Saracens: Communications firm to manage fallout of salary cap scandal

Mark McCall led Saracens to a Premiership and European Champions Cup double in 2018-19

Saracens have brought in a major communications company to help manage the public fallout of the salary cap scandal, with the Premiership champions yet to formally appeal against their points deduction and fine.

Sarries are set to be docked 35 points and fined £5.36m after an inquiry into business dealings between owner Nigel Wray and some of the club's players.

Journalists were banned from asking director of rugby Mark McCall questions about the salary cap breach during Wednesday's regular media briefing.

The news conference was called to preview their match against Racing 92 on Saturday, when they will begin the defence of their European Champions Cup crown.

FTI Consulting, a global business advisory firm, were present at the briefing and will oversee how Sarries manage the situation publicly.

McCall confirmed the club have until Monday, 18 November to officially lodge their appeal.

In a statement issued on the same day the sanctions were announced, owner Wray said it felt as though "the rug is being completely pulled out from under our feet" and vowed to "appeal against all the findings".

Premiership Rugby has said a review "can only be on the basis that there has been an error of law, the decision is irrational or that there has been some procedural unfairness".

What did McCall actually say on Wednesday?

Former Ireland international McCall said it will be a "heck of a challenge" if the 35-point deduction stands, adding that it would be about the Premiership holders "trying to avoid relegation".

"It's a challenge we haven't had to experience before as a group and I think one that we'll get our head around and relish if we have to do that," he told BBC Sport.

"We're in a bit of adversity at the moment and I think over the years when adversity has come our way we've dealt with it pretty well.

"This is obviously probably adversity at a different level to what we've been used to before."

Saracens have won six of their opening eight games in all competitions and are likely to be without most of their England World Cup players for their European opener in France, with several yet to return to training.

"I genuinely don't think it's realistic that people can jump from being away for five months into something completely different," McCall added.

"For us to try and tell them playing against Racing's the biggest game - they played a World Cup final two weeks ago - so we've been having some individual conversations to see how they genuinely feel and try to make some decisions with them, rather than for them, as to when they come back."

What does it all mean for their European campaign?

Saracens centre Alex Lozowski, who spoke to the media after McCall, insisted the club can "absolutely" defend their European crown, adding they are "not going to lie down and give it away".

But European Professional Club Rugby director general Vincent Gaillard earlier said the sanction "isn't good news" for their tournament.

"Our concern rests in their capacity to put everything into the European Cup knowing that they will have to fight all the way to avoid relegation," said Gaillard.

"Perhaps other clubs will be happy that they are going to be a bit wounded but it's not good news for us.

"We would prefer that they are thoroughly behind the competition."

England international Lozowski said the Saracens squad had become accustomed to not being popular within the sport, after the silverware they have won over recent years.

"Since I've been here we've been pretty much been universally disliked so it's not really new to us," he said.

"That's what happens when you have success and win championships. What happened has, I guess, made that a bit worse but we are used to being disliked so it's nothing new for us.

"The target on our backs may be a little bit bigger now but looking at the people we have I'm pretty sure everyone's ready to deal with that."

What's the background?

The charges relate to a failure to disclose player payments in each of the 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons.

Saracens previously claimed they "readily comply" with salary cap rules and were able to spend above the £7m cap because of the high proportion - almost 60% - of home-grown players in their squad.

The Allianz Park outfit have several of the game's biggest stars on their books, including seven of the 31-man squad that represented England at the World Cup in Japan.

One of the dominant forces in northern hemisphere club rugby, Sarries have won five Premiership titles and three European Champions Cups since 2010-11 - with two of those domestic titles coming in the timeframe that Premiership Rugby have been investigating.

Their three European successes have all come within the past four seasons.