Saracens sack Totoa Auvaa after second conduct incident

Saracens have terminated the contract of academy forward Totoa Auvaa with immediate effect after determining that his conduct fell short of the standards expected of everyone who represents the club, both on and off the pitch. The decision followed an internal investigation into an incident that took place in St Albans on the evening of Saturday, October 10.

Auvaa, 21, had previously been involved in a separate incident in June that also featured England cricketers Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson. That earlier episode followed the first Test between England and New Zealand at Lord's, when separate Saracens and England cricket social evenings converged on two pubs before Stokes, Atkinson and Auvaa ended up in the VIP area of the Rex Rooms nightclub in the early hours of Monday, June 8. During that incident, Auvaa aimed a punch at Atkinson, missed him and struck a member of England's security staff. The security staff member needed stitches but did not go to the police. Saracens confirmed on Monday, October 12, that Auvaa had left the club after the investigation was concluded.

"Saracens can confirm that Totoa Auvaa, a member of the senior men's academy, has left the club with immediate effect. Following an incident this weekend, the club has determined that his conduct falls short of the standards expected of everyone who represents Saracens, both on and off the pitch," A club statement read, as quoted by Cricinfo.

What were the consequences of the June nightclub incident?

The June incident at the Rex Rooms had significant administrative consequences for England cricket. Stokes and Atkinson were made unavailable for England's second Test defeat against New Zealand, while Auvaa faced no sanction from Saracens at that stage.

Stokes was subsequently restored to the England side for the deciding third Test. During that match, he announced his retirement from international cricket at the conclusion of the game. The club have not linked the June case to the more recent St Albans incident, and the latest matter involved a different academy player alongside Auvaa.

What does the St Albans incident establish for Saracens?

The October 10 incident in St Albans led Saracens to open a thorough internal investigation into Auvaa's conduct. The club concluded that investigation and acted swiftly, confirming the dismissal on Monday evening, October 12.

Saracens have not publicly disclosed the specific details of what occurred in St Albans on October 10. The club's statement made clear that the decision to part ways with Auvaa was based on the findings of that investigation and that his conduct was judged to fall below the standards the club requires of all its players and academy members. No further procedural steps have been announced by the club at this stage.