English rugby club Saracens announced it would not pursue disciplinary measures against academy player Totoa Auvaa following a nightclub incident with England cricketer Gus Atkinson.
Auvaa, who has captained Samoa at the youth level but has yet to debut for Saracens’ senior team, was reportedly involved in a conflict with Atkinson at the Rex Rooms nightclub in Chelsea on June 7. The altercation reportedly involved a punch delivered to an England security guard who required medical care.
The incident led to beneficiaries for both Atkinson and Ben Stokes in England’s second Test squad against New Zealand at The Oval, as the ECB and Cricket Regulatory bodies investigated the parties’ behavior.
The ECB clarified that Atkinson faced unprovoked attacks and did not retaliate, while Stokes was uninvolved in the incident. Both players received written warnings for breaching their England contracts.
Saracens’ representative stated the club completed its own investigation and found no basis for further action. The club’s decision came without input from the ECB’s concurrent review.
The ECB indicated it would not comment further on the matter.