Ex-Saracens boss has his say on club's threatened automatic relegation

Former director of rugby Brendan Venter has said that there is an agenda against Saracens who are facing the threat of automatic relegation. However, he is backing them to “overcome this” and “come back stronger”.

As revealed by RugbyPass on Thursday night, Saracens have been told they have a matter of days to comply with the salary cap or face automatic relegation from the Gallagher Premiership. 

Despite being fined £5.36million and deducted 35 league points in November, Venter claimed on Twitter there is still an agenda among other clubs in England after it became “apparent that despite deduction they won’t get relegated this season”. 

While not every club in England has been so vocal, there have been some who have insisted that Saracens should return their titles won over the past three seasons in which they have been found guilty of breaching the salary cap.  

The South African, who is credited with being the catalyst to Saracens’ era of success after arriving at the club in 2009, also said: “The good news is that Saracens is a club with a great culture of looking after people. 

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“They have taken a big knock but in these times character kicks in. Watch them overcome this, keep the team together and come back stronger. Life is way more interesting with challenges.” 

He signed off by pointing the finger at other clubs across England, suggesting Saracens are not alone in what they have done – “various other clubs have been doing some creative accounting to stay within the cap”. This is what he shared: 

For those that still believe there was no hidden agenda by the clubs i will give you a timeline of events and then you will understand that Some clubs wanted an opportunity to win something and some wanted to prevent relegation. Everybody had an agenda. https://t.co/jKMkrr15Hk

— Brendan Venter (@BrendanVenter) January 17, 2020

Timeline. Saracens get charged with breaking the cap.They dispute it and lose.This only happens in this current season. Get a fine and points reduction. When it becomes apparent that despite deduction they wont get relegated this season is questioned. How could they correct it?

— Brendan Venter (@BrendanVenter) January 17, 2020

They then ask for an opportunity to correct it before 31 Jan. The clubs refuse. This would have put Saracens within the cap legally for the year. Granted with a bit of luck because of injuries but nevertheless in the cap. Now tell me there was no agenda from the start ?

— Brendan Venter (@BrendanVenter) January 17, 2020

The good news is that Saracens is a club with a great culture of looking after people. They have taken a big knock but in these times character kicks in. Watch them overcome this,keep the team together and come back stronger. Life is way more interesting with challenges.

— Brendan Venter (@BrendanVenter) January 17, 2020

The thing i am now looking fwd to most is when the Daily Mail latches on to the fact that various other clubs have been doing some creative accounting to stay within the cap. Will all the haters stay loyal to their moral compasses. This story far from over yet.

— Brendan Venter (@BrendanVenter) January 17, 2020

Yes. I honestly think Edward and Mark will keep the team together. The problem is much smaller than you think. The cap not as big a problem as others think. We will keep our kids. Look after our stars and come back stronger the next year.

— Brendan Venter (@BrendanVenter) January 17, 2020

While the former World Cup winner did show his utmost confidence in reigning European and English champions bouncing back from this ordeal, he did not explicitly say whether the London side will avoid relegation this season. 

With the looming possibility that Saracens may need to rapidly unload many of their stars to ease their wage bill, Venter still thinks they will “keep kids” and “look after stars”. 

What is certainly true – and was noted by the former centre – is that “this story is far from over yet”. 

WATCH: Going Pro, the behind the scenes RugbyPass documentary with Saracens women’s rugby team