If you are going to have a salary cap everyone has to abide by it.
It sounds simple, and it is, but according to the latest revelations defending Gallagher Premiership champions and European Heineken Champions Cup winners Saracens have been threatened with legal action if the club contests any potential guilty verdict arising from the investigation into their alleged breach of the salary cap.
Saracens are by far the most dominant force in English rugby, and even European rugby at the moment, but the club is under investigation that they have built their dominance on an unfair financial advantage.
Saracens have won five of the last four Premiership grand finals, and were the runners up to Northampton in 2013/14 when it took extra time for the Saints to beat them. Sarries have also won three of the last four Champions Cup finals - cementing their dominance on the domestic scene.
Just this weekend, despite having more players away at the Rugby World Cup than any other Premiership side, they beat favourites Wasps to lift the Premiership Sevens trophy for the second straight year.
Saracens are being investigated following evidence revealing the club’ owner Nigel Wray had co-investments with a number of his players including England stars Owen Farrell, Maro Itoje, Billy Vunipola and his brother Mako.
The investments were outside of their reported salaries which are governed by the £7m cap which all Gallagher Premiership sides are meant to abide by.
The investigation has been passed to independent arbiters Sport Resolutions following a review by Premiership Rugby’s (PRL) salary-cap manager Andrew Rogers.
The Daily Mail reports Sport Resolutions are expected to complete their investigation by the end of the month and deliver a verdict, including recommendations to PRL as to the appropriate sanctions.
Under salary-cap regulations, the maximum sporting sanction for a club found to be in breach is a 35-point deduction. In 2018/19 Saracens finished second in the table with 78 points, so even if they had been given a 35 point deduction they would not have been relegated with Newcastle Falcons finishing with 31 points; with that in mind there are questions being asked whether a points deduction would be a strong enough punishment.
Saracens’ rivals attitude towards salary breaches appears to be hardening having effectively swept a previous investigation under the carpet four years ago. According to The Daily Mail report the other Premiership clubs are now threatening to push for even tougher sanctions than the huge points deduction, if Saracens refuse to accept Sport Resolutions’ punishment.
PRL are understood to be planning to abide by Sport Resolutions’ decision, although if found guilty Saracens would have 14 days to appeal to an independent panel and then could take the matter to the High Court.
Saracens have denied any wrongdoing, insisting the investments being investigated were within the regulations.
Bristol Live approached Gallagher Premiership side Bristol Bears for comment on the matter but a spokesman for the club said they were unable to comment at this time.
