Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

EPCR release short, ominous statement on Saracens

Ben Spencer

The EPCR have released a statement in the wake of the furore over Saracens and their alleged breach of the Premiership salary cap.

ADVERTISEMENT

English and European champions Saracens have been docked 35 points and fined more than £5million, pending appeal, over breaches of salary cap rules.

Saracens failed to make a player and coach available for the EPCR launch in Cardiff as they are required to do.

The short, ominous statement reads:

“EPCR is disappointed to learn of Saracens’ decision to make their club representatives unavailable for today’s official 2019/20 Season Launch of the Heineken Champions Cup and Challenge Cup in Cardiff.

“EPCR will now consider what action is appropriate in this instance and will be making no further comment at this time.”

Video Spacer

The EPCR could choose to enforce their own penalties on the troubled Premiership club.

Why does the sport have a salary cap and how big is it?

Premiership Rugby, which manages the top league in the English club game, introduced the salary cap in 1999 with the twin aims of ensuring a level playing field and maintaining a competitive, growing and financially sustainable league, ie preventing the clubs from the pitfalls of over-spending.

ADVERTISEMENT

The cap was increased from £6.5m to £7m ahead of the 2017-18 season and will remain at this level until the end of the 2019-20 season. The ceiling includes dispensation for academy and injured players and effectively raises the possible spend to around £9m.

https://twitter.com/RugbyPass/status/1191730439377043457/photo/1

What exactly have Saracens done?

Premiership Rugby responded to allegations of a salary cap breach by carrying out an investigation which took nine months. An independent panel was then appointed in June by dispute service, Sport Resolutions, and on Tuesday it ruled that Saracens failed to disclose payments to players in each of the last three seasons. It concluded that the club also exceeded the ceiling for payments to senior players in that time.

No details have been revealed on the size of the undisclosed payments or the recipients but Premiership Rugby’s investigations were thought to have centred around owner Nigel Wray’s involvements in companies such as VunProp Ltd (Mako and Billy Vunipola), Faz Investments Ltd (Owen Farrell), Wiggy9 Ltd (Richard Wigglesworth) and MN Property Solutions Ltd (Maro Itoje).

Wray has in the past argued that ‘investment is not salary’ and likened the arrangements to his public support of coffee and brewing companies set up by players.

ADVERTISEMENT

A statement issued when the allegations came to light said: “A professional playing career in rugby can be short. We have a responsibility to help our players fulfil their potential, not just on the pitch but off it too.”

How does the punishment compare with any previous breaches?

For years there have been rumours of clubs breaking the cap in a big way – in 2015 eight of the top-flight clubs took the unusual step of publicly announcing they had not been investigated for potential breaches – but nothing was proven until now.

In February Harlequins were fined £6,239.50 after exceeding the Premiership’s salary cap in the 2017-18 season. They were £12,479 over the £7m limit but Premiership Rugby said there was no suggestion the breach was deliberate and the club were docked 50p per £1 overspent in accordance with competition regulations.

Can Saracens appeal the decision?

The club have already said they intend to appeal against all the findings and the case is set to go to Sports Resolutions.

Under the regulations, they can seek a review of the decision by an arbitration body on the basis that there has been an error of law, the decision is irrational or that there has been some procedural unfairness.

Saracens would have had 21 days to pay the fine in full but the appeal means the sanctions will be suspended pending the outcome of their appeal.

ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

Singapore SVNS | Day 1

Boks Office | Episode 39 | The Investec Champions Cup is back

Argentina v France | HSBC SVNS Hong Kong 2025 | Men's Match Highlights

New Zealand v Australia | HSBC SVNS Hong Kong 2025 | Women's Match Highlights

Tokyo Sungoliath vs Shizuoka BlueRevs | Japan Rugby League One 2024/25 | Full Match Replay

Reds vs Force | Super Rugby W 2025 | Full Match Replay

The Rise of Kenya | The Report

New Zealand in Hong Kong | Brady Rush | Sevens Wonders | Episode 4

The Fixture: How This Rugby Rivalry Has Lasted 59 Years

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

f
fl 51 minutes ago
Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

“A succession of recent ex-players going straight back into the game as coaches in their early 40’s would prob be enough to kill it stone-dead. Innovation would die a death.”

Would it? I do think one of the major differences between rugby and most other sports - which we’ve been overlooking - is the degree to which players are expected to lead team meetings & analysis sessions and the like. Someone like Owen Farrell has basically been an assistant coach already for ten years - and he’s been so under a variety of different head coaches with different expectations and playing styles.


“The most interesting ppl I have met in the game have all coached well into their sixties and they value the time and opportunity they have had to reflect and therefore innovate in the game. That’s based on their ability to compare and contrast between multiple eras.”

I don’t doubt that that’s true. But having interesting insights doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be the best able to inspire a team, or the best at managing the backroom staff.


“Wayne Smith winning the WWC in his mid sixties three years ago prob means nothing to you but it meant a lot to him. It took him back to the roots of is own coaching journey.”

I don’t doubt that! But I don’t think coaches should be hired on the basis that it means a lot to them.


“The likes of Carlo Ancelotti and Wayne Bennett and Andy Reid all have a tale to tell. You should open your ears and listen to it!”

I agree! Never have I ever suggested otherwise!

176 Go to comments
J
JW 5 hours ago
French bid to poach 109kg 17-year-old dual-code Aussie prospect Heinz Lemoto

Yes that’s what WR needs to look at. Football had the same problem with european powerhouses getting all the latin talent then you’re gaurenteed to get the odd late bloomer (21/22 etc, all the best footballers can play for the country much younger to get locked) star changing his allegiance.


They used youth rep selection for locking national elifibilty at one point etc. Then later only counted residency after the age of 18 (make clubs/nations like in this case wait even longer).


That’s what I’m talking about, not changing allegiance in rugby (were it can only be captured by the senior side), where it is still the senior side. Oh yeah, good point about CJ, so in most cases we probably want kids to be able to switch allegiance, were say someone like Lemoto could rep Tonga (if he wasn’t so good) but still play for Australia’s seniors, while in someone like Kite’s (the last aussie kid to go to France) case he’ll be French qualified via 5 years residency at the age of 21, so France to lock him up before Aussie even get a chance to select him. But if we use footballs regulations, who I’m suggesting WR need to get their a into g replicating, he would only start his 5 years once he turns 18 or whatever, meaning 23 yo is as soon as anyone can switch, and when if they’re good enough teams like NZ and Aus can select them (France don’t give a f, they select anybody just to lock them).

9 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ Mick Cleary: 'Can we have our Champions Cup back, please?' Mick Cleary: 'Can we have our Champions Cup back, please?'
Search