Table of Contents
English rugby club Saracens have sacked their young player Totoa Auvaa after he was involved in another off-field incident. Auvaa is the same player who had already made headlines in June after a nightclub incident involving England cricketers Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson in Chelsea.
The 21-year-old Samoan forward has left the English rugby club with immediate effect after an incident in St Albans on Saturday (October 10). Saracens have taken the harsh call after Auvaa was given a final warning for his earlier alcohol-related incidents. Earlier, England officially appoint ex-CSK star as Test bowling coach as Stephen Fleming’s influence grows.
Saracens sack Totoa Auvaa with immediate effect after another off-field incident
Saracens confirmed that Auvaa had left the club with immediate effect after an incident over the weekend. The English rugby club made it clear that his behavior did not meet the standards expected from anyone representing Saracens, whether on or off the field.
The club also said it takes its responsibilities towards fans, partners, and the local community seriously and expects everyone connected with it to follow high standards of behavior. Auvaa was first removed from all club duties while Saracens looked into the matter.
However, the club later decided to end his association with immediate effect. Before this incident, the 21-year-old had already received a final warning following other alcohol-related incidents. Amid this, ICC punishes 2 West Indies stars after Ranchi T20I incidents in historic win.
Saracens confirms Totoa Auvaa left the club
Saracens said in an official statement as quoted by The Guardian, "Saracens can confirm that Totoa Auvaa, a member of the senior men’s academy, has left the club with immediate effect. Following an incident over the weekend, the club has determined that his conduct was inconsistent with the standards and values expected of all individuals representing Saracens, both on and off the field.”
The rugby club further added, “Saracens takes its responsibilities to its supporters, partners, and the wider community seriously. The club remains committed to upholding the highest standards of behavior, integrity, and accountability across the organization. The club will not be making any further comment on this matter.”
How Totoa Auvaa's nightclub incident led to Ben Stokes' retirement
Auvaa had already found himself in trouble in June after an incident at a nightclub in Chelsea involving the former England Test captain Ben Stokes and star bowler Gus Atkinson.
During the incident, Auvaa reportedly threw a punch at Atkinson. However, the punch missed the England fast bowler and hit an England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) security guard instead. The guard suffered an injury and needed stitches, but he did not report the matter to the police.
The incident had a major impact on England cricket. Both Stokes and Atkinson were dropped from the second Test against New Zealand. Although both players returned to the team for the third Test. However, the incident also created problems between Stokes and the ECB.
Stokes was not happy with the way the ECB handled the matter. His frustration reportedly played a role in his sudden decision to resign as England's Test captain and retire from international cricket on the fourth day of the final Test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge.
Why ECB was unhappy with Saracens over Totoa Auvaa's nightclub incident
The June incident also led to a disagreement between Saracens and the ECB. Saracens decided not to take disciplinary action against Auvaa at that time and described the incident as regrettable while showing support for their player.
The rugby club also criticised the ECB for releasing a statement that described its employees as victims of unprovoked attacks without consulting Saracens first.
The ECB, meanwhile, was surprised that no action was taken against Auvaa. This was particularly concerning for the cricket board because Stokes and Atkinson had both missed a Test match despite being blameless in the incident.
