1
Saracens issue 'foolish' warning to England over axed players
Saracens boss Mark McCall has insisted his axed England contingent still have plenty to offer to international rugby even though some rugby fans believe last month’s squad announcement by Eddie Jones marked the beginning of the end for the Vunipola brothers and Jamie George. The three forwards were the headline omissions from the first training camp ahead of the autumn internationals.
ADVERTISEMENT
Having had 45 players at a mini-training camp last week in London, Jones is scheduled to select his next squad on October 18 for the upcoming games versus Tonga, Australia and South Africa. Billy Vunipola and Jamie George are already back in harness, playing for Saracens in the Premiership, and with Mako Vunipola potentially involved versus Newcastle this Saturday, they will all have the chance to put their hand up for England selection.
McCall is certainly admiring the attitude currently being shown by the trio at Saracens. “I thought Billy was exceptional last weekend. Billy has had two really strong matches for us, so with all of them they are very motivated, they really want to get back into the England squad. They are great competitors, all of them, so I am sure Mako, Billy and Jamie will put their best foot forward.
“It’s just their attitude and their hunger and desire to do extras and do more than is necessary. If Mako wanted, he would go through the motions a little bit and would still be picked by us, but that is not the case. He has been really enthusiastic.
“He has trained really hard over the last seven or eight weeks. Mako, as everyone knows, likes playing more than he likes training so he is super keen to get back on the field again. We are really pleased he is probably going to be involved this weekend. He is in good condition and the more rugby he plays the better he is.
"I don’t think I am going to be seeing all that money"
– It was last Friday when Nigel Wray called Mark McCall and all of his Saracens players into a meeting at the club #PremRugby #Saracenshttps://t.co/6JBef6IPGr
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 5, 2021
“He is on the coaches’ back, on the S&C coaches’ back as well just to see where he can make improvements both physically and rugby-wise. That is the case with all of those players. Most of them are only 29, 30 years old. It would be foolish to write them off at this point,” cautioned McCall, who added how much additional leadership they provide at the club under Owen Farrell, the England and Saracens captain.
“Jamie, Mako, Maro (Itoje), Billy are all superb leaders in their own right. They all understand the game very well but one of their big roles at our club is to mentor the next generation. They are all super keen to be involved in that and they have two or three players under their wing from their positions and they do a very good job at passing on what they have learned over the years to those players.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Itoje isn’t expected to figure in Saracens’ selection plans until the October 17 Premiership match away to Bath but in the meantime, McCall’s squad will look to bounce back at home versus Newcastle this Saturday after last weekend’s controversial loss at Leicester on the same day it was confirmed the club had been taken following a £32million investment.
With time up at Welford Road, Aled Davies was penalised for illegally shunting Guy Porter into touch and Leicester were awarded a penalty even though that decision should have been reversed as Tigers’ Dan Kelly struck Davies in the aftermath of the penalised tackle.
Kelly was cited and subsequently banned for three games for his intervention but that came too late to change the outcome of the game for Saracens as Leicester turned their penalty possession into a match-winning penalty try and Billy Vunipola was given a yellow card for collapsing the maul.
“We don’t want to be a club that cries after the event, to be honest,” shrugged McCall. “That was a game we should have won and we put ourselves at risk in that second half by some of our own errors and some of our own mistakes. When it is a six-point game you always run the risk that an error from a referee can determine a game, so that is very much our own fault.”
ADVERTISEMENT
There was a hectic conclusion to last Saturday's match versus Saracens at Welford Road and it resulted in a citing for Leicester youngster Dan Kelly#LEIvSAR #PremRugbyhttps://t.co/5YEu8Vp4Sv
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 6, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
A wallaby front-row of Bell, Blake and Tupou…now that would be hefty
1 Go to comments“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
11 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
10 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
11 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
24 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
10 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
17 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to comments