PRESS NOTES | Mark McCall previews Gloucester at StoneX Stadium
Saracens Director of Rugby Mark McCall is relishing the opportunity to return to Premiership Rugby this weekend against Gloucester.
The Men in Black return to the StoneX for the first time since February for a crucial clash against the Cherry and Whites which could go a long way to deciding play off places in this nail biting Premiership campaign.
Speaking to the press this week, McCall is keen to continue some good momentum from the last few performances.
“It’s getting to the business end of the season, and there are still three play off places very much up for grabs. We know we have five important games left, three of which are at home, and it starts with us putting the right foot forward this weekend against Gloucester.”
Speaking on the visitors for the weekend, McCall has seen a clear change in the way that the Cherry and Whites play the game.
“Gloucester have really changed their identity this season. George (Skivington) came out and declared his intent to change the way they play in preseason, and to be fair to him, they’ve stuck to that. They now seem comfortable with the way they want to play the game.”
Gloucester come into the fixture after a defeat to Bath in the Challenge Cup on Sunday. Despite the tighter turnaround, McCall is conscious of the recent form shown by Skivington’s side.
“All the clubs are used to it now. We all have our own ways of dealing with six and seven day turnarounds. Despite coming off the back of a defeat last weekend, before that they had some pretty incredible results against both Bristol and a full strength Montpellier side away from home. They’ve certainly grown and developed across all parts of their game in recent times. Tomos Williams has had a big part to play in that. He’s been a world class operator for some years now, both domestically and internationally, and will no doubt be on form this weekend.”
Saracens return to the Gallagher Premiership for the first time since their win against Leicester at Mattioli Woods Welford Road in March. McCall believes that the game against the Tigers could act as a blueprint for his side heading into the run in.
“We had a good performance against Leicester last time out in the Premiership, and there were parts of our game that we’ve reviewed and really enjoyed. If we can recreate those moments across the next few games, we feel as though it gives us a great chance to get the most out of these tough fixtures.”
Despite the bonus point victory, the Men in Black did suffer two injuries during the visit to Leicester. McCall provided an update to the press on both Alex Lozowski and Fraser Balmain’s condition after assessment from medical staff.
“Both Fraser and Alex picked up injuries during the Leicester game. The pair have now had surgeries and will begin their rehabilitation processes, but unfortunately, they’ll be unavailable for the remainder of the campaign.”
A player who has had a big part to play in Saracens’ success in big games this season is Tom Willis. When asked about his performances this campaign, McCall praised the unseen work done by the back rower to reach optimal levels across the pitch as well as on the stats sheet.
“Tom has had a really strong season, building on a strong campaign from last year. He came back in incredible condition from preseason and has hit the ground running ever since. He has deservedly found himself in an England shirt recently through his consistency in performance. Topping multiple charts shows his all court game, which is the sign of a great player. He’ll be important to our success in this run in.”
The game also marks a fortnight since Sarries’ loss to Toulon in the Investec Champions Cup, a match which McCall believes was crucial to the development of this new Saracens side.
“Toulon was an opportunity for all our players to experience and develop in a new environment. It was a shame that we conceded as many points as we did in the final stages, as it was a ten point game for most of the match. But all our young players stood up really well to the challenge.”
This weekend’s clash with Gloucester is also part of Gallagher Premiership’s away zones trial which will see the travelling Shed grouped together in sections of the StoneX Stadium. When asked about the trial, McCall confirmed his support of the new initiative.
“I think it’s a good thing. You want to have the best possible atmosphere at a game. If you group all the travelling away fans together, it should heighten the noise, and that’s what everybody wants, really. We've seen Munster two weeks in a row travel in their thousands to support their team down in France and they get to sit together, you can see how that enhances the atmosphere of the game. That's hopefully a good indication of what this initiative can bring.”
There are still tickets available for this Saturday’s Gallagher Premiership fixture at the StoneX Stadium. Get your tickets now before they sell out!
