Number of 'marquee' players at each club to be reduced from two to one in attempt to ease financial impact of coronavirus
Tuesday 9 June 2020 06:19, UK
Premiership rugby clubs have agreed to cut the league's salary cap from £7m to £6m for the 2021-22 season.
The reduction, which is expected to be confirmed by Premiership Rugby on Tuesday, is designed to help clubs overcome financial losses caused by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Another significant change will see the number of 'marquee' players - whose salaries do not count towards the overall cap - in a squad reduced from two to one in the 2022-23 season.
Last week, all 13 Premiership clubs unanimously approved a sweeping overhaul of the league's salary cap.
In May, a review led by former government minister Lord Myners proposed 52 recommendations to overhaul the salary cap following a comprehensive review.
The reduction of the salary cap and marquee player allowance were not officially recommended by the review, which followed last year's punishment of Saracens for breaches of the salary cap and subsequent failure to provide proof of their immediate compliance to auditors.
Premiership Rugby last week agreed a target date of Saturday August 15 for the resumption of play after the season was delayed by the coronavirus pandemic.
At a board meeting on Thursday night, the restart date was agreed following the announcement that Premiership clubs can return to training.
The campaign was suspended 'indefinitely' on April 8 following an initial five-week suspension, but Premiership Rugby have consistently said the plan has been to complete the season.
The structure for the remainder of the 2019-20 season - for which the original date for the Premiership final was June 20 - will be released in due course.
Exeter Chiefs currently lead the Premiership after 13 rounds of fixtures played by 45 points, five ahead of second-placed Sale Sharks.
Divisions below the Premiership have finished for the season, meaning Newcastle will be promoted to the Premiership for the next campaign.
