Saracens owner Nigel Wray didn’t attend his team’s match against Bath at the Rec on Saturday after all English clubs have indicated he is not welcome at their grounds.
The defending English champions were fined £5.36 million and handed a 35-points deduction for breaching the Premiership’s salary cap. Saracens considered appealing the sanction but ultimately decided to accept their punishment.
The penalty put Saracens at the bottom of the Premiership table with -22 points after four games. Sarries have since beaten Bath 25-12 to improve their log points to -18 but they are still languishing at the foot of the table.
Sarries were near full strength for the first time this season, but Wray – who normally attends all club matches – was not there to see his team claim a convincing victory because he feels unwelcome at all opposition grounds.
‘It’s a real shame that he doesn’t feel comfortable to come to the away matches,’ said Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall.
‘For somebody who has actually given rugby a lot, I believe, and given the north London community so much good, for him to feel he cannot watch his club is really sad. Hopefully he starts to feel differently soon, but it’s his decision for now.’
The latest developments have increased speculation around Wray’s future involvement with the club. Reports in England suggest he will step back to a less public position at the club, while other reports indicate that Wray could leave Saracens altogether.
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