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Premiership

Saracens Handed Huge Premiership Rugby Punishment

Reigning Premiership champions Saracens have been charged for breaching salary cap regulations and have been hit with a massive punishment

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(Photo by Henry Browne/Getty Images)

Saracens have been handed a £5 million fine and a 35-point deduction in the Premiership following the decision by an independent disciplinary panel with regard to breaching the Premiership Rugby salary cap regulations.

The charges were brought forward in June this year after a nine-month investigation in relation to the salary caps for each of the three seasons between 2016 and 2019 and the panel concluded that Sarries failed to disclose payments to players for each of the three seasons. 

Not only that but they found that the English club had exceeded the payments to senior squad members in each season too and due to this they would uphold the charges meaning that Saracens received a hefty fine of £5,360,272.31 and have been deducted 35 points for this Premiership season. 

Speaking on the verdict a Premiership Rugby spokesperson explained that the salary cap is there for a reason and that by breaching it any club deserves punishment. 

“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,” the spokesperson said. 

The independent panel also rejected Saracens challenge on competition law grounds to the validity of the regulations. 

Saracens may seek a review of the decision and in that case all sanctions would become suspended until the result of such a review but that review may only be sought if there is a basis that an error has been made in the law, the decision is irrational or that they feel there is some form of procedural unfairness within the decision. 

The good news for Saracens is that the punishment does not extend outside the Premiership meaning they face no further sanctions on a European competition level. 

However, the decision has put the current Premiership and Champions Cup holders in real danger of being relegated as they now currently sit on -26 points, 30 points off second from bottom Bath having been in fourth on 9 points before the verdict. It could also be costly to the club as a low finish in the league could see them miss out on a European spot next season and star players could seek moves elsewhere to play on the biggest stage of all.


Premiership

INJURY UPDATE | George Ford

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Sale Sharks can confirm that fly-half George Ford suffered a tear to his right quad during the early stages of the Gallagher Premiership round two game at Saracens on Saturday. Following a positive consultation with a specialist it was decided that George does not require surgery and he will now begin his rehab ahead of a busy period for club and country.

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Premiership

TEAM NEWS | Sale Sharks v Gloucester

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Alex Sanderson has made six changes to his starting XV to face Gloucester Rugby in the first game of the season under the Salford Stadium Friday night lights, while summer signing Le Roux Roets appears in a matchday squad for the first time (Discovery+, 7.45pm KO). 

Josh Beaumont, Ernst van Rhyn and Rouban Birch come into the pack following the round two defeat at Saracens, while Sam Bedlow, Will Addison and Arron Reed are picked in the backs to face George Skivington’s men. 

In total, 12 of the XV and 19 in the matchday 23 have come through or spent time in the Sharks Academy. 

The Sharks front-row remains intact from the trip to the StoneX as England hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie lines up once again between 20-year-old Asher Opoku-Fordjour and loosehead Si McIntyre. 

Al has picked a towering second-row as Ben Bamber teams up with Josh Beaumont. 

With Ben and Tom Curry as well as JL du Preez all missing as they undergo their return to play protocols following head injuries, Ernst van Rhyn returns alongside fellow flanker Sam Dugdale and Birch at number 8. 

Gus Warr starts again at scrum-half but with George Ford injured (quad) he’ll have skipper Rob du Preez for company at half-back. After coming on as a replacement against Saracens, Bedlow starts alongside Addison, who makes his first start since re-joining the club in the summer.  

Speedster Arron Reed makes his first appearance of the season alongside Tom Roebuck and full-back Joe Carpenter. 

Hooker Ethan Caine, and props Tumy Onasanya and James Harper cover the front row from the replacements bench with England U20s lock Tom Burrow and summer signing Le Roux Roets covering the rest of the forwards. Nye Thomas, Tom Curtis and Waisea Nayacalevu cover the backs. 

Sale Sharks starting XV:

15. Joe Carpenter, 14. Tom Roebuck, 13. Will Addison, 12. Sam Bedlow, 11. Arron Reed, 10. Rob du Preez, 9. Gus Warr; 1. Si McIntyre, 2. Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3. Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 4. Ben Bamber, 5. Josh Beaumont 6. Ernst van Rhyn, 7. Sam Dugdale, 8. Rouban Birch. 

Replacements: 

16. Ethan Caine, 17. Tumy Onasanya, 18. James Harper, 19. Tom Burrow, 20. Le Roux Roets, 21. Nye Thomas, 22. Tom Curtis, 23. Waisea Nayacalevu. 

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Premiership

TEAM NEWS | Sale Sharks v Saracens

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Injuries have forced Alex Sanderson to make three changes to his starting XV to face Saracens at the StoneX on Saturday (3.05pm KO, Saturday 28th September, live on TNT Sports). 

Si McIntyre replaces last week’s Player of the Match Bevan Rodd (hamstring), while Ben Bamber and Sam Dugdale come in for Ernst van Rhyn and Tom Curry who are both undergoing their return to play protocols after leaving the field during the round one win over Harlequins. 

With Sam Bedlow returning to the bench to make a 5-3 split, the matchday squad features 16 players who have come through or been involved with the Sale Sharks Academy. 

In the front-row, England hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie lines up between 20-year-old Asher Opoku-Fordjour and returning loosehead McIntyre. 

Al has picked a towering second-row as Bamber teams up with Hyron Andrews. 

Openside flanker Ben Curry captains the side again and he and Dugdale will pack down either side of Jean-Luc du Preez at number 8. 

The backs are unchanged from the narrow win over Quins, with Gus Warr starting again at scrum-half alongside fly-half George Ford, and Rob du Preez and Waisea Nayacalevu outside them in the centres.  

Alex has picked a familiar back three once again with Tom O’Flaherty, Tom Roebuck and full-back Joe Carpenter hoping to provide the spark. 

The replacements bench is an exclusively Sharks Academy affair with hooker Ethan Caine, and props Tumy Onasanya and James Harper covering the front row. Josh Beaumont and Rouban Birch make up the rest of the forwards, while Nye Thomas, Bedlow and Will Addison cover the backs. 

Sale Sharks Starting lineup: 

15. Joe Carpenter, 14. Tom Roebuck, 13. Waisea Nayacalevu, 12. Rob du Preez, 11. Tom O’Flaherty, 10. George Ford, 9. Gus Warr; 1. Si McIntyre, 2. Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3. Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 4. Ben Bamber, 5. Hyron Andrews, 6. Sam Dugdale, 7. Ben Curry ©, 8. Jean-Luc du Preez. 

Replacements: 

16. Ethan Caine, 17. Tumy Onasanya, 18. James Harper, 19. Josh Beaumont, 20. Rouban Birch, 21. Nye Thomas, 22. Sam Bedlow, 23. Will Addison. 

Images & Content from Sale Sharks Rugby


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