AVIVA PREMIERSHIP BOSS Mark McCafferty insists there have been no salary cap breaches committed by clubs competing in the English game’s top tier.
Although Premiership Rugby confirmed “certain issues” were pursued with some Premiership clubs last season in relation to the salary cap, McCafferty’s organisation are adamant they “have now resolved the issues identified and have entered into appropriate confidential settlements”.
Speculation raged in recent months that at least three Premiership clubs might have broken last season’s salary cap limit of £4.76m (€6.6m).
But Premiership Rugby said in a statement: “Over the last few months, there has been speculation, much of it significantly inaccurate, concerning investigations into clubs.
“Premiership Rugby can confirm that certain issues were pursued last season with some clubs relating to access to information, and to commercial contracts where there were differences of opinion as to the correct inclusion or not in the salary cap spend.
“The issues were not straightforward and were subject to differing legal opinion and consequent risk as to any judgment on the correct interpretation.
“Premiership Rugby and the clubs have now resolved the issues identified and have entered into appropriate confidential settlements.”
The Premiership’s salary cap is set to rise and rise in the next few years, with this season’s limit being £5.5m (€7.63m), before rising by a further million next season, and reaching £7m (€9.71m) in the 2017/18 season.
