England back three star Max Malins to exit Saracens - report

It is being reported by The Telegraph that England back three star Max Malins is set to leave Saracens to join Bristol Bears.

Malins spent a season with Bristol in 2020/21 when Saracens were demoted to the RFU Championship and will now return to Ashton Gate as he bids for more game time at fullback – writes rugby writer Charlie Morgan.

Malins – whose current Saracens contract runs out in the summer of 2023 – was last season’s Gallagher Premiership top try-scorer with 16 tries in 15 appearances but has often started on the wing for both the north London club and on the few occasions he has started for England.

At Saracens Mark McCall has more often than not opted to start British & Irish Lions star Elliot Daly at fullback. Now it appears the 25-year-old sees his long-term future in the position and is opting for Pat Lam’s Bristol as the best place to do that.

Malins has 14 caps for England to date but England head coach Eddie Jones seems as yet unconvinced.

He featured against Ireland, Wales, Scotland and Italy in the Guinness Six Nations but Jones left him out of his touring party to Australia during the summer, despite his try-scoring prowess in domestic competition for Saracens.

Malins joined the Saracens Junior Academy in 2013 and tasted success with England Under-20s at the World Rugby U20 Championship three years into his Sarries journey, making his first-team bow a season later in the LV= Cup.

Also adept at flyhalf, Malins progressed into the first team environment at Saracens after making his Premiership debut in 2016/17.

Malins helped lead England U20’s to the Junior World Championships final in 2017.