McCall reveals behind the scenes talks that reignited Saracens season
Mark McCall believes clear the air talks were key to ending a seven game losing run and has put Saracens back on track to register a third successive European Champions Cup triumph this season.
The holders, aiming to emulate three times winners Toulon, head to Ospreys on Saturday for the penultimate pool match knowing that defeat will effectively ruin their title defence. There is a mathematical possibility of Sarries still making the quarter-finals if they lose and then beat Northampton at home in the final pool game but McCall is only interested in a win in Wales.
Back-to-back losses to Clermont Auvergne, the team they beat to retain the trophy in last season’s final, came during their losing run which has now been ended in emphatic style with wins over Leicester, Worcester and then Wasps last weekend. The return from injury of Maro Itoje, Billy Vunipola, Liam Williams and Michael Rhodes has also been vital although Scotland centre Duncan Taylor is now out with concussion and is being sent to see a specialist after suffering blows to the head in his last two games.
While the squad is starting to look similar to the one that dominated Europe last season, McCall is adamant the honesty shown during those in-house discussions involving coaches and players was the key to the improved form in recent weeks.
McCall wouldn’t got into the details of the changes that have been made but he admitted: ” It hasn’t been perfect and not without some difficult conversations. It has also been an invigorating period as well and we have been able to explore things a bit deeper and ask a few questions that we wouldn’t normally do. We had away games that were pretty daunting after the home match with Clermont (they lost 46-14). It has been Clermont, Leicester, Wasps away -Worcester at home- and now away to Ospreys. Given where we were on the night after the Clermont home defeat, I am very proud of how we reacted.
“For Ospreys it is the first time we have had some incredibly tough selection decisions to make with one back row who is missing out who has been outstanding; we have to pick three from four of our second rows as well and this is the first time this season we have had those kind of choices to make. Ospreys are a good side with experienced players at the core of their team and the weather forecast doesn’t look good. However, going away from home doesn’t bother us at all and we know we have to deserve it on the night.
“Our set piece has to be good against Ospreys and also be persistent like we were at times against Wasps and did the right things at the right time. The players want to be involved in quarter-finals. They want to be involved in those games. If we lose we won’t be. It’s as simple as that really.“
The last time McCall took Sarries to the Liberty Stadium in December 2011 they won 16-13 and there was a suicide on the train line which meant cancellations. They were in a packed carriage to Swansea and only arrived 90 minutes before kick off and the players had not eaten. “Peter Stringer was playing his first match for us and said Paul O’Connell would not have accepted travelling on the day of the game, but we did win. This time we are going down on Friday:” added McCall.
Comments on RugbyPass
Why cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
31 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
4 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
31 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
31 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
31 Go to comments