so, 3 years were investigated by the panel, from 2016/2017 to 2018/2019.
In 2 of those years, Saracens were found to be over by more than £650k, and in one of those years they were over the cap, but by less than £650k
in 2017/2018 and 2018/2019, the salary cap is essentially £7million (£6.4m + £600k for home grown player credits)
However, in 2016/2017, the salary cap was £6.5 million (£6m + £500k for home grown player credits)
my initial logic was that they're exceeding the cap by more and more each season, so the 2016/17 season was where they exceeded it but by less than £650k, with the following seasons being where they exceeded it by more than £650k
So, using Wiki as a source, these are the players in/out for each of those seasons
2016/17Players In | | Players Out | Schalk Burger | | Charlie Hodgson | Alex Lozowski | | Rhys Gill | Mark Flanagan | | Catalin Fercu | Sean Maitland | | Kieran Longbottom | Vincent Koch | | Dave Porecki | | | Jacques Burger | | | Aaron Morris | | | Hayden Smith | | | Thretton Palamo | | | Biyi Alo | | | Ben Ransom | | | Alistair Hargreaves |
|
2017/18Players In | | Players Out | Christopher Tolofua | | Chris Ashton | Liam Williams | | George Perkins | Calum Clark | | Kelly Brown | Tom Griffiths | | Jared Saunders | Hayden Thompson-Stringer | | Neil de Kock | Tom Whiteley | | Jim Hamilton | Will Skelton | | Brian Tiulagi | Dominic Day | | Samuela Vunisa | Kieran Longbottom | | Petrus du Plessis | Sione Vailanu | | Tim Streather | | | Will Fraser | | | Fa'atiga Lemalu |
|
2018/19Players In | | Players Out | Alex Lewington | | Schalk Brits | David Strettle | | Nathan Earle | Tom Woolstencroft | | Chris Wyles | Viliami Hakalo | | Kieran Longbottom | Christian Judge (loan) | | Danny Cutmore | Joe Gray | | Mark Flanagan | Hisa Sasagi (short term) | | Matt Hankin | Chris van Zyl (short term) | | Mile Ellery | | | Joel Conlon |
|
I dunno if this really proves or helps anything.
There's definitely a lot of squad players leaving each season, and a number of older players retiring.... but being replaced by quality players.
If anything, it suggests that there hasn't been a huge leap in overspend in any of those seasons, but probably a general increase - along with other players new contracts (when did Farrell / Itoje / Vunipolas sign new deals?)
It certainly suggest to me that there hasn't been any major drop in salaries due to players leaving those years.