English and European champions Saracens face the prospect of relegation as the salary cap scandal continues to blight the domestic season.
Here, the PA news agency examines the current state of play.
Why were Saracens initially punished?
#Breaking Saracens have been docked 35 points and handed a £5million fine after being found guilty of salary cap breaches, the PA news agency understands pic.twitter.com/v4MMFXau0L
— PA Sport (@pasport) November 5, 2019
For breaching the Premiership’s £7million salary cap for each of the last three seasons, resulting in a £5.36million fine and the docking of 35 points that leaves them in a relegation battle. There were calls for them to be stripped of titles but this was not within the range of sanctions available to Premiership Rugby (PRL), which manages the league.
But they are still in trouble?
Were they not attempting to do this?
Why, then, the threat of relegation?
I like Saracens as a club. I admire what they have created and I like Nigel Wray.But, this is the second time in 5 years they have been caught breaking the salary cap rules. If you say the sanctions are ludicrous, what action do you say should have been taken?
— Brian Moore (@brianmoore666) November 5, 2019
This is where details become hazy. The ante appears to have been upped at a PRL meeting on Tuesday when Saracens were given a week to prove they are operating within the £7million cap or face being demoted to the Championship regardless of their final points total. The extent to which they are over the cap has not been made public, but it is believed to be a substantial amount and Griffiths has found making the necessary reductions harder than expected. Saracens and their players face uncertain futures as patience runs out at PRL.
Can Saracens recover?
