Saracens ‘hurting’ after Quins defeat – McCall

Mark McCall, Saracens’ director of rugby, stated that the team is struggling following last week’s defeat by Harlequins but will try to recover against Tigers of Leicester.

At the break, they gave up a 12-0 lead to lose 23-12 to Quins, and he called his side’s performance “strangely subdued” and “disappointing” in the second half.

Maro Itoje, Jamie George, Tom Willis, and Elliot Daly, who were the starting England internationals, were the match’s loser, with the quartet being named to begin the contest with Leicester.

With six matches left, the north London club is seventh in the Premiership, but if they win on Sunday, they could move up to fourth if other outcomes come in.

When I watched it back, it was a really disappointing, oddly subdued performance, McCall claimed.

Everyone is obviously hurting a little, but this week’s task is to turn that around.

The team lacked their typical energy, which you can never really determine, and that had a negative impact on everything we did.

In their final 16 of the European Champions Cup, they face Toulon, who have won six of their 12 Premiership games this year and lost six of them.

Last time out at Franklin’s Gardens, Leicester defeated Northampton Saints 33-0 to claim the title.

George, Willis, Daly, and captain Itoje return to the starting XV against Leicester, where they left off in the defeat against Harlequins.

Itoje, England’s skipper, has participated in every minute of its 30th Six Nations game, and McCall praised his team’s desire to return to the Sarries lineup.

It’s obvious that his Six Nations record is impressive. Additionally, it’s amazing that he wants to support his club as well. He needs to be looked after as well, and there is a plan to give him a 10-day vacation, McCall continued.

Replacements: Perese, Shillcock, Cole, Wells, Ilione, Youngs, Whitcombe, and Cole.

Saracens: Daly, Elliott, Lozowski, Tompkins, Hall, Burke, Van Zyl, Mawi, George, Balmain, Itoje, Tizard, McFarland, Gonzalez, Willis, and others.

Replacements: Goode, Onyeama-Christie, Earl, Carre, Riccioni, Isiekwe, and Dan Carre.