Owen Farrell is set to defer around 90% of his wages for five months in an attempt to help Saracens survive the Covid-19 crisis.

The English premiership club has moved to slash costs to prevent going under amid the pandemic and it has been reported that Farrell, Maro Itoje and the Vunipola brothers among others, have been asked to defer the majority of their wages until the start of next season which is currently scheduled for September.

According to the Guardian, that means Farrell will be asked to defer around £300,000 of his wages for five months.

Saracens have announced that deferred salaries would be repaid over an 18-month period, but did not say whether the proposed wage deferrals have been formally accepted by the players but they are said to be ‘overwhelmingly supportive’.

The Guardian has reported it is unclear whether they would be included in this season’s wage bill or for the 2021-22 Premiership campaign, assuming Saracens are promoted next season.

The club has already had a 25% pay cut imposed on its squad as part of a blanket move by premiership clubs which was this week strongly criticised by the Rugby Players’ Association (RPA).

Saracens also became the latest club to announce they are taking advantage of the government’s furlough scheme.

Neil Golding, the club’s chairman, insisted the measures were all necessary to keep Saracens afloat.

‘We understand this is really tough for everyone, but the reality is that the only way to survive this unprecedented situation as a club is to make these adjustments.’

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