Saracens receive punishment after fielding illegible player

The reigning European champions -who will be relegated from the Premiership this season as a consequence of breaking salary cap rules - admitted Titi Lamositele's work permit expired the day before January's Champions Cup win against Racing 92.

But an independent disciplinary committee chose to impose a fine of 50,000 euros (£42,000).

"The committee believes that this was an unfortunate sequence of events brought about by an administrative oversight," committee chairman Roger Morris said.

"However, Saracens are in breach of the disciplinary rules of the Champions Cup, and that breach constitutes misconduct which can be proportionately dealt with by way of a financial penalty."