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'He's quality, a gem, everything that Saracens want as a player'

(Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

Ex-Saracens second row Jim Hamilton has sung the praises of new club recruit Theo McFarland, who capped the 23rd appearance of his first season in London with a two-try second-half blast last Saturday against Northampton. It was only last January when the 26-year-old Samoa-capped blindside started the first top-flight match of his career – ironically against the Saints – and his efforts in that away game had Sarries boss Mark McCall purring. 

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The 6ft 6ins, 115kg McFarland initially made his mark playing basketball before switching to rugby and he was picked up by Saracens last summer on a long-term deal following a spell with the MLR Dallas Jackals. 

“Physically he is very blessed and our S&C team are doing some great work with him to get him as good as he can be for rugby,” said McCall four months ago. “In terms of just a natural skillset, he has got that as well. You combine his natural athleticism and the physical specimen that he is with his ability with the ball – and also he is a very fast learner. 

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The Breakdown | Episode 14 | Sky Sport NZ

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The Breakdown | Episode 14 | Sky Sport NZ

He is somebody with a very young rugby age. He played basketball for a long time and although he is 26 at the moment, he feels much younger than that because of how long he has been playing the game for but his progress has been really quick since he came to the club and the coaches have done a really good job with him.”   

McFarland has since gone on to become a first-choice selection at Saracens, moving at times between No6 and lock when starting on eight more occasions in the Premiership, four times in the European Challenge Cup and enjoying another hit-out in the Premiership Cup. 

This growing influence of McFarland with Saracens now looking to complete their first season back in the Premiership with a title victory left Hamilton delighted with what he saw, explaining that the club’s ability to snap up unheralded players and turn them into stars is again evident in the rapid progress of the Samoan forward.

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Discussing McFarland on the latest episode of The Rugby Pod, ex-Saracens forward Hamilton said: “He played in the MLR for a little bit and he was put to Nick Kennedy by whoever. Someone said, ‘Watch this lad, he is a decent player’. 

“As we know, one of Saracens’ points of difference has always been identifying players. I chat with Kelly Brown quite a lot and a few months ago when I saw this lad, he was telling me this lad’s hand-eye coordination is on a scale like they have never seen in terms of what he can do.

“You saw that in terms of when the ball bounced up how quickly he took it and scored that first try of his (against Northampton). Rugby was a game for all shapes and sizes before. Yes, that still stands but rugby now is a game of athletes. You have to be unbelievably athletic and the rest will kind of follow.

“You can teach lineouts, you can teach scrums to a degree but the big thing and the No1 thing is power, speed, hand-eye and all these things that he has got. I look at him and I just want to enjoy watching him. He is quality. He is a gem, he is everything that Saracens want as a player, In the first half he was quiet, he is still learning but as you saw when the game comes to him he just opens up.”

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Show co-host Andy Goode later included McFarland’s performance in the good section of his Good, Bad and Ugly review of last weekend’s rugby. “Theo McFarland is definitely getting a mention in the good this week,” he enthused. 

“A ridiculously good performance from him and he capped it all off with his wonderful finish in the corner with the acrobatics. I think he knew he always going to get there and he just did that for the crowd and the one-handed dive over. A hell of a finish, made it look good but he tweaked his hammy.”

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tony-g2020 893 days ago

He looks Argentinean to me. Anyway, Im following all the 3 Island rugby teams closely until the next Rugby World Cup. As long as they don't do well against us.. I think things are very interesting in Rugby at the moment.

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Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
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