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Joe Marchant to revive England career with Premiership return - report
Joe Marchant is set to return to the Gallagher Premiership next season by signing for Saracens.
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The 26-cap England centre joined the Top 14’s Stade Francais after the World Cup, making him ineligible for England as he is playing abroad. But after one season in Paris, the Daily Mail have reported that he is set to return to the Premiership, thereby reviving his Test career.
Marchant initially agreed to join Stade Francais from Harlequins at the end of 2022, following an Autumn Nations Series where he had been overlooked by then coach Eddie Jones. His fortunes turned swiftly, however, with the sacking of the Australian, as new coach Steve Borthwick selected him for both the 2023 Six Nations and the World Cup. By then though he had already committed to his move to France for this season.
The 27-year-old’s arrival at the StoneX Stadium will help fill the void left by former England captain Owen Farrell, who will make the move in the opposite direction at the end of the season to join Stade Francais’ Parisian rivals Racing 92. Though Marchant is not a like-for-like replacement for Farrell, being a centre or winger, it is unlikely that this will be the only piece of recruitment the reigning Premiership champions make ahead of next season.
Prior to joining Stade Francais, Marchant had spent eight years at Quins, having made his debut in 2015. He did have a sabbatical in 2020 though, where he joined the Blues in New Zealand in order to play a season in Super Rugby.
