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Six NationsEnglandSaracens

England have held players-only clear-the-air talks over the Saracens scandal

England have held clear-the-air talks regarding Saracens (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

England insist they will enter the Guinness Six Nations with a united squad following clear-the-air talks held to address the Saracens salary cap scandal.

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All 34 players taken to Portugal for a pre-championship training camp gathered in the dining room of their Algarve base to voice any grievances held towards the double-winners’ seven-strong contingent.

Saracens are to be relegated from the Premiership in June for operating above the £7million salary cap in the current season, the fifth such breach of the regulations in seven years.

It raised the prospect of key England players such as Owen Farrell, Maro Itoje and Mako Vunipola being the subject of ill-will from their international team-mates, but assistant coach Matt Proudfoot insists there are no divisions.

“The players have had a chat. It was players-only,” said Proudfoot, Steve Borthwick’s successor as forwards coach.

(Continue reading below…)

Damning report reveals the extent of the Saracens salary cap breach

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“I’m new to the camp, but from a coaching perspective the interaction between the players has been really good.

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“I’ve been trying to forge relationships with the players and been watching them sitting around the table talking and having banter.

“They have been very jokey like any rugby players are. I took that as being very positive.”

England open their Six Nations title pursuit against France in Paris on February 2 before heading to Edinburgh to face Scotland six days later.

– Press Association 

WATCH: Eddie Jones insists the Saracens salary cap scandal could be beneficial to England

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Comments on RugbyPass

H
Head high tackle 6 minutes ago
Glasgow hit back at Stephen Donald's 'absolutely unfounded' comments

What’s undeniable is that Barrett is playing alongside much better players at Leinster than he would in NZ. And he is playing in more difficult conditions - from the Highveld in SA to freezing conditions in Scotland - which prepares you better for Test rugby than hopping over the Tasman for another game of touch rugby.


Haha thats funny and so easy to deny.. Even the Canes have a very talented side. If playing for the Canes he would have an AB at 1, 2, 3, Pom at 4, AB 7, AB 8, AB 9, AB 10, AB 13 with him at 12 and could well be amongst 11 other ABs if they started them all in the same match. Dream on all you like but those ABs beat Ireland not just Leinster.

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GP 9 minutes ago
'I've got my eyes on it': James O'Connor eyes international return

I think the Wallabies would be mad to not pick James O’Connor. The way he has played for the Crusaders, highlighted by his winning kick in the wet against the Blues. But he has options. I am so pleased for Rivez Reihana . He played in a classy fashion off the bench against the Highlanders. Hardly any rugby , but a lot of prep work that came to fruition for him.

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H
Head high tackle 12 minutes ago
Glasgow hit back at Stephen Donald's 'absolutely unfounded' comments

Conveniently forgetting the fact that ALTHO Barrett is playing in “the best club side in the NH” he is finding it easy to stand out as the standard allows him to look great.

NZR has never had money. Never been in the top 5 for $$ in the last 130 years. Seem to have done ok. Hows all your UK money going? Ireland still lose at WC 1/4 finals time, England and France cant get past the Semi’s in their own back yards. All the money in the world can only ever buy players like they do. Mercenaries wanting to play in world cups knowing they wont in their own country.

39 Go to comments
C
Chiefs Mana 13 minutes ago
James O'Connor, the Lions and the great club v country conundrum

Yes that’s a valid concern; I guess that with the amount of money being offered by the French clubs…hopefully these players/kids would have agents and mentors in place to avoid this happening. Clubs will have reputations around their developments systems etc.

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H
Head high tackle 16 minutes ago
Glasgow hit back at Stephen Donald's 'absolutely unfounded' comments

Go look at his career! 60 games for Waikato, 106 for the Chiefs, 34 for Bath and 25 for the ABs with a world cup win from his very boot. Seems you dont know what a champion looks like.

Best club side in the world???? Try watching a different comp and see better club sides, with far more world champions in them.

39 Go to comments
H
Head high tackle 21 minutes ago
Glasgow hit back at Stephen Donald's 'absolutely unfounded' comments

So they lose when playing away due to the travel but they win when at home due to others having to travel? Seems pretty standard to me.

39 Go to comments
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Ardy 24 minutes ago
James O'Connor, the Lions and the great club v country conundrum

True Chief, as an example I had an earthworks guy working for me, and he was a top prospect at hooker in RL, he said they picked him up at 17 or 18 and he was there for 3 years. He was paid 15k a season and the 1st hooker was paid 280k and this was 10 years ago.

My point is that wealthy clubs can buy up all the young talent and let them rot or flourish depending on skillset, injury and club politics. It’s not a great solution for the future.

9 Go to comments
H
Head high tackle 26 minutes ago
Leinster player ratings vs Scarlets | 2024/25 URC

The secret sauce for SAs win in 2023 was luck.

Wayne Barnes Sauce company supplied the luck.

5 Go to comments
C
Chiefs Mana 27 minutes ago
Kini Naholo powers Hurricanes to upset win over Brumbies In Canberra

And let’s not even mention the behavior of the home nations over the past decade targeting developed players with very questionable heritage…

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Ardy 30 minutes ago
James O'Connor, the Lions and the great club v country conundrum

“Market forces will always win out” if this is true then the future of Rugby is ownership by American NFL as the richest game in the world. Wonder what that would do to rugby?

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Chiefs Mana 30 minutes ago
James O'Connor, the Lions and the great club v country conundrum

I certainly don’t like it but it is a difficult situation. Glass half full view though for the teenagers, league has been doing it to Union in NZ and Aussie for years…i wonder if it is a better situation for them to remain in the right format and potentially be a Wallaby or AB one day down the track? Once they’ve made their money and want to be closer to family. The Waratahs lock Amatasero is a prime example, although he doesn’t look like international quality yet.

9 Go to comments
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Head high tackle 31 minutes ago
'We've been searching': Clark Laidlaw's honest reflection after win in Canberra

Higgins and Proctor were exceptional in the centres. Higgins didnt do much special ( some nice offloads tho ) but did everything well and took good options.

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Head high tackle 35 minutes ago
NZ-qualified ex-NRL winger Valynce Te Whare makes waves in Japan

Its interesting how they refer to him as an EX NRL player without mention that he is actually a rugby player well before then. He was a Waikato lad.

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Cantab 42 minutes ago
'We've been searching': Clark Laidlaw's honest reflection after win in Canberra

Yes the Crusaders have had a couple of close calls but whereas last year they would have lost those games this year they have won. Not quite the finished article perhaps but certainly getting there. I get the feeling also that they have been holding back at times not wanting to show their full arsenal to all and sundry. Part of the plan perhaps ??

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Kamzanhullucrypto 1 hour ago
Conor Murray: French giants weigh up shock move for Ireland star

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Gloucester swiftly recruit Christian Wade replacement

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GS 1 hour ago
James O'Connor, the Lions and the great club v country conundrum

Sadly for you, Market forces will always win out, and the reality is that both NZ and Oz are small economies in a much larger Rugby ecosystem. I don’t like it, would love it to be changed. However, NZ and Oz can only generate a certain amount of $$$ to sustain our comps.


So unless you can somehow transform NZ and Oz’s ability to generate enough money to retain our players - well we come to where we are now at, where the Highlanders Squad has an average age of 22 and unless the likes of Timoci Tavatavanawai, Umaga-Jensen and Fokatava get picked in the ABs squad, they will head off-shore in the next year or two, to max out their remaining rugby playing years.


Then, as far as the French clubs go, yip, not exactly healthy stuff - but do you think it’s fair to stop a kid from heading offshore at 16 to generate an income for him and his family? Again if Oz thinks that highly of their potential, it’s up to them to put the $$ in front of the kid to ensure he sticks around.


What’s the alternative? Take away his passport and right to earn a living?


Then, as far as opening the gate—well, it’s already happened—look at the Irish, Scottish, and French rugby teams in the WC. All had imports via residency or the grandparent rule in key positions—I mean, Ireland had more South Hemisphere players in the backline than Irish-born players.

9 Go to comments
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Gloucester swiftly recruit Christian Wade replacement

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James O'Connor, the Lions and the great club v country conundrum

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Abang Lulung 2 hours ago
‘We had to win it 9 times’: John Mitchell on England's Grand Slam epic

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