Malins out to make a mark on his return
3PM
MAX MALINS has come a long way since last pulling on a Saracens shirt.
He has won a European Challenge Cup and played in two Premiership semi-finals with Bristol, along with gaining eight England caps.
At Leicester today the full-back returns to his club colours when the Londoners play the league leaders.
The promising youngster, who last appeared for Saracens in 2019 before they were relegated from the Premiership and he was loaned to the Bears, is now a full international.
Malins, right, is also a player full of hunger after two separate injuries stalled his England career just as it was taking off.
“I really want to kick on,” he said.
“It was great to get my first
England start in the Six Nations, but obviously disappointing that I was then caught short with injuries. I have a burning desire to get back in that England shirt and really show what I am about.
“But I can’t look too far ahead. My head is firmly with Saracens. I need to put in some big performances for my club and hope something comes off the back of it.” Malins, 24, made his full England debut in the win over France in March and was named to start against Ireland a week later, only for a leg injury to rule him out on the day of the game. The Cambridge-born star worked his way back in time for England’s summer series, only to damage shoulder ligaments 10 minutes into the opener against the USA. “It’s been a bit of an emotional rollercoaster,” he said. “But I’m quite lucky in that I don’t get too high when things go well or too low when they don’t.
“There’s been a few periods so far where I have picked up injuries at disappointing times.
“But if I dwell on that it’s not going to get me anywhere.”
Despite Elliot Daly being injured for the foreseeable future, Malins has his work cut out just to keep the No.15 shirt at Saracens.
Alex Goode is back from Japan and starts on the bench at Welford Road, while Elliott Obatoyinbo was outstanding at Bristol on the opening night of the season.
Even with Lions duo Owen Farrell and Jamie George back in the starting line-up, nobody at Saracens will underestimate a Leicester side coached by Steve Borthwick that have won their first two games.
“They’re top of the pile at the moment, the ones to beat,” said Malins. “But we’re back where we want to be, in the Premiership. And we’re determined to enjoy it.”