Saracens Sack Auvaa After Second Incident — SkimNews
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- Saracens sacked academy forward Totoa Auvaa, a 21-year-old Samoan, with immediate effect following an incident in St Albans on Saturday.
- Saracens had originally stood Auvaa down from all duties during the investigation, ruling his conduct fell short of standards expected on and off the pitch.
- Auvaa was at the centre of a June nightclub incident in which a member of England's security staff was left bloodied and needing medical attention after being struck by him.
- An ECB disciplinary hearing found England cricketers Ben Stokes (then captain) and Gus Atkinson breached "contractual obligations" but were blameless for "violent conduct," and Auvaa was not sanctioned at the time.
- Stokes and Atkinson were made unavailable for England's second Test defeat by New Zealand as a consequence of the hearing.
- Stokes was restored to the team for the deciding third Test, during which he announced his retirement from international cricket at the conclusion of the match.
Why it matters: The sacking closes the Saracens side of a saga that also briefly sidelined two England cricketers — Stokes was restored for the deciding Test against New Zealand and used it to announce his international retirement, while Auvaa, the player who triggered the original clash, now exits Premiership Rugby with his standing further diminished by a second off-field breach.
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