Wray ducks out as Sarries face ‘noisy’ Gloucester crowd
SARACENS can expect a raucous reception at Gloucester this afternoon for their first match since they were found guilty of breaching the salary cap. Kingsholm was close to sold out last night and could reach its 16,000 capacity by 3pm today, with this week’s 35-point penalty and £5.3million fine against Saracens expected to lead to a late rush for tickets to the Premiership clash. Yet some of the key players involved in the investment partnerships with owner Nigel Wray will be absent. Owen Farrell, Maro Itoje and Mako and Billy Vunipola, whose arrangements with Wray are understood to have contributed to the breach, are rested after the World Cup, meaning scrum-half Richard Wigglesworth will be the only player on the pitch with publicised business links to Wray. Saracens say
Wray will not be there, although other senior club officials will attend the game which, before the dramatic events of this week, was a hotly anticipated clash between two sides with title hopes. Now it has a considerable extra edge to it, not least because if Saracens are unsuccessful in their expected appeal against the judgment, they will need to perform exceptionally well this season to avoid relegation. It has been pointed out that, given Saracens have not yet lodged that appeal, they should be bottom of the table on -26 points, but PRL have taken note of their stated desire to challenge the judgment and left them on nine points with an asterisk. Lance Bradley, Gloucester’s chief executive, sought to reassure Saracens fans when posting on social media: ‘It won’t be a hostile atmosphere for Sarries fans. It’ll be noisy, but not hostile.’ Former Worcester Warriors hooker Jack Singleton could make his debut for the Premiership and European champions off the bench, having returned from World Cup duty.