Saracens – a gain too far?

[mike909]

But no Liam Williams......

[welsh wasp]

It’s an opinion piece - & facts don’t suit those kind of articles.

[mike909]

I see the narrative about Sarries now - across other platforms is "they've had their punishment - time to move on"

If that happens - nothing will change. No club team ought to be able to play with 500+ caps

[welsh wasp]

The challenge for Saracens, and this where they went down the wrong path, is that they need the other clubs, whether in the Premiership or Europe. Rugby is a team game and Saracens need the other teams. Just winning everything is fine for a couple of years, as happened with Wasps, but Wray seems to have wanted to create a monopoly - but used unfair means to do so.

[BG]

I watched (well it was on in the background) the Bath v Sarries game and before the game the pundits were discussing Sarries having the 35 pt deduction. and it annoyed me that they were all confident (almost admiringly) that Sarries would easily overcome this because of the depth and quality of their squad!

Don't Ben Kay, Grayson and the rest get it.. that's the whole point.. they've assembled a squad using methods deemed to be outside of the rules.. and still have the same squad.. this is what annoys the supporters of other clubs.. nothing seems to have changed and the various pundits seem to secretly admire what Sarries have done and achieved as a result

[mike909]

My personal view is that they became the expression of one man's ego - a man who presumed that he could do what he liked and get away with it

Its clear from the comments from those who left Sarries Board and others - that people who were linked to Sarries were uncomfortable with what was going on

That they were found out four years ago and then basically put two fingers up at everyone else sort of confirms they think they are above rules.

It was all there in clear view - when any side can put out a team with more international experience than most national sides and no one at the top of the game said a thing.

[backdoc]

The first thing they should do is stop televising Saracens Premiership matches.

We should stop watching as well and they will see the viewing figures.

[AKWasp]

I watched (well it was on in the background) the Bath v Sarries game and before the game the pundits were discussing Sarries having the 35 pt deduction. and it annoyed me that they were all confident (almost admiringly) that Sarries would easily overcome this because of the depth and quality of their squad!

Don't Ben Kay, Grayson and the rest get it.. that's the whole point.. they've assembled a squad using methods deemed to be outside of the rules.. and still have the same squad.. this is what annoys the supporters of other clubs.. nothing seems to have changed and the various pundits seem to secretly admire what Sarries have done and achieved as a result

This ^

How can they still have that squad without underpaying players is impossible if they are actually playing by the rules, end of the season or mid season audit will tell us a lot.

The cap is essential in terms of sustaining English league rugby as the clubs are currently loss making, without it we’d get unsustainable spending to try and keep up with the super rich owners until clubs go into liquidation like Welsh did.

[wasps]

Unfortunately, there's no rule to say they can't underpay their players.


The players have already had their secret payments up front, so they're now happy on their decreased salary.
As such, they're happy to play for a club that has stuck by them and who now are likely doing nothing "officially" wrong.


I'm absolutely convinced that the mid season audit will just show that they're within the salary cap and that their players earn a little less than equivalent players at other clubs.......
And I'm also convinced that if questioned, every player will say that they agreed to the lower salary because they knew they'd have a strong chance of winning things.

Officially, nothing wrong with that..

It sucks

[Old Geezer]

I agree with BG.