Andy Goode: My take on Nigel Wray's legacy
There’s no doubt Nigel Wray’s legacy has been tarnished by the salary cap scandal but we should remember all the good he’s done for rugby, not just Saracens.
It’s human nature that people remember what’s happened most recently more than everything that came before it and there is still a lot of ill-feeling surrounding Saracens’ salary cap breaches but Wray has done so much for the sport.
He’s a great bloke and the charity work he does, including for the Matt Hampson Foundation, often goes under the radar but shouldn’t be underestimated either.
He first invested in Saracens in 1995 and the change in the club over the last 25 years has been remarkable. Five Premiership titles and three European Cups in the last decade show what a force he has helped them become but it wasn’t always so.
They were playing at Southbury Road in Enfield all those years ago and, despite their somewhat insalubrious surroundings, he attracted the likes of Michael Lynagh, Philippe Sella and even South Africa’s World Cup-winning captain Francois Pienaar to the club.
Clearly, money talks but he built the club from the ground up to where it is now. Allianz Park and the work done in the community around Hendon, including the Saracens High School now, is all a reflection on him.
And, the fact that nine of this current Saracens squad played a part in England reaching a World Cup final in 2019 won’t be forgotten either. It’s true that some of those have been bought in but the likes of Jamie George, Maro Itoje, George Kruis and Owen Farrell have all come through the academy and that forms a huge part of his legacy.
I’ve been on the receiving end of his generosity as well. When I joined Saracens he let me stay at his house for a couple of weeks while I was getting my own house sorted and it was his actual family home I was staying in.
I wasn’t part of the family and obviously it was a large house so I wasn’t under his feet but he didn’t have to do that.
I played under a lot of different owners over the course of my career and I can honestly say I got on with all of them but what sets Nigel apart is his longevity. To pump the amount of money in that he has over a quarter of a century and have the impact that he has had is phenomenal.
He may have a net worth in excess of £300 million but the fine for the salary cap breaches was £5.36 million and the legal bills and additional expenses on top of that mean the overall cost to him has been far greater than that.
Everyone has a limit and I think the saga has clearly taken an emotional toll on him as well. Owners of other clubs have said certain things and he might not want to have to go to board meetings and work with them any more.
I don’t think Nigel would be stepping down as chairman right now if it wasn’t for the salary cap scandal but he is 71-years-old and you can certainly make the case for him needing to enjoy retirement and the club needing a fresh start.
You can’t just forget the salary cap scandal because he’s stepping down and seeking a “fresh start” for the club. Whether it was intentional or not and whatever the specifics, it has had an effect on people at other clubs as they’ve tried to compete with Saracens.
Plus, there has been a seismic shift in tone from his initial video response in the aftermath of the allegations coming out to what is being said now, which will leave a sour taste in the mouth for many people.
Ed Griffiths coming back as interim chief executive as part of this move is surprising to me as well. Perhaps someone who knows the ins and outs of the club is needed in the short term but he left under something of a cloud after they were first rumoured to have breached the salary cap.
I know a lot of agents don’t like working with him from his first spell at the club because rumour has it he wanted players to do individual deals directly with the club. It’ll be interesting to see how he gets on and what the future holds for Saracens.
Nigel Wray’s parting statement indicated that “the Wray family will continue to provide the required financial support to the club”. Only time will tell what that means in terms of the amounts of money being invested.
That is for the future but for now we should pay tribute to a man who has played as big a part in English club rugby’s move into the professional era as anyone and who has built Saracens into the most successful club in Europe in recent years.
Everyone who has been in contact with him through Saracens or more widely will have fond memories of him and things to thank him for as a man.
It’s important to take a balanced view and the salary cap scandal has tarnished his legacy but he’s done far more good than bad for the game and will be remembered as a hugely generous man who has played a pivotal role in the sport for a quarter of a century.
Comments on RugbyPass
It couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
25 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
13 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
25 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
13 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
80 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
13 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
13 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
13 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
13 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
13 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
44 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to comments