Saracens pay fine for Champions Cup launch no-show

Saracens have been fined for failing to attend the European Champions Cup and Challenge Cup launch in Cardiff this month.

Sarries director of rugby Mark McCall and captain Brad Barritt were not present at the event on November 6, a day after the European champions were docked 35 Premiership points and fined £5.36million for breaching salary cap regulations.

European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) imposed a financial penalty on the champions of England for the no-show in the Welsh capital.

The London club accepted their absence constituted a breach of Champions Cup media rules, compromising EPCR’s ability to deliver the rights contracted to its broadcast, commercial and media partners.

Sarries accepted breaching the Champions Cup Participation Agreement and have paid an undisclosed sum to EPCR.

The three-time European champions on Monday revealed they would not appeal against their punishment for salary-cap breaches, as challenging the sanctions would be a “costly, time consuming and destabilising exercise.”

McCall’s, winners of the Champions Cup in three of the last four seasons, were beaten 30-10 at Racing 92 in their first game of the 2019-20 competition on Sunday.

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