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Sean Maitland signs contract extension at Championship-bound Saracens
By RugbyPass
Sean Maitland has provided relegated Saracens with a big boost by confirming to RugbyPass that he has signed with the Londoners for two more years and won’t – as widely speculated – be leaving to join PRO14’s Glasgow Warriors. The 31-year-old New Zealand-born winger had been expected to leave the 2019 Gallagher Premiership winners following their automatic demotion to Championship rugby next season following repeated salary cap breaches.
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However, rather than join a lengthy list of leavers of full-time and loan deals which includes Will Skelton (La Rochelle), Titi Lamositele (Montpellier), Nick Tompkins (Dragons), Ben Earl (Bristol), Jack Singleton (Gloucester), Max Malins (Bristol) and Matt Gallagher (Munster), Maitland has opted to stay with the Allianz Park club.
He told RugbyPass in a soon-to-be-published feature interview that despite speculation linking him to a switch to Glasgow, he has re-signed for two more years at Saracens but still has big Scotland aspirations and plenty to give at Test level despite dropping down to the second tier of English league rugby.
Having made a Scotland debut in 2013 and quickly earning selection on that year’s British and Irish Lions tour to Australia, Maitland has become a consistency Test level performer and he won his 48th cap in the Scots’ Guinness Six Nations win over Grand Slam-chasing France at Murrayfield in early March prior to the indefinite suspension of rugby due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Speaking during the Six Nations about Saracens’ tumultuous season, Maitland said: “It has been tough. I don’t know what I’m doing yet (next season). I just need to work out a few things and get my future sorted pretty soon.
“Everyone has got different situations going on. I love it at Sarries. My other half loves it and we’re really settled there. I’m not getting any younger, so hopefully we can get it sorted in the next few weeks.”
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What a great read. Players mature at different stages and words that may inspire some are far too cutting for others. Good coaches are so important to the career of young players. The ability to get into a player's head is a gift. But in the wrong hands this can be a disaster. There is so much emotional stuff going on with young players that it takes a really good coach to bring the best from them and inspire them to be the best they can be playing rugby and importantly the best person they can be as a person.
Go to commentsInteresting read Nick, thanks. Is it a reality check for incomings and outgoings for the English clubs over money? a market correction? This is always a strange thing when it comes to what is still fundamentally recreation, a leisure pursuit. You could have the two divisions but the 2nd division will lose interest for the top flight of players. Maybe a random draw to create two pools that would lead to a play-off system? Have not thought it through but throwing it out there.
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