EAs BBC - Squad May Be Dismantled

[wasps]

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

2016/17

Players 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

2017/18

Players 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

2018/19

Players 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.

[mike909]

Thanks Heathen saves me buying a hard copy.
Sorry in the spirit of the game the point deductions should have been this season and next. Stuff concurrent. Also I thought it was a three season penalty. So where is the first season. Shedding a few players is not cutting it for me.
Also the continual reference to over a specific sum is not helpful. EA fans take that figure as gospel but it is becoming clearer that it is far far more.

Me too - that "They were saved by Premiership Rugby’s regulations allowing for discretion in cases where such a harsh penalty may not be “in the spirit” of the competition" just spits in the eye of supporters, it seems to me.

[Tervueren]

The PR continues, Sarries just appointed Neil Golding from Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer as non-exec Chairman

https://www.saracens.com/saracens-rugby-club-announces-new-chairman/

Hope hey buys new batteries for the salary cap calculator

[13thWarrior]

Regulation 14.2 of the Premiership Rugby rules allows a disciplinary panel to exercise discretion in cases where it deems that a penalty “would lead to the club being unfairly punished . . . or would lead to a result not within the spirit and underlying purpose of the regulations”.

The panel therefore decided that rather than being added together, the two 35-point penalties should run concurrently.

That is an absolute cop out. I'm furious. So, instead of getting relegated, or their titles stripped, they are in fact treated LESS harshly than they should have been?

What. The. Actual. Fuck

And then what about the season where they were over the cap, but less than 650k?? Where is the punishment for that? Gargh this has really pissed me off. All over again.

[Hymenoptera]

So..first it was just co-investments..now its def co-investments plus breach.
Wrong thing for the right reason still? How is this linked to player welfare? What will Salaries fans use as denial this time?

[matelot22]

So..first it was just co-investments..now its def co-investments plus breach.
Wrong thing for the right reason still? How is this linked to player welfare? What will Salaries fans use as denial this time?

They're still giving the hard done by line claiming that they're being prevented from looking after their players. I hate reading their SN, as it winds me up, but I can't help myself.

[welsh wasp]

If they have got a new Chair from Freshfields, that's going to cost them a packet too.

How are they going to save money during the season? Mid-season moves are rare in the PRL and I assume that players have signed a contract for a full season or two. How are they going to release them mid-season without breaching their contract and notice entitlement? They will have to agree some compensation and probably a settlement agreement - which will basically say that "in return for the payment you have agreed to give me, I promise that this is in full & final settlement of our contract". This usually means that they get more than their notice entitlement.

[Tervueren]

I don't believe they are short of  available money, indeed they have had too much to check about with gay abandon and disregard for the rules.

The new chap at EAs "As one of the very few solicitors licensed as an insolvency practitioner, he is eligible to be appointed as a liquidator or administrator." sound promising:-)

[13thWarrior]

How are they going to save money during the season? Mid-season moves are rare in the PRL and I assume that players have signed a contract for a full season or two. How are they going to release them mid-season without breaching their contract and notice entitlement? They will have to agree some compensation and probably a settlement agreement - which will basically say that "in return for the payment you have agreed to give me, I promise that this is in full & final settlement of our contract". This usually means that they get more than their notice entitlement.

I think it means the player has to agree to the transfer and the other club sign them immediately, so avoiding any redundancy payment etc, which would be included in the cap.

[westwaleswasp]

I found it ironic that on my machine at work the advert in the middle of the slot article was for landlord insurance. They don't call them the estate agents for nothing.
It is no wonder they did not appeal.
Still I am looking forward to some of their players leaving, especially if they get the usual 6n call ups.

[WickedWasp]

I enjoyed listening to Paul William's on Under The Sticks today on the matter. He points out how its progressed from a few transgressions where they forgot to report a few payments to now its seeming it was a deliberately contrived scheme to cheat the league. This is just further proof how Nigel always has been and remains a lying cheating scum bag who thinks hes above the rules. Some might think that's harsh but I've paid money to watch a rigged league...I've seen people lose their jobs and players careers be cut short or unfairly judged based on the fact others were cheating the whole time. Yes I'm angry. Also angry at how even now most the Saracens fans fail to hold their club to account and continue to say they have been harshly treated. NIGEL LIED TO THEM TO. They should be just as angry. The way certain media have reported on this has also been pathetic. Jim Hamilton and Stephen Jones etc. Absolute joke!!! It might be against the spirit of rugby but for me who ever wears the Jersey or cheers on the badge has lost my respect and I wish them the worst of luck. They deserve to be relegated. What ever happens at the end of this season if it is anything other than them going down there will remain some really angry people around.
Even them being relegated wont undo the damage they have intentionally done in the last decade of premiership rugby.

Why not save us all the stress and just kick them out of the league only to return once they have disbanded their team all together. Cutting a few players still does not undo the advantage they have had in being able to retain players and build a cohesive team and club.

[mike909]

I enjoyed listening to Paul William's on Under The Sticks today on the matter. He points out how its progressed from a few transgressions where they forgot to report a few payments to now its seeming it was a deliberately contrived scheme to cheat the league. This is just further proof how Nigel always has been and remains a lying cheating scum bag who thinks hes above the rules. Some might think that's harsh but I've paid money to watch a rigged league...I've seen people lose their jobs and players careers be cut short or unfairly judged based on the fact others were cheating the whole time. Yes I'm angry. Also angry at how even now most the Saracens fans fail to hold their club to account and continue to say they have been harshly treated.

Why not save us all the stress and just kick them out of the league only to return once they have disbanded their team all together. Cutting a few players still does not undo the advantage they have had in being able to retain players and build a cohesive team and club.

I find it hard to argue against that - I've paid for Sat TV to watch basically rigged games and a rigged league. We can't know but can guess that playing against most of the Lions pack has had on players in other teams and their rep. It must be easier to be a prop/hooker in front of Kruis and Itoje with Billy behind......and even easier if Itoje is able to be a 6.......

And as a Wasps - I'd really like to know the influence of the "we can afford anyone" was on the semi when even with all those cheaters we managed 5 tries......

[Vespula Vulgaris]

And as a Wasps - I'd really like to know the influence of the "we can afford anyone" was on the semi when even with all those cheaters we managed 5 tries......

Would that be the away semi that Sarries had both home advantage and the proceeds of the gate?

And we didn't.

Because we were cheated out of it.

By an unapologetic pack of liars.

[Neils]

The match where we outnumbered the cheats by 3 or 4 to 1.
For their "home" match.

[mike909]

And as a Wasps - I'd really like to know the influence of the "we can afford anyone" was on the semi when even with all those cheaters we managed 5 tries......

Would that be the away semi that Sarries had both home advantage and the proceeds of the gate?

And we didn't.

Because we were cheated out of it.

By an unapologetic pack of liars.

Yeah....