McCALL PLOTTING A BIG LEAVING PARTY
Farrell and the Vunipolas begin their long goodbyes
SARACENS V HARLEQUINS 3.05PM, ITV1
MARK McCALL has urged his Saracens side to give their departing stars a farewell party to remember at the start of the Premiership run-in.
Owen Farrell is leaving for Racing 92, Billy Vunipola is off to Montpellier and Mako Vunipola is set for a switch as a golden generation is broken up.
The long goodbye to stars who have helped Saracens to three Champions Cups and six Premiership titles begins at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium today against Harlequins.
Farrell will play his 250th game for the club, with Saracens still in the play-off chase domestically, while in Europe they are up against Bordeaux-Begles in the last 16 on April 6.
The fly-half is keen to sign off with another trophy, and director of rugby McCall has told his side to get behind the leavers and help them finish off an historic era in style.
McCall, below, said: “We have got some very significant players who have given a lot to the club who are going to be leaving at the end of the season.
“We would all love to give them a good send-off. Part of that is enjoying every day and making sure the next 10 weeks we have a brilliant time.
“In terms of things that give you an extra reason why or an extra push, historically at the club, the motivation coming from within has always been an important thing – not to prove other people wrong or anything like that.”
The Saracens squad hit the West End during the Six Nations break to see a play by former academy player Henry Fraser, who was paralysed from the shoulders down in a swimming accident in Portugal 15 years ago aged 17 but is now a successful mouth artist. The musical The Little Big Things is the story of his fight against disability.
McCall said: “Henry was part of the Saracens academy and his brother, Will, played for us. We thought it was important and the group loved it. “They went down and spent the night in the West End and went and saw all the actors and actresses after the play. It is an inspiring story.
“The next week, Henry came up and talked about the first 18 months of his life post the injury.
You could hear a pin drop in the room.” Farrell and both Vunipolas start against Quins with England captain Jamie George on the bench, despite being given the week off training and having only a quick run-out yesterday.
Marcus Smith and Danny Care start at half-back for Quins after the Six Nations and Alex Dombrandt, who came off the bench for England against Ireland and France, is at No.8.