Rugby

Sad news. Fantastic player. Couldn’t really win much more.

We are a sport that always claimed to be whiter than white

Other than the rife doping, obvs

And that cheating and getting away with cheating during the course of the game is admired - see defensive “linespeed” (offside), basically every back row player at every breakdown, all front row scrummaging, “flat” passes, all scrum put-ins, all scrum halves, etc.

Then there are the shoulder charges, high tackles, fights, gouging, spitting, calling the referee a fucking cheat, Dan Biggar’s constant moaning, huge Frenchmen elbowing people in the face, etc.

Yes, definitely the steroids, ephedrine, testosterone, HGH, etc.

But other than that, what have the Romans ever done for us?

But if true, his admission that clubs were paid off to keep schtum is at least as big a scandal as the salary cap cheating in my book.

What, rugby players are on steroids? Actually about 10 years ago half (literally, and possibly more) my club's first xv were taking steroids although that was probably a reflection of the high street where every other chap was sporting hulking traps bulging veins and a permanently magenta hue.

I wonder/hope, that the fact other clubs have not held back in their disgust/criticism mean the chances of a reduction in punishment is less likely.

My father used to say rugby was a sport played by thugs and watched by gentlemen and football played by gentlemen but watched by thugs.

Possession is 9/10s of the (rugby) law!

What, rugby players are on steroids?

Sorry, yes, you’re quite right - I meant allegedly...

Forgetting everything else, surely 'The panels' finding that “the Panel acknowledged it did not deliberately attempt to breach the salary cap” mean that an appeal will be successful to a large degree. Personally I would opine that's nonsense and these players are being 'bunged' outside their salaries through dummy corporations but surely we can't have it both ways - support part of the panel's findings but overlook other bits?

I think a big question I haven't really heard addressed yet is what happens to the playing squad for this season? Headlines being that they've added Daly and Singleton and lost Bosch and Burger. Can't see that resulting in a dramatically reduced salary bill - and I heard that the conclusion to draw from the level of their fine is that they have been found to have breached the cap by at least £600k for each of the past three seasons (the fine is based on 3x the breach of each relevant year). How can other teams feel it is fair to continue with this squad now the findings are public? I appreciate that this was an open secret and opposition players have felt strongly about this for years now (Danny Care spoke really well on this on the BBC rugby podcast) but now the report has been published it must be that much harder to accept - apparently some club owners debating whether they will refuse to play them. This season could get a lot weirder before the end...

Yes, this is the interesting one for me, they can't just release players can they? surely they are under contract? I can't see that any of the other "big" teams could afford to add any of them to their squads even if they were released, I know Chiefs had to let Cordero and Lawday go this season to stay under the cap.
I can't see any English players wanting to go to France and lose the national team, so they have to stay?

Fire sale!

With no buyers?! and players who I guess won't want to take a pay cut...

Agreed - keep hearing elements of "poor Saracens" "They're punished for developing great talent" "They've made the England team what it is" etc etc. What utter bollocks to somehow try and justify that you're cheating for the greater good. Completely unrelated, I do think that perhaps there should be some form of salary cap relief for academy players as if, like Sarries, you develop half a dozen into top quality international players should you then not be able to afford to keep them, but this issue is separate and completely unrelated in this case.

There already is to some degree, with the home grown and international player credits, explained here

That was slightly tongue in cheek.

But there will be some buyers. There are already some moves in the offing, with Kpoku to Saints, Williams back to Wales (which would probably have happened anyway, to be fair) and Malins to Exeter are already rumoured. These moves just might be accelerated.

This is probably academic, as I believe there is a statement somewhere that says this year's squad are under the cap (can't find ref at the moment)- presumably this has a caveat that no further 'help' is given to players' businesses?

every other chap was sporting hulking traps bulging veins and a permanently magenta hue.

Don't forget the atrophied clackers and shrunken winkies though!

And the spouse beating...

the Panel acknowledged it did not deliberately attempt to breach the salary cap

I'd rather hope that intent (which is otherwise impossible to prove, short of smoking gun emails) should be taken out of the equation.

Except that it waddles, has a bill & feathers, lives in ponds and goes quack.

Yes, I suspect the appeal will take a while anyway, so the squad will stay in place for this season. I suspect there won't be many major changes anyway, some fringe players leaving next season, but the core will remain, and just accept the money they are legally allowed, as no one else is going to pay them more and stay under the cap. I guess it could lead to more older players leaving to non-capped leagues once their England days are over.

Those are just a given haha! Seriously though, loads of people still taking steroids, very much a social norm amongst blokes here, crisp fade, tan, sleeve, wripped jeans and absurdly massive top halves just about covered by the tightest of box fresh white t-shirts is a common site - touch of the Valley Boys culture creeping South.

Completely agree it just seems that the fact they've stated it (when they shouldn't have) means that it can't really be taken out of the equation. Isn't law based upon intent or intent by proxy due to irresponsibility if that makes sense (I don't know much/anything about these things but hope you 'catch my drift')

I suspect the appeal will take a while anyway

Most of the rest of the season is what I have heard.

Wouldn't surprise me if it conveniently takes the whole season prior to playoffs, so that they can sidestep the issue of this season, deduct the points just before the playoffs so that Sarries are not in it, and then give them the off season to get in line.

Scotland Rugby have been fined £70,000 for their spaffing over the proposed cancellation of their Japan game.

Which was played anyway...

Oooof! I assume this was mostly due to the 'double standards' part argument? If so, why wasn't Parrisse fined for his slightly more blunt statement?

I think this is the heart of the issue - Saracens have done incredibly to develop a huge number of top English internationals and Nigel Wray just couldn't stomach not keeping that team together (which doesn't seem unreasonable on the face of it) - the academy credits don't go far enough so he looked at creative solutions. Still cheating, and I don't think this alleviates any blame, but I do find it harder to get frothingly outraged about than if it was a Bath/Toulon style galacticos model of just buying the best because you want to win.