Situation to have implications for England team with eight players, including captain Owen Farrell, featuring in last year's World Cup
Tuesday 21 January 2020 13:19, UK
Saracens' management have begun holding one-to-one meetings with players over their futures, with talks at the training ground expected to run until Thursday.
The club have been relegated to the Championship for breaches of the Premiership's £7m salary cap, with the challenge now to avoid an exodus of their best players while simultaneously cutting the wage bill for next season.
However, they will still need to be compliant with the salary cap if they are to make an immediate return to the top flight as rules dictate promoted clubs also have to fall within it.
The scandal will have big implications for the England team with eight Saracens players, including captain Owen Farrell, featuring in last year's World Cup final against South Africa.
If Saracens' England stars decide they want to stay - which Farrell is reported to have intimated - then the other issue (aside from wages) is how to ensure they are playing regularly at a competitive level.
England coach Eddie Jones and Lions coach Warren Gatland will need to be consulted - and will have a big say, particularly with the Lions tour of South Africa next year.
One idea Saracens are considering is arranging overseas games against the Southern hemisphere's Super Rugby sides.
Another option could see Test players sent overseas on sabbaticals but that would require the RFU to relax its current stance of not selecting players based abroad.
Younger players aspiring for international honours - like backrow Ben Earl - could also be loaned to other Premiership clubs for the season.
There is no 'one-size-fits-all solution' and it will be a complicated process, with much dependent on the needs and circumstances of the individual players.
