"Hopefully people take notice" – Mark McCall: Saracens boss backs Tom Willis for England involvement in 2025 Six Nations
12/09/2024 06:31 AM
Saracens secured their first win of their 2024/25 Investec Champions Cup campaign with a 27-5 win over the Vodacom Bulls. The stormy conditions at the StoneX Stadium made for a difficult afternoon for attacking flair, yet Sarries surged to a win through four tries from their forward pack.
Rhys Carre, Jamie George, Tom Willis and Ben Earl all got on the score-sheet, with the North Londoners off the mark in club rugby's pinnacle competition. Saracens Director of Rugby Mark McCall spoke to the media after the game, and was delighted to see Tom Willis pick up the Player of the Match award. The back row continues to make waves in North London since his arrival from Bordeaux-Begles, and McCall believes that it is only a matter of time before he becomes a mainstay in the England set-up.
5 TALKING POINTS: Mark McCall reacts to Saracens’ opening round win in the Champions Cup
1. McCall backs Tom Willis for future England involvements with 2025 Six Nations around the corner
MARK MCCALL: “I think it was important for Tom. Tom has played well all year, and I know that Steve Borthwick was really keen to see him and how he’s going to play at an elevated level. And that’s, that’s a big pack that we’re playing against today full of Springboks, Tom was stand out, hopefully people take notice.
“Europe’s often been the gage of is someone ready to step up for to international rugby? I think Tom was outstanding tonight against a really good Bulls team.”
“He’s fitter than he’s ever been. He’s been very good for all pre-season. He’d been a little bit injured in the preseason before that, and never really got into the condition that he wanted to be in. But now he is, which just means the number of his contributions has risen because of that.
“So if you look at his tackle count, carry count, ruck count, every week, it’s as big as anybody in in the Premiership. And I know Steve likes that, but it was important then to go against a really physical team and still have the carry power that he had, and look after the fast ball that we need.”
2. McCall reacts to Saracens holding out for the win in the 50 km/h winds of Storm Darragh
Saracens played to the elements expertly in their win against the Bulls, as they weathered the storm of the first 40 minutes before lifting the sail with their backs to the win in the second half. McCall expressed how it was the decision of the whole group to batten down the hatches of the first half, with the Saracens boss resoundingly impressed, as he struggled to remember his side playing in any similar conditions.
MARK MCCALL: “Obviously, we had a plan, but we didn’t really know it was going to be the way it was. We talked to playing group before the game, but it was the players who need all the credit to be brave enough to go into the wind in the first half against that kind of team, first of all. Then to put in the defensive performance and the fighting performance that we did, and then to build pressure in the second half in the way that we did, that’s all down to the group.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever experienced anything like it here,ever. I think I played one day in Galway, way, way, way back, which was might have been worse! But that’s as hard as I can remember in the Premiership for Europe.”
3. Jamie George continues to show his class – McCall delighted with England captain against Bulls
A stand out moment in the blustery gale-force winds at the StoneX Stadium, saw Jamie George execute an early line-out whilst under pressure on his own 5m line. The England hooker sent an inch-perfect throw to Maro Itoje at the back of the line, with no room for error in the swirling winds. McCall was certainly impressed by the performance from his front rower.
MARK MCCALL: “I think you saw all of Jamie George’s skill today, to be able to throw the ball where he threw the ball today during the 60 minutes he was on the field was pretty special. Yeah, most people are going for front easy, front ball there, but, Jamie is so accurate and has such a strong relationship with Maro in that regard, that was an incredible throwing performance by him, really.”
4. Nick Isiekwe is fired up to impress Steve Borthwick after sporadic Autumn Series involvements
Nick Isiekwe was absent from England duties throughout last season, as the lock underwent an arduous road to recovery following open heart surgery in September 2022. The Saracen has returned to the Test match set-up full of fire, and had a handful of supporting roles of the bench in the Autumn Nations Series. McCall sees a refined fight in Isiekwe, and backs the second row for future starring roles with Steve Borthwick’s side.
MARK MCCALL: “It feels like he’s really transferring all the power and all the strength and all the explosiveness that he’s got into performances now, week after week after week, he spoke well all year. He was a bit underused during the autumn internationals and was frustrated. So it’s always good when you get a frustrated player who wants to play, and him and Maro’s relationship today was outstanding.”
5. A Numbers Game for Ben Earl? – England’s eight-man stars on the flank for Saracens
Ben Earl was unleashed off the bench for Saracens this past Saturday, with the England back row taking up the replacement spot on the open-side flank in a try-scoring appearence. Earl has often been utilised as a flanking option for Mark McCall, despite Steve Borthwick picking out the hard-hitter as his first choice number eight for the best part of two years. McCall has been bestowing the Sarries eight shirt to Tom Willis, yet sees no synergy issues in place for Earl’s England future.
MARK MCCALL: “They (England) seem to be happy with that. Yeah, but Ben will get the odd game again for us (at number eight).”
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