Saracens Sack Rugby Player Totoa Auvaa Following Punch Incident

Saracens has terminated the contract of academy player Totoa Auvaa, 21, with immediate effect following an incident that occurred in St Albans early Sunday morning. The club stated that Auvaa's conduct fell short of the standards expected of anyone representing Saracens.

The incident, which took place on Sunday, October 11, involved Auvaa allegedly punching another man in the face. Hertfordshire Police confirmed they are investigating the altercation, which reportedly happened between 2:15 a.m. and 2:20 a.m. on St Peter’s Street in St Albans.

This dismissal comes four months after Auvaa was involved in a separate incident at a Chelsea nightclub. In June, Auvaa aimed a punch at England cricketer Gus Atkinson that missed but struck a member of the England & Wales Cricket Board's security team. While Saracens cleared Auvaa of wrongdoing in that instance, an ECB disciplinary hearing found Atkinson and former England captain Ben Stokes to have breached behavioral standards. Both cricketers were subsequently dropped for England's next match against New Zealand.

At the time of the June incident, Saracens hooker Jamie George described Auvaa, a former Samoa Under-20 captain, as a young, immature player who was new to London. George suggested the club would provide role models to guide him.

Auvaa joined Saracens in August 2025 after impressing for their feeder club Ampthill. He is noted as a physical player, standing 6ft 5in and weighing just under 20 stone. Former Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall had expressed excitement about his potential upon signing him.

Saracens issued a brief statement confirming Auvaa's departure and affirming the club's commitment to upholding conduct standards. Police inquiries into the most recent incident are ongoing.