commentsThe dressing room had already left for their summer break before they ran out in Dublin that year, and that’s on the coach. Franco Smith has undoubtedly made progress, particularly their maul, developing squad players and increasing squad depth. And against a very tight budget too. That said they were too lightweight last year and got found out against both Toulon and Munster in consecutive games. Better this season so far but they’ve developed something of a slow start habit occasionally, most notably losing at home to Northampton who played them at their own game. Play offs will ultimately show whether there has been tangible progress on last year, or not…!
2 Go to commentsAustralian Rugby has been a disaster, by not incorporating learning from previous successful campaigns. QLD Reds 2011 - Waratahs 2014. Players, coaches and administrators appoint there representatives for scheduled meetings, organisation’s agreement’s assessments and correspondence. This why a unified Rugby Union under one entity works. Every Rugby nation has taken that path. Was most difficult in the Northern hemisphere with over 100 years of club rugby before the game become professional. Took a lot of humility for those unions to eventually work together.
7 Go to comments