Saracens boss McCall to step down at end of season

Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall will step down at the end of the season after 15 trophy-laden years in the job.

The north London club have won three European Champions Cups and six Prem titles during an era of dominance under the former Ireland centre.

Brendan Venter, who recruited McCall as head coach in 2009, will take over, reprising the role he held more than a decade and a half ago.

McCall, 58, will join the board of directors and continue at the club in the technical adviser position previously occupied by Venter.

"I'm immensely proud of what we've achieved at Saracens and grateful for the opportunity to have led the rugby programme for so long," McCall told the club's website., external

"I feel the time is right for change, while still remaining deeply involved in the club I care so much about.

"I'm really looking forward to supporting Brendan and contributing in a way that helps Saracens continue to move forward."

Ex-Ulster and London Irish centre McCall arrived at Saracens as head coach soon after Venter's appointment in 2009.

He took over the director of rugby job halfway through the 2010-11 season, going on to guide the club to its first league title by beating Leicester in the Twickenham final.

Having won their second title in 2014-15, Sarries claimed their first of two league and Champions Cup doubles the following year as they beat Exeter in the Prem final at Twickenham and defeated Racing '92 in the European showpiece in Lyon.

By that point, McCall had built a team full of established England internationals including Owen Farrell, Maro Itoje and brothers Mako and Billy Vunipola.

They added two more league and European titles apiece, including their second double in 2018-19, before the club was plunged into turmoil as they were found guilty of breaching the Prem's salary cap rules.

After they were handed a 35-point deduction, chairman Nigel Wray stood down and it was announced Saracens would be relegated to the Championship for the following season.

Yet despite the heavy external scrutiny, McCall and his key players remained with the club, winning promotion at the first opportunity and claiming their sixth top-flight title in 2022-23, beating Sale Sharks at Twickenham.

The 2024-25 season was the first time the club had finished outside of the top four under McCall, aside from the year they were relegated and the subsequent season spent in the second tier.

Saracens finished sixth last term, the same position they occupy at the halfway stage this season.

"It is impossible to overstate the influence Mark provided to Saracens and for so long," Sarries director Dominic Silvester said.

"Mark will be full on with Saracens until the end of this season.

"And it is wonderful for all at Saracens that after he steps back from being director of rugby at the end of the current season, we will continue to benefit from his wisdom from the 2026-27 season onwards as technical adviser and around the boardroom table."

Venter, meanwhile, described his former London Irish team-mate McCall's continued involvement at the club as being "key to me accepting the appointment".

BBC Radio London rugby union commentator Andy Rowley:

Six Premiership titles, three Champions Cups - the numbers are staggering - as is 15 years as a director of rugby at a single club (a nod to Rob Baxter at Exeter).

It feels like the end of an era, although with Brendan Venter coming in it's more like things have come full circle.

While Mark McCall has overseen this period of dominance, Venter laid the platform when he arrived at the club with chief executive Ed Griffiths.

The team spirit that was built then has served the club well in the McCall era where international stars and the homegrown "Class of 2008" had a togetherness and will to win that brought so much success.

McCall was always the steady presence at the club during success and crisis and would never lose sight of the main objective.

While he might have been seen as gruff and guarded by outsiders, it is clear and obvious how well loved he is at the club. So many players owe him a debt of gratitude, not just for the success but also for his careful handling of their careers and the genuine care he showed for their wellbeing.

Venter won the World Cup as a player with South Africa and was renowned in his playing and coaching career for being determined, uncompromising and focused. It will be interesting to see how his return to the DoR role after all these years pans out.