Saracens sanction

[Asgard]

...and what on earth was the PRL salary cap manager doing? I was told in an interview 7 years ago (I listened to the recording again last week) that PRL were on top of this issue, and they were confident they'd quickly identify breaches - if a young reporter from the Daily Mail is more on top of things than they were then it's a pretty sorry indictment.

No heads rolled at PRL over the 'non-breaches' / settlements fiasco, and I doubt any will this time around.

A bit like the Shed, GS - always blame the referee.

[Mark Dudley]

Thanks goodness for Brian Moore - I think he has summed up how most people feel.

Certainly what I am thinking.

[PeterD]

I noticed there were quite a few empty seats at Kingsholm on Saturday that are normally occupied by season ticket holders. Too many to be a coincidence. I assume they were exercising their displeasure with Saracens.
If this does not get sorted quickly then i can see a knock on effect.
What’s the point in going / watching on TV when one side has all the best players and is not abiding by the rules of the league.
Rugby is the loser and if it wants to go the way of footie where the richest owners win, then i will take my money away from the game.

My main gripe is the Saracens total lack of contrition.

[Lurker]

I dont agree with your stance re Sarries Colin, but on one point I do agree - PRL is also culpable and should shoulder a portion of the blame for not sorting this out sooner (am sure they have mightier minds there than a junior journalist)

[stuartjames]

if a young reporter from the Daily Mail is more on top of things than they were then it's a pretty sorry indictment.

Is it an indictment of the PRL or of the more experienced rugby reporters, like those of the Guardian who at times seem to spend most of the week at Allianz park penning puff pieces about culture, community engagement etc....

If their rumours of a salary cap breach were so well known amongst the press pack, why did nobody else work it out, say the TRP, rather than a 'young reporter' from the Daily Mail ? Did you really mean to be so condescending. with that remark ?

[Exile]

Not sure if mentioned before but the regulations continuing refer to breaches in a year - "Where the Disciplinary Panel concludes that a Club has exceeded the Senior Ceiling by
£350,000 or more for a Salary Cap Year".

Therefore if Saracens have breached the cap for 3 years, why is the penalty not 105 points?

[Tj36]

if a young reporter from the Daily Mail is more on top of things than they were then it's a pretty sorry indictment.

Is it an indictment of the PRL or of the more experienced rugby reporters, like those of the Guardian who at times seem to spend most of the week at Allianz park penning puff pieces about culture, community engagement etc....

If their rumours of a salary cap breach were so well known amongst the press pack, why did nobody else work it out, say the TRP, rather than a 'young reporter' from the Daily Mail ? Did you really mean to be so condescending. with that remark ?

Spot on Stuartjames!

[Oxford Glaws]

The Times has been reporting that evidence has been presented of offshore payments for image-rights payments.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/stri ... -j3smj0s5h

[RossM]

The Times has been reporting that evidence has been presented of offshore payments for image-rights payments.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/stri ... -j3smj0s5h

Unfortunately all Times and Sunday Times are behind a paywall. So unless someone who has a sub is prepared to do a copy and paste job, then there is really little point in posting a link. But thanks for the heads up anyway.

[upton dc]

From The Times on 7 Nov:
‘The independent panel’s ruling stated that Saracens, as well as exceeding the salary cap for three successive seasons, had “failed to disclose payments to players”. The details of those failures to reveal the full extent of their payments to players is yet to be revealed but evidence has been presented to investigators about the club’s use of image-rights payments to offshore accounts.,