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Who are the likely salary cap casualties if Saracens are forced to trim the fat?
Fresh off the back of England’s disappointment in the World Cup final in Yokohama last Saturday, the side’s Saracens contingent have been dealt the further blow of a £5.3m fine and 35-point Premiership deduction for salary cap infractions.
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The investigation, which had been going on for the last seven months, found that Saracens failed to disclose payments to players in the 2016/17, 2017/18 and 2018/19 seasons and that the club had exceeded the ceiling for payments to senior players during each of those three seasons.
The club has been docked 35 points, which will see them sitting bottom of the table if the punishment isn’t successfully appealed.
In addition to the points deduction – which puts the club, at worst, at risk of relegation, or into Challenge Cup for the 2020/21 season at best – the financial repercussions will have a considerable influence on player recruitment and retention this season.
To use some American sports parlance, Saracens are potentially going to have to make some cap casualties in order to stay compliant in the future.
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The investigation only found infractions during the past three seasons, but the club were still able to strengthen their squad this past summer with the additions of players such as Elliot Daly, Jack Singleton and Rhys Carre. It is reasonable to conclude, barring some significant retirements and/or restructured contracts, that the squad remains very close to the cap.
RugbyPass takes a look below at some of the players who may have to exit Allianz Park at the end of this season as the Gallagher Premiership club looks to balance the books and conform to the league’s salary cap requirements.
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Joel Kpoku
The towering lock is one of the best academy prospects to come out of Saracens over the last ten years and he has already been heavily linked with a move to Northampton Saints next season. Not one of Saracens’ current high earners, Kpoku won’t provide much salary cap relief for the reigning Premiership champions, but his loss would be sorely felt moving forward.
Saracens have, on paper, the calibre of player to play their way out of relegation trouble but their availability will be limited https://t.co/nYtLnd5CvN
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 5, 2019
Liam Williams
He is in the final year of his two-year contract with Saracens and not only is there interest in Wales for the talented full-back, Toulon are also believed to be chasing his signature. Having brought in Daly and boasting some more affordable young players in the back three such as Matt Gallagher and Rotimi Segun, Williams’ excellent spell with Saracens could come to a shorter-than-expected end.
Brad Barritt
One of the club’s most talismanic players, Barritt is also in the last year of his deal. RugbyPass understands that Saracens have extended a new contract offer to the centre, although it is on significantly reduced terms than his current deal. Whether that is as a result of the salary cap investigation or a decision made based upon the player’s age is unknown.
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Alex Goode
Another of the club’s academy products, Goode has been the heartbeat of Saracens over the past decade. Like Williams, he’s in a contract year and the club have some talented players in the back three. If there is a position on the pitch where the club may feel more comfortable making cuts, it could be among the outside backs and full-backs, although it is unlikely they will say goodbye to Goode.
Michael Rhodes
He struggled with injuries last season after he got himself to within touching distance of the England team earlier in his contract. With the likes of Nick Isiekwe and Ben Earl locked up and academy duo Andy Christie and Sean Reffell progressing nicely, Rhodes is potentially a player who could find himself a more lucrative deal elsewhere.
Saracens' owner Nigel Wray has responded to Tuesday's Premiership Rugby Limited salary cap sanctionshttps://t.co/cvTvkGkZb3
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 5, 2019
Sean Maitland
RugbyPass understand that Maitland has been offered a contract extension and Saracens seem keen to lock down the former British and Irish Lions winger. With some flexibility in their back three and a number of options at full-back, ensuring they keep Maitland looks like one of the club’s more pressing priorities.
Max Malins
It is safe to assume Saracens will try and find the cap flexibility to extend Malins’ deal, given the impact he has been able to have in his opportunities so far. Again, his versatility could be useful for Saracens, especially if their squad size diminishes at all going into the 2020/21 season. That said, he will be coveted by other clubs in the Premiership.
Saracens have dramatically fallen to the bottom of the Gallagher Premiership rugby table, but they have vowed to fight their corner and appeal the PRL's salary cap sanctions https://t.co/7fSrNbF2Qy
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 5, 2019
Tom Woolstencroft
The former age-grade hooker has boosted his profile considerably since making the move to Saracens and with Jamie George regularly away with England, something which could also affect new signing Jack Singleton, keeping hold of Woolstencroft would be a wise move.
He won’t provide the savings that other players’ potential departures could, so he is a reasonable candidate to stay unless another club believes he can be a starting hooker for them and offers him a contract representative of that.
WATCH: Eddie Jones is the popular option to stay in charge of England until 2023
Comments on RugbyPass
A wallaby front-row of Bell, Blake and Tupou…now that would be hefty
1 Go to comments“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.
10 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.
24 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.
10 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.
17 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 comments