Friday 20 March 2020 17:54, UK
Saracens have asked their players and staff to take a 25 per cent wage cut due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The five-time Premiership champions have requested their staff members to take the pay cut as the cancellation of social gatherings and events has resulted in the club being in a "critical position".
The Rugby Football Union (RFU) confirmed the end of the 2019/20 season for all league, cup and county rugby in England except for the Gallagher Premiership, due to fears surrounding the spread of coronavirus.
Wasps and Worcester have announced they will cut their players' wages, with Gloucester also confirming on Friday they would follow the same course of action.
A Saracens statement read: "In these unprecedented times since the outbreak of the coronavirus, the world in which we work has changed unrecognisably and continues to evolve almost daily.
"With the recent announcements that all rugby activity has been postponed and the cancellation of social gatherings and events for the foreseeable future, our club finds itself in a critical position. There will be a very significant drop in revenue and it is an unsustainable situation.
"We have asked all our players, coaches and staff across the whole organisation to support us in a reduction in salary by 25%. This move is to protect as many jobs as possible and avoid redundancies.
"We will keep this situation under review at all times and we anticipate that the pay cut will last until fixtures are re-scheduled and revenue generating activity can begin again in earnest. Our lower paid staff have been protected from this pay cut.
"This decision has not been taken lightly by the Board and as we understand it every rugby club across the country is feeling the same pain. Saracens would like to thank all our staff and players for their commitment to the club's ethos of family, unity and togetherness.
"The club would also like to thank all our loyal fans for their patience, support and understanding in these uncertain times. Stay safe everyone."
