How will they afford it?

[physiodan]

Saints brought Ashton, Foden, Lawes etc into the team on contract before their international careers took off. When they come to the end of contracts and big money is offered and Saints still havent won anything (may win HC next week) will they be loyal or will they take the big money and Saints sink. I hope that the latter does not occur as I enjoy the games against them but they have some big names. Tiny, Hartley, Mooj, Day, Lawes, Wood, Myler, Ashton, Foden will all be ther next year.

Ansbro and Bruce have left leaving a little play but that is little when you consider the above all possible +300k earners. And could all be +500k in France or even Bath, Irish or Wasps.

[neilf]

I bet other teams ask the same about us

[physiodan]

I bet other teams ask the same about us

Probably but we have a history of winning trophies and superb back room staff and facilities which entices people to play for less. Castro for example!

[Jay C]

Saints brought Ashton, Foden, Lawes etc into the team on contract before their international careers took off. When they come to the end of contracts and big money is offered and Saints still havent won anything (may win HC next week) will they be loyal or will they take the big money and Saints sink. I hope that the latter does not occur as I enjoy the games against them but they have some big names. Tiny, Hartley, Mooj, Day, Lawes, Wood, Myler, Ashton, Foden will all be ther next year.

Ansbro and Bruce have left leaving a little play but that is little when you consider the above all possible +300k earners. And could all be +500k in France or even Bath, Irish or Wasps.

Don't think Myler is worth 300k .......

After the others you mention (8x300k), that would leave about 1.6m of salary cap left for the other 30 odd players in their squad - that's about 50k each, which I think sounds about right looking at their bench !!

[LessThanSte]

I still think that players who have been raised from academies etc should be exempt from salary cap regulations. Ben Youngs might be a good example, brought up the Tigers way with great coaching etc but will now inevitably require a much higher salary since becoming England's number 1 SH. It would be a travesty if players had to leave a club because they couldnt afford players that are only where they are because of the investment of said club!

The same could probably be said of signing players for a pittance and seeing them flourish. In football that is a way for clubs to make money if they arnt so worried about getting rid of players who do well for vastly higher amounts than they paid.

Maybe the salary cap should take that in to account, the salary cap figure is what the player was paid when he first joined a club and doesnt move upwards if that player suddenly gets better!

[physiodan]

Saints brought Ashton, Foden, Lawes etc into the team on contract before their international careers took off. When they come to the end of contracts and big money is offered and Saints still havent won anything (may win HC next week) will they be loyal or will they take the big money and Saints sink. I hope that the latter does not occur as I enjoy the games against them but they have some big names. Tiny, Hartley, Mooj, Day, Lawes, Wood, Myler, Ashton, Foden will all be ther next year.

Ansbro and Bruce have left leaving a little play but that is little when you consider the above all possible +300k earners. And could all be +500k in France or even Bath, Irish or Wasps.

Don't think Myler is worth 300k .......

After the others you mention (8x300k), that would leave about 1.6m of salary cap left for the other 30 odd players in their squad - that's about 50k each, which I think sounds about right looking at their bench !!

But can Saints afford the full Salary cap? All the above could demand the plus side of 300k when they come to renew contracts. They were all brought in cheap as not getting 1st team experience at pre clubs or young with promise. As most are now at the top of the game surely there will be a sudden jump in wage increase and if not, off they may go to the lure of Euro's. Remember, Saints are fighting to increase the Stadium size and therefore may become a little strapped.

[Lincs Stu]

I heard a rumour that Saints were interested in signing Mike Phillips, but wouldn't (or maybe couldn't) pay him £250k. If they are not prepared to pay him £250k I struggle to believe that they pay those players £300k.

Moody, the England captain, left us for less than £250k at Bath, so I think anybody on £300k in English Rugby has to be the exception rather than the norm.

[Ads677]

Ansbro and Bruce have left leaving a little play but that is little when you consider the above all possible +300k earners. And could all be +500k in France or even Bath, Irish or Wasps.

Where do the salary figures of £300,000+ come from?

[sam16111986]

I'm willing to bet that Ansbro and Bruce were not on £300k combined. Wingers and utility backs just don't sign for such massive fees (generally speaking). Though they may be a certain saving with both of them going, Ansbro was not an international when he signed and will have been on squad player wages. Bruce may have been on more money as he was a first teamer and club captain previously (depending on when his last contract was signed).

[physiodan]

Ansbro and Bruce have left leaving a little play but that is little when you consider the above all possible +300k earners. And could all be +500k in France or even Bath, Irish or Wasps.

Where do the salary figures of £300,000+ come from?

As I said, possible! Ashton, Foden et al are not at these Wages at present as they were relative unknowns when they arrived. What I am say and in the title thread it reads "How WILL they afford it". They seem to have a lot of players who have come in as low earners, become top quality players and starting internationals, who could, not do, earn £300,000+.

If this occurs, will Saints be able to keep them and stay finacially afloat or off load a player and become a lesser team?

[sam16111986]

They'll be forced to cope the same way we have. Sign good squad cover and try to find the next underrated startlets whilst releasing the expensive players when they cease being irreplaceable. Requires a lack of sentamentality and an excellent scouting network to constantly tweak your squad this way but Tigers manage it (just).

[Bill W (2)]

Requires a lack of sentamentality and an excellent scouting network to constantly tweak your squad this way but Tigers manage it (just).

Remind me again, who is Saints Chief Scout?

Ah that's right.

[Alatoruk]

Maybe the salary cap should take that in to account, the salary cap figure is what the player was paid when he first joined a club and doesnt move upwards if that player suddenly gets better!

too open to abuse. I pay the player £1 for the first year, then pay him £500,000 for the rest of his career and he doesnt fit into my cap figures. If he is worried about it I pay £1 first year then £1m the next year then 500K from then on. he gets same money!!!!