Saracens face 35 point deduction and fined £5m for breaching salary cap rules

Saracens have confirmed they are to appeal against the sanctions, which they have described as "heavy-handed"​

Saracens face a maximum 35 point deduction and fine of more than £5.3million for breaching the Premiership’s salary cap regulations.

The reigning champions - who have won the league four times in the last five years - have been the subject of a seven-month investigation after it was revealed that a number of senior players, including England captain Owen Farrell, Maro Itoje and the ­Vunipola brothers - Mako and Billy -had co-invested with the club chairman and owner, Nigel Wray.

The Premiership have a £7m salary cap, with two ‘marquee’ players allowed outside of it. The investigation was conducted by Andrew Rodgers, Premiership Rugby’s salary cap manager, and adjudicated on by the Independent Sports Resolutions.

Saracens have been handed down the maximum points punishment, which is for a breach of more than £600,000.

Wray, who is worth more than £300m and has been involved at Saracens since 1995, has said the club have done nothing wrong and in a statement this morning said the news was “devastating”.

“It has been acknowledged by the panel that we never deliberately sought to mislead anyone or breach the cap and that’s why it feels like the rug is being completely pulled out from under our feet,” he added.

The club have come out with a strong response to the sanctions and confirmed they would be appealing the decision.

“Saracens rugby club is shocked and disappointed by these heavy-handed sanctions and will launch an appeal against all the disciplinary panel’s findings,” a statement read.

“The club is pleased the panel acknowledged it did not deliberately attempt to breach the salary cap and steadfastly maintains that player co-investments do not constitute salary under the regulations. This view is supported by independent legal and professional experts.

“The club will continue to vigorously defend this position especially as a PRL precedent already exists whereby co-investments have not been deemed part of salary in the regulations.”

LIVE! Saracens hit with 35 point deduction and £5m fine Photo: Paul Harding/PA Wire
Paul Harding/PA Wire

Saracens admitted they made administrative errors relating to the non-disclosure of some transactions to Premiership Rugby, but confirmed this morning they now have “a robust governance framework in place and this will be overseen by an external counsel to ensure the club follows best practice”.

"It has been acknowledged by the Panel that we never deliberately sought to mislead anyone or breach the cap and that’s why it feels like the rug is being completely pulled out from under our feet."

Saracens chairman Nigel Wray

They added, too, that the panel’s interpretation of the regulations was “detrimental to player welfare across the league” and also “damaging the development of elite level rugby in the UK”.

Saracens were responsible for providing the core of England’s squad at this year’s World Cup and, following Ben Spencer’s late call-up for Saturday’s final against South Africa, they had nine players in Eddie Jones’s 31-man group.

However, they have now been rocked by the sanctions imposed today, with Premiership Rugby confirming in a statement: “The decision of the Independent Panel is that Saracens rugby club failed to disclose payments to players in each of the seasons 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19.

“In addition, the club is found to have exceeded the ceiling for payments to senior players in each of the three seasons. The panel therefore upheld all of the charges.”

Photo: Getty Images
Getty Images

Last year, Saracens finished on 78 points in the regular season, booking a home semi-final and then beating table-toppers Exeter Chiefs in a thrilling Twickenham final.

Had they been docked 35 points that season, they would have finished between 10th-placed Worcester Warriors and 11th-placed Leicester Tigers in the 12-team league.

The punishment means Saracens face the very real possibility of relegation. They have won two of their first three matches, so head into their fourth match on -26 points, but will be without their many World Cup stars for some weeks as they rest up. Saracens have again reinforced their squad this season with the arrivals of Elliot Daly from Wasps and Jack Singleton, who had been in the club’s academy, from Worcester Warriors. They were two of nine players in England’s World Cup squad, who were informed of the news this morning. The sanction has no bearing on any other domestic or European competition.

POS TEAM P W D L PD B Pts
1. Northampton 3 3 0 0 39 2 14
2. Bristol 3 2 0 1 28 2 10
3. Gloucester 3 2 0 1 15 2 10
4. Exeter  3 2 0 1 4 1 9
5. Sale 3 1 0 2 26 3 7
6. Wasps 3 1 0 2 -11 1 5
7. Worcester 3 1 0 2 -15 1 5
8. Harlequins 3 1 0 2 -16 1 5
9. London Irish 3 1 0 2 -34 1 5
10. Leicester 3 1 0 2 -19 0 4
11. Bath 3 1 0 2 -32 0 4
12. Saracens 3 2 0 1 15 1 -26

*How the table would look with the 35-point deduction

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