Hunter-hill quits capital side for deal with Saracens

Young Scottish secondrow prospect Callum Hunter-hill has left Edinburgh Rugby to sign a three-year deal with Saracens, following a successful season-long loan with the crisis-hit English giants.

The 23-year-old Borderer is a former Scotland Under20s captain and was contracted with Edinburgh up until the summer of 2021, but has failed to nail down a starting slot in Richard Cockerill’s side in the face of competition from Scotland locks Grant Gilchrist and Ben Toolis.

After loan spells with London Scottish and Newcastle Falcons, he moved to Saracens on an academy loan deal last September.

The two-time European champions have been relegated to the English second tier following a salary-cp breach scandal and Hunter-hill will be joined in north London by veteran Scotland and Glasgow Warriors lock/back-rower Tim Swinson, who is understood to have signed a 12-month deal after announcing his retirement last month.

Hunter-hill made ten appearances for Saracens (six starts and four from the bench) in the English Gallagher Premiership and Heineken Champions Cup last season, and has now been awarded with a deal which will keep him at the club until the summer of 2023.

“It’s a mixture of relief and just happiness,” said Hunter-hill. “No questions about it really, I was totally excited and really keen to sign my future here and settle down at such a great environment and a great place to be.

“It’s a pretty exciting project to be a part of. The young players here are going to take their game to another level next year in the Championship and that’s going to be a great thing.”

Saracens director of rugby Mark Mccall added: “Callum has fitted in well and has made steady progress in the short time he has been with us. We are very pleased to sign him on a permanent basis and that he will be with us for the challenge of next season and beyond.”