We’re fully charged up, McCall tells Trailfinders
MARK McCALL hopes to celebrate his new four-year Saracens contract by taking a huge step towards promotion back to the Premiership against their biggest Championship rivals.
Last week, McCall and nine members of his coaching staff penned new deals until 2025.
The Ulster man has led Saracens to five Premiership and three Champions Cup titles during his time in charge and has his sights on more success.
He is taking inspiration from Melbourne Storm, who were stripped of two NRL Grand Final victories in Australia and a World Club title after breaching the salary cap between 2006 and 2010.
McCall: “It’s been a challenging 18 months to two years for us, but I wanted some continuity not only in the coaching staff but also in the playing staff, and I am excited by how our squad looks.
“Melbourne Storm obviously went through a similar scandal to ourselves, and their records pre and post their salary scandal were almost identical.
“That’s one of the things I’d like to see, whether we can emulate the success we had before.”
McCall has picked 11 internationals for the visit of Ealing, who have already secured two wins over his side in the Trailfinders Challenge Cup this season.
Saracens are unbeaten since losing their opening Championship clash to Cornish Pirates, and McCall points out this is the time of the year Saracens traditionally come into their own.
“The defeats we had to Ealing focused the mind into the challenge at hand, and we probably hadn’t learnt that lesson well enough when we went down to Cornish Pirates.
“There is now no room for error for us and in a way that is a good thing.
“It has been a weird year. The Championship took so long to start, but now the whole squad are together, the international players are back, everybody is fully charged up.
“It is the time of year when a lot of our players are used to playing important matches, and this is an important match.”
Ealing, who have won every game with a bonus point, received glowing praise from McCall.
“We haven’t watched Ealing in person because we are not allowed to. But we have watched all of their games like they have watched all of ours.
“They are scoring nearly 60 points a match. Ben Ward has done an unbelievable job there, and he has recruited really strongly. It is going to be a massive match for us.”