England & Lions Star Commits His Future To Saracens Despite Relegation To Championship

Going nowhere.

England and Lions hooker Jamie George has committed his future to Saracens despite the club’s impending relegation to the Championship following salary cap breaches.

The reigning Premiership champions have been deducted a total of 70 points this season and were handed a fine in excess of £5 million with a number of their top internationals now looking likely to depart either on loan or in permanent deals.

But George will not be one of them with the 29-year-old vowing to stay on as he feels he has a “responsibility” to the club who have given him so much.

George also welcomed the potential opportunity to “rest a little more” and perhaps use next season as a bit of a sabbatical from the game.

“I want to stay at the club and I want to be part of the transition. That’s the plan,” said George.

“We are 80 or 90 per cent of the way to knowing what’s going on, but there are still a few bits to work out.

“I guess in a way we as players feel a responsibility to pay back what the club have given us.

“These are all very important times and we’ve got to make sure that we give everything we can back to them.

“As international players, we are doing stuff that’s not been done before – we’ll give that a go!

“I love the club, I’m committed to the club and next season might be an opportunity to rest a little bit more as you don’t really get that at this stage of your career.”

George added that he has never even thought what kind of salaries his teammates are on with money, not a factor for him at all.

“Genuinely, hand on heart, I have never even thought what anyone else would be on,” added George.

“Money isn’t a factor for me at all. It’s great that we earn money doing what we love, but at the same time I grew up going to Vicarage Road with my old man. Playing for Saracens was everything. And that’s still how I feel now.

“I never wondered. We all came through at the same time and the club just seemed to be evolving and obviously then things got out of hand in the background and the accounts didn’t add up.

“That’s probably stupid from me, but it is also not my responsibility. But I genuinely didn’t think about it.”

When asked if he felt let down by Saracens’ hierarchy, George said:

“It’s difficult. They have shown a huge amount of loyalty to me and remorse in terms of what they have done and that is appreciated.

“It’s right that the players don’t take the responsibility. Saracens have been very open and honest to us and the frustration for us is the times where legally they can’t tell us what is going on. But I don’t feel let down.

“The things and opportunities that Nigel Wray has given to me as a person from the age of 17… he has invested so much time into me and love so I will be forever grateful for that.”

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