GUSTARD SET TO JOIN JONES FOR SIX NATIONS

SARACENS have agreed to allow ‘workaholic’ defence coach Paul Gustard to join Eddie Jones’ new-look England coaching set-up on the condition that he stays at Allianz Park until just before the Six Nations. Gustard told Saracens players on Monday that he would be leaving to join England. Director of rugby Mark McCall yesterday confirmed that the 39-year-old Englishman has the club’s blessing to move on, but revealed that the Premiership champions are looking to retain his services for another six weeks. England assemble for their pre-Six Nations camp on January 25 ahead of their opening fixture against Scotland on February 6 and McCall is hopeful that Gustard, who coached under Jones at Saracens in 2008, will remain with the club until then. ‘That would be my desire if he is going to leave, that he is here until January 24, when we play Toulouse away and then the Elite Player Squad camp begins on the next Monday,’ said McCall. ‘He was under contract. It’s about sorting out when he leaves. We fully expect to have him here for this next six-week block and for him to just get stuck in and do his work as normal.’ With the RFU embroiled in a potentially messy legal row with Championship side Bristol over the release of Steve Borthwick, McCall insists Saracens will not stand in Gustard’s way. He also indicated that sacked England defence coach Andy Farrell is not in line for an imminent return to his former club. ‘Andy Farrell is a brilliant coach, and he’s a friend of ours,’ said McCall. ‘What we need to look at is the balance in our coaching team, and since Andy left there are two new backs coaches, or coaches who are backs, if you want to look at it that way. ‘We need to have the right balance in our coaching team.’