Mark McCall breaks silence on the rumour that Owen Farrell is rejoining Saracens this summer
Saracens boss Mark McCall (left) with Owen Farrell in 2022
Saracens boss Mark McCall has responded to media reports in France that Owen Farrell is poised to rejoin the London club this summer as a player-coach.
The ex-England skipper has endured a difficult first season at Racing 92 due to several injuries and also the sacking of Stuart Lancaster as director of rugby.
It was alleged on Monday by L’Equipe, the French sports daily newspaper, that the 33-year-old wanted to cut short his two-year deal in Paris and head back across the Channel for the start of the 2025/26 season.
The report read: “A strange plot is taking shape around Plessis-Robinson, Racing’s training ground. According to our information, England international fly-half Owen Farrell, who arrived in France last summer, has reportedly expressed a wish not to complete his contract with the Parisian club.
“Currently suffering from a concussion – a problem that is plaguing him – Farrell would like to play less and, above all, start to move into a player-coach role at Saracens, the club of his life, with whom he has won three Champions Cups.”
A return this summer would require Saracens to pay a fee to buy Farrell out of the second year of his Racing contract, but the Premiership club described the French media story as “so pie in the sky”.
‘That is so pie in the sky’
Speaking to reporters ahead of this Saturday’s league match at home to Bath, McCall said: “It’s just not worth answering, to be honest, because as far as I know he is under contract at Racing and has a year left.
“There are so many of these stories that come out. As you know from me down the years, there is no point talking about something that is so pie in the sky. It’s better for me not to comment.”
What McCall did agree with was the suggestion in France that Farrell has ambitions to become a coach, following in the footsteps of his dad Andy, the Ireland boss who is poised to lead the British and Irish Lions on their upcoming tour to Australia.
“I would be very surprised if he didn’t commit to coaching, to be honest. Rugby is in his skin. He has got a great IQ and a passion and love for it, like his dad. I would be absolutely amazed if that wasn’t what he wanted to do,” he added.
“But I can tell you it won’t be him who will be our next attack coach. He hasn’t been interviewed. He is a player for now and has 14 months left on his contract with Racing.”
