Farrell set to return for key fortnight

Owen Farrell is expected to be fit for a pivotal fortnight in Saracens’ promotion push after missing yesterday’s 54-13 victory over Bedford with a calf injury. The England captain watched from the stands at StoneX Stadium as the Blues were swept aside in an eight-try rout that exposed areas for improvement despite the lop-sided scoreline. Having recovered from the concussion sustained against Ireland at the end of the Six Nations, Farrell was due to make his Greene King IPA Championship debut only to suffer the muscle strain. But Saracens’ skipper is on course to play a role in the key fixtures against top-two clubs Ealing and Doncaster over the next two Sundays that will define the club’s quest for an immediate return to the Premiership. “Hopefully he’ll be fit next weekend, if not the week after. It’s his calf. It’s really minor,” said director of rugby Mark McCall, whose team climbed to third in the table.

Maro Itoje and Billy Vunipola scored two tries each to mark heir returns to club duty for the first time since the Six Nations, while Mako Vunipola and Elliot Daly also made maiden Championship appearances. “Across the board the England players have been good since they’ve come back,” McCall said. “They’ve

been in for the last couple of weeks, rolled their sleeves up and been really positive around the place. They were all good against Bedford and it’s good to have them back. I’m not sure they’ll play every game but they’ll certainly play the next two, then we’ll make some decisions. They’ll be heavily involved.”