Saracens Season Preview: We want to create our own dynasty, says Ben Earl

Saracens Season Preview

Coach: Mark McCall

Captain: Maro Itoje

Saracens will start life without Owen Farrell and the Vunipola brothers at Gloucester on Saturday. For once, they will not be the favourites to win the Premiership but director of rugby Mark McCall has rebuilt a dynasty before.

They first won the Premiership in 2011 and did so for the sixth time 12 years later.

They have won the Champions Cup three times and what is now the Premiership Rugby Cup once.

Factor in their Championship title after their 2020 relegation, and it is not far short of a trophy a year in the last two decades.

Maro Itoje has taken over from Farrell as captain.

When Eddie Jones was England’s head coach, he questioned the second row’s leadership credentials, preferring the more demonstrative Dylan Hartley and Farrell whose hearts were stitched to their sleeves.

Captain Itoje

“I am humbled and honoured to be asked to captain this special club,” said Itoje.

“I have been here since I was 14 and it has been an amazing journey.

“I love this club and I feel that we are in a very exciting place with the talent and people here, the energy we have and the direction we are going.

“The great thing about a team sport is that I will not be doing it alone. We have a number of leaders in this group and together we can create something really special.”

There was an unusually high turnover of players at Saracens in the close season.

Sixteen players left and seven arrived, including the 24-year old Fergus Burke who flew in from the Crusaders tasked with making Farrell’s jersey a comfortable fit.

As well as Farrell and the Vunipolas, Sarries have lost other experienced players with Alex Lewington and Sean Maitland retiring, Aled Davies moving back to Wales and Callum Hunter-Hill joining Northampton.

Rebuilding Phase?

They may be in a rebuilding phase, but Saracens still have the likes of Elliott Daly, Lucio Cinti, Nick Tompkins, Alex Lozowski, Ivan van Zyl, Jamie George, Theo Dan, Marco Riccioni, Itoje, Nick Isiekwe, Juan-Martin Gonzalez, Theo McFarland, Ben Earl and Tom Willis.

Eleven of the side that started last May’s play-off semi-final against Northampton at Franklin’s Gardens remain, together with six of the eight players on the bench.

Much will hinge on how quickly they cover Farrell’s departure, a player who set the tone at the club and was at the heart of its success.

They have not tried to sign a replica in Burke, a player of a very different mould, and in Itoje they have a more laid-back, if equally driven, captain.

“You do not come across many people like Maro,” said McCall.

“From his early days in our academy, we all knew we were witnessing the development of someone special.

“He is the epitome of a Saracens player: fiercely dedicated to his craft, kind and compassionate to his team-mates, and diligent in pursuing his education and charity work away from the field.

“He has always led by example, has Saracens in his DNA and we are delighted he will lead this club into its next chapter.”

New Dynasty

Back rower Earl, who plays at No.8 for England and flanker for his club, said that there has been an excitement in pre-season training driven by the desire to create a new dynasty.

“We have lost so many players who made Saracens what it was,” he said.

“As a new group, we have to create our own story and narrative. The past has been amazing but it has gone and we have the responsibility to write our own futures.

“We are going to do things a little bit differently, the way we train and play, the way we are with each other. There is an edge around the place and a buzz as we set off on a new journey.

“The real test comes when the games start. The way the coaches have driven us has been fantastic and we have a good grasp of what we want to go for playing wise.

“What has not changed is that the quickest way to gain respect in this group is to train unbelievably hard and be a good person.”

Saracens will be in the mix but having been strangely inconsistent last season, perhaps a reflection of the change of skin they were to undergo, they will look to lay another foundation.

Ins and Outs

IN: Phil Brantingham, Louie Johnson (both Newcastle Falcons), Rhys Carre (Cardiff), Fergus Burke (Crusaders), right, Sam Spink (Western Force), Fraser Balmain (Gloucester), Reggie Hammick (London Irish), Harry Wilson (Doncaster Knights), Callum Braley (Northampton Saints)

OUTS: Owen Farrell (Racing 92), below, Christian Judge (Beziers), Alex Lewington, Cameron Boon, Sean Maitland, Ralph Adams-Hale (all retired), Tom West, Callum Hunter-Hill (both Northampton Saints), Tim Swiel, Sam Asotasi, Luca Fahy, Anthony Mark, Jenson McInulty, Dom Morris (all released), Ben Harris, Francis Moore (Ealing Trailfinders), Jevaughn Warren (Coventry), Jasper McGuire, Logovi’i Mulipola (both Doncaster Knights), Ollie Stonham (Kubota Spears), Harry Legg (Plymouth Albion), Mako Vunipola (Vannes), Finn Newton (Toulon), Alex Wardell (London Scottish), Billy Vunipola (Montpellier), Aled Davies (Cardiff), Manu Vunipola (Mie Honda Heat)

Fixtures

Sep 21 Gloucester (A) 5.30pm

Sep 28 Sale (H) 3.05pm

Oct 6 Exeter (H) 3pm

Oct 13 Harlequins (A) 3pm

Oct 19 Bristol (A) 3.05pm

Oct 26 Leicester (H) 5.30pm

Nov 29 Newcastle (A) 7.45pm

Dec 22 Northampton (H) 3pm

Dec 28 Bath (A) 12.45pm

Jan 4 Bristol (H) 5.30pm

Jan 25 Exeter (A) TBC

Mar 22 Harlequins (H) 3.05pm

Mar 29 Leicester (A) TBC

Apr 19 Gloucester (H) TBC

Apr 26 Sale (A) TBC

May 10 Newcastle (H) TBC

May 17 Northampton (A) TBC

May 31 Bath (H) TBC

Squad

FORWARDS: Alec Clarey, Eroni Mawi, Fraser Balmain, Marco Riccioni, Ollie Hoskins, Phil Brantingham, Rhys Carré, Sam Crean, James Hadfield, Jamie George, Kapeli Pifeleti, Theo Dan, Hugh Tizard, Maro Itoje, Nick Isiekwe, Theo Mcfarland, Andy Christie, Ben Earl, Harry Wilson, Juan Martin Gonzalez, Toby Knight, Tom Willis

BACKS: Callum Braley, Gareth Simpson, Ivan Van Zyl, Fergus Burke, Louie Johnson, Alex Lozowski, Elliot Daly, Josh Hallett, Nick Tompkins, Olly Hartley, Sam Spink, Lucio Cinti Luna, Rotimi Segun, Alex Goode, Tom Parton

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