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'We, for a number of years, have suspected they've been infringing the salary cap' - Exeter chief says the book should be thrown at Saracens
By Online Editors
Exeter chief executive Tony Rowe has suggested Saracens should be relegated from the Gallagher Premiership over their breaches of salary cap regulations.
Saracens were handed a 35-point deduction and fined more than £5million on Tuesday, although both sanctions will be suspended while the club appeals against them.
Exeter has lost the last two Premiership finals to Saracens and Rowe believes the penalties the European champions face do not go far enough.
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“We, for a number of years, have suspected they’ve been infringing the salary cap,” he told BBC Radio Devon.
“But I don’t think the penalty is severe enough. You take away 35 points this year – they could still be in the semi-finals and could still end up at Twickenham (in the final).”
Putting forward an alternative punishment, Rowe added: “Relegation – in professional sport in America, if you’re in breach of the salary cap you get thrown out completely.”
Exeter lost last season’s final by only three points and Rowe says he has been left with a “nasty taste”.
“It’s the management that have totally flouted the rules and regulations, which has enabled them to put a squad on the pitch that we couldn’t match,” he said.
“I feel a bit bitter about it because we were only just beaten. I’m not blaming the (Saracens) players, you can’t blame the players.
“It leaves a bit of a nasty taste in my mouth. If you’re in sport and you get beaten fair and square that’s fine, but then to find out that your opponents have actually cheated, it’s not good.”
Exeter's use of a loop hole criticised:
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Vaai is finally having his breakout year getting comfortable and showing great form at lock, and there are form players and experience all across the backrow, why on earth would you drop him to 6. Ridiculous
Go to commentsSo far, the All Blacks have won 8 matches out of 11 this year. That is a near 73% win rate. AB fans and, I assume, the team itself are not content with that and have everything to play for with the remaining 3 tests this year.
Their historical average is something like 77% these days and, although some years will always be better than others it is not likely to drop that dramatically to 70% any time soon. There is too much historical inertia on the stats. It is like saying Ireland’s form of the last 10 years or so is likely to reverse a historical average of 48% wins soon. It just isn’t.
Moreover, when you say they are ‘doomed’ to a 70% flatline are you not just assuming that Ireland will beat them again? How did that work out for you last time?
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