Saracens docked 35 points and fined £5m for breaching salary cap… and European champions now face RELEGATION – The Sun

SARACENS have been hit with a 35 point deduction AND a £5million fine for breaching the salary cap.

The London club have been found guilty of breaching Premiership Rugby's £7million wage cap.

And it could cause devastation for the English and European champions who now face possible relegation.

Sarries have England captain Owen Farrell on the books and had half the Red Rose stars at the World Cup.

But an investigation found that business links between their multi-millionaire owner Nigel Wray and players like Farrell and Mako and Billy Vunipola breached regulations.

Sarries are likely to have to now move players on from their star-studded squad.

However, coach Mark McCall will be desperate to keep hold of his England stars, including the likes of Maro Itoje, Jamie George and George Kruis.

They also signed Elliot Daly from Wasps this summer.

At the start of the seven-month investigation, Wray said: "If any of our players have a sound commercial idea, I am interested and I may invest.

"I recognise that in some quarters, these co-investments are perceived as part of the Premiership salary regulations. They are not. Investment is not salary.

"Investments go up and down. It's an opportunity and a risk.

"It might be immodest to say this but between the board and some hugely generous supporters our players have access to some of the best investment advice available anywhere in the country and we are all happy to share this for everyone's benefit.

"The club is open and transparent with the salary cap manager and we proactively disclose co-investments when they occur, even though we are under no obligation to do so."

The Premiership Rugby Salary Cap Regulations were first introduced in 1999 and every club has a £7m budget that allows for two marquee players outside that amount. Clubs also get credits for producing homegrown players.

A statement released by the league said: "Premiership Rugby can confirm that an independent disciplinary panel has reached a decision in respect of charges brought against Saracens Rugby Club for alleged breaches of the Premiership Rugby Salary Cap.

"The charges, which relate to the seasons 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19, were brought in June 2019 following a nine-month investigation by Premiership Rugby."

Were this deduction to be inflicted upon the side in those years, they would have fallen from the top three to ninth or tenth on each occasion – avoiding relegation by a narrow margin.

It continued: "The decision of the Independent Panel is that Saracens Rugby Club failed to disclose payments to players in each of the seasons 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19.

"In addition, the Club is found to have exceeded the ceiling for payments to senior players in each of the three seasons. The Panel therefore upheld all of the charges.

"The sanction that has been imposed on Saracens Rugby Club by the panel is: A total fine of £5,360,272.31 and a total deduction of 35 league points.

"The Salary Cap Regulations stipulate that a points deduction may be imposed in the current season (2019-20) only. The sanction has no bearing on any other domestic or European competition.

"The Independent Panel rejected the Club’s challenge on competition law grounds to the validity of the Regulations.

"Under the Regulations, Saracens Rugby Club has the ability to seek a review of the decision by an arbitration body. The review can only be on the basis that there has been an error of law, the decision is irrational or that there has been some procedural unfairness."

A Premiership Rugby spokesperson said: "The Salary Cap is an important mechanism to ensure a level playing field for Premiership Clubs and maintain a competitive, growing and financially sustainable league. Today’s decision by the Independent Panel upholds both the principle of the Salary Cap and the charges brought following an extensive investigation by Premiership Rugby.

"We are pleased that this process has reached a conclusion and we look forward to another exciting season of Premiership Rugby.”

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