Premiership clubs turn on academy tap in bid to cut wage bills

• Record number of young players given first-team chance• Saracens have 30 academy players in senior squadPremiership clubs are promoting a record number of academy graduates to first-team squads as part of a drive to cut wage levels and end the persistent losses of the professional era.Exeter, the 2016-17 champions, recruited only one player from outside for the coming season, the Wales wing Alex Cuthbert, while signing 14 of their academy players on first‑team contracts. The team who succeeded them at Twickenham in May, Saracens, have 30 academy products in their senior squad, the highest in…