Coronavirus: Saracens furlough staff and call on players to defer wages

Saracens have asked high-earning players and staff members to defer part of their wages, confirming the club will take part in the British government’s furlough scheme.

English rugby’s Premiership season was suspended in March due to the coronavirus pandemic and, with lockdown measures still in place across the country, there is no immediate sign of professional sport returning.

Wasps, Worcester and Gloucester have all reduced wages, and now Saracens – who will be relegated to the second tier for next season due to a breach of salary cap regulations – have announced a similar decision.

The current English and European champions also confirmed on Wednesday they would place a number of staff members on furlough. That is the government scheme that offers to pay 80 per cent of wages, up to £2,500 per month, in order to minimise the loss of jobs during the crisis.

Saracens will be participating in the government furloughing scheme and in addition have asked players and all employees earning over £75,000 to defer payment of their salaries.#TogetherSaracens

— Saracens Rugby Club (@Saracens) April 15, 2020

Saracens have also requested that players and other members of staff who earn over £75,000 – likely to include England stars Owen Farrell, Maro Itoje, Jamie George and Elliot Daly – to defer the part of their salaries above that amount.

Saracens said the wages would be paid back over the course of an 18-month period from the start of the 2020-21 season.

“COVID-19 has had huge ramifications on every facet of society and rugby is no different, this is not an easy time for the players and the club alike,” Itoje said.

“But in order to see this through, the whole organisation needs to pull together and do what we can for the future of Saracens and our individual careers within the sport.”

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