skip to main content

McCall takes heart from Sarries' rising talent

Saracens coach Mark McCall bullish about his squad depth
Saracens coach Mark McCall bullish about his squad depth

Mark McCall praised Saracens' rising batch of talent after a youthful side eased past Leicester 33-10.

The defending champions are without many of their top stars due to the Six Nations but they still had enough in the tank to see off the Tigers and move back to the top of the Premiership table.

Richard Wigglesworth, Tom Woolstencroft, Ben Spencer and David Strettle all crossed for tries at Allianz Park, where the home side rebounded strongly after trailing at half-time.

And McCall was enthused by his young charges, who continue to stake their claim for a place in the team ahead of the Premiership run-in and Heineken Cup knock-out stages - which sees Saracens host Glasgow Warriors in the last eight.

"With the way the boys have played in these past four weeks, helping us put points on the board, we've now got a bit of flexibility in terms of managing the squad so that we're fresh come April and May," said McCall - who will also see his side play in the Premiership Rugby Cup final next month.

"We didn't target or particularly have a focus on the bonus point today. Our intention in this period is to help some of the younger boys along in terms of exposure, and they've shown what they can do.

"We wanted to build on the momentum we've managed to build since the defeat at Sale, and the boys have shown what they're all about. Guys like Matt Gallagher, who I'm absolutely delighted for, is a great example of what we want to do with our guys in terms of development.

"These periods are crucial for us. We don't really care what the league table looks like at this stage; there's still a long way to go, and our aim in these few weeks is to give lads a platform to play.

"The youngsters have shown plenty in the recent European Cup games and in the Prem Cup, so from that perspective, it's a lot of boxes ticked today."

Read Next