Saracens relegated after refusing to reveal the finances
‹Shamed champions booted into second tier ‹Premiership announced historic sanction last night ‹Club aiming to bounce back in Europe today
Saracens will be relegated from the Premiership at the end of the season, after refusing to reveal their finances to the league’s investigators, it was announced last night.
The English and European champions accepted their punishment, with new chairman Neil Golding saying that the club “apologised unreservedly” for breaching salary cap rules and sparking English rugby’s greatest scandal.
Saracens, who had already been given a 35-point penalty and £5.4million fine for exceeding the cap, were told last week that they had a choice: lose the two titles they won in the past three campaigns and open their books for audit, or face further punishment. They chose the latter option, with the club to play in the Championship next season.
Exeter were beaten in the past two Premiership finals by Saracens, and their chairman Tony Rowe last night reflected the widespread anger among clubs that it has take this long to bring Saracens to book. “They had two choices: they could either open up their books so that Premiership Rugby could do a forensic audit of exactly what has gone on, or they could take relegation,” Rowe said. “So it was their choice not to open up their books.
“They have cheated. And I’m just a bit upset it has taken so long to do this. At the moment they are still picking their team each week largely from the squad they had last year, which is still in breach of the salary cap. They have been asked by the rest of the clubs to reduce [the squad] back as well.”
The knock-on effects for English rugby will be seismic. Saracens provided six members of the England team who contested the World Cup final. Few of those will fancy slumming it in English rugby’s second tier against Hartpury College and Ampthill with a Lions tour at the end of next season. Yet as Northampton director of rugby Chris Boyd said yesterday after his side’s 36-24 victory against Lyon, very few clubs have a “pot of gold” with which to sign those Saracens stars, who face individual meetings at the start of this week to confirm their futures.
“If you think clubs will suddenly find a pot of gold to take on Saracens players then I would say you are mistaken,” Boyd said. “We are like most clubs who try to manage their budget very closely and there is certainly not £500,000 sitting there waiting for somebody.” The likes of Maro Itoje, Owen Farrell (bottom) and Billy Vunipola, whose coinvestment schemes with former chairman Nigel Wray sparked Premiership Rugby’s original investigation, are left between a rock and a hard place: loyalty versus ambition.
In November, Saracens were hit with a 35-point deduction and £5.36million fine for exceeding Premiership Rugby’s £7million cap in the previous three seasons. Initially the north London club contested that punishment, insisting they were not over the cap.
Yesterday Saracens tried to issue a mea culpa. “As the new chairman of Saracens I acknowledge the club has made errors in the past and we unreservedly apologise for those mistakes,” Golding said. “I and the rest of the board are committed to overseeing stringent new governance measures to ensure regulatory compliance going forward.’’
Saracens face Racing 92 today with the opportunity to qualify for the
Champions Cup knockout stages. Even if they win the competition, they will not be eligible to defend their title as participants in the Championship. They will, however, be eligible for an immediate return to the Premiership for the 2021-22 season if they win English rugby’s second tier next season.
Premiership Rugby, meanwhile, promised to reform its salary cap regulations. “Premiership Rugby is prepared to take strong action to enforce the regulations governing fair competition between our clubs,” said Darren Childs, chief executive. “At the conclusion of dialogue with Saracens about their compliance with the salary cap regulations, it has been decided that Saracens will be relegated at the end of this season.
“At the same time as enforcing the existing regulations, we want to ensure a level playing field for all clubs in the future, which is why we have asked Lord Myners to carry out an independently-led review of the salary cap.
“The actions that we have taken – dealing with breaches of the current regulations and reviewing the system for the future – will help us to build a stronger league and uphold the confidence of supporters.”
Meanwhile, Eddie Jones will attempt to ensure there is no fallout from the salary-cap controversy by holding a clear-the-air meeting to address any issues when his England squad assemble tomorrow, The Sunday Telegraph can reveal.
England head coach Jones is due to name a 35-man Six Nations squad tomorrow amid concerns at the anger directed at Saracens from rival clubs. Jones used Corinne Reid, a sports psychologist, in the build-up to their campaign in Japan to give the players a similar platform to hold “honesty sessions” to allow them to get any issues off their chests.
Saracens prop Mako Vunipola believes the fallout will not enter the gates of England’s training base. “Eddie always makes the point that when we get to England, it is England time, but if people need to have those conversations then we will have them, even if it is one-on-one,” Vunipola said.
“Our focus should be on England and not club stuff. I hope people feel that they can approach me and if they need to have a conversation with me, then that is fine. I am not steeling myself or getting ready for a confrontation. I will be as honest as I can be. The club have dealt with it. If that is not enough for them, that is unfortunate.”