Premiership Rugby have published the 103-page report that found Saracens guilty of breaching the salary cap.
PRL announced on November 5 that Saracens had been deducted 35 points and fined £5.4million for breaching the cap in the past three seasons.
This month they accepted relegation when it became clear that they would again not be complying this year.
Until now, though, the original report has been under lock and key. The saga continued on Wednesday when Saracens refuted PRL’s claim that the club were blocking the release of the report. That led to PRL agreeing to release it, only for it to be leaked to Sky News last night.
A redacted version not naming the players was released today while Maro Itoje’s financial arrangements were among those reported by Sky. There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing by Itoje or the other players. The report was compiled by a three-man panel led by Lord Dyson. A review of the salary cap will begin under Lord Myners.
“Now that everyone can see the details, the decision will show that Premiership Rugby has taken firm action to enforce the regulations and our management of the salary cap has been endorsed,” said Darren Childs, PRL’s chief executive.
Dyson rejected the argument of former Saracens owner Nigel Wray that investment is not salary and found the double winners acted deliberately in attempting to break the salary cap, adding their conduct was “egregious”.
