Leicester Tigers fined by Premiership Rugby after ANOTHER past salary cap breach was revealed - for a season when they had already been found guilty of an over-spend

Leicester have been fined by Premiership Rugby after another past salary cap breach by the East Midlands club came to light – for a season when they had already been found guilty of an over-spend.

The Tigers released a statement confirming that they have 'accepted and paid an over-run tax' issued by PRL relating to the 2019-20 league campaign. 

They have been forced to pay £47,136.91 – the amount of the additional breach – having previously been ordered to pay fines and taxes totalling almost £310,000, two years ago, for salary cap offences between 2016 and 2020.

Andrea Pinchen, Leicester's chief executive, said: 'While disappointed to again have historic salary cap spending relating to 2019/20 season result in this over-run tax, as was the case in March 2022, we accept the findings of Premiership Rugby.

'This in no way relates to any of the most recent four seasons and we are grateful to Premiership Rugby for the co-operative approach in bringing this matter to a close. 

'We have accepted and paid the over-run tax and, as stated in March 2022, the current club management – who inherited this issue – have a great respect for the salary cap regulations and remain committed to ensuring Leicester Tigers is compliant every season.'

A simultaneous statement released by PRL confirmed that this latest breach was not linked to the one included in the March 2022 sanction, which was described as 'a separate matter'. 

It read: 'These payments relate to salary during the COVID-19 period, which had not been included in the club's certification for the 2019-20 Salary Cap Year.

'In accordance with the regulations, for this level of additional over-run, the club is required to pay £1 for every £1 over-spend, being £47,136.91. Leicester Tigers has paid the over-run tax in full.'

Two years ago, when the multiple Tigers breaches – which related to third-party image rights payments – came to light and a financial penalty was imposed, Pinchen said: 'We are thankful this matter had been brought to a conclusion.' 

In hindsight, it had not actually concluded after all.

At the time, Premiership Rugby's salary cap director, Andrew Rogers, said: 'Leicester Tigers have co-operated with my investigation and accepted the findings. 

'While we are satisfied that the arrangements which resulted in the over-spend have been brought to an end, we will continue to assess all spending as part of our on-going monitoring process at every club.'

This new development does illustrate a heightened level of scrutiny faced by clubs since the salary cap controversy which engulfed Saracens. 

The London club were relegated at the end of the 2019-20 season after being docked a total of 105 league points, for their past breaches. Leicester would have finished bottom of the table, with just six wins from their 22 games, if their London rivals hadn't been subjected to such comprehensive punishment.