Saracens player exodus: Probable stayers and likely leavers

As the fallout from Saracens automatic Premiership relegation continues, attention is turning to the future of the club’s stable of ‘Galacticos’ players.

A player exodus, which has effectively already begun, is expected to continue with many of the club’s biggest names looking for the exit.

Players were called to meeting with Saracens officials on Friday to inform them that the club is preparing for relegation., which has now been officially confirmed. The 45-strong Saracens squad will individually meet on Monday and Tuesday with Mark McCall, the director of rugby, and interim chief executive Edward Griffiths.

RugbyPass understands the meetings with McCall and Griffiths will be to establish what each player wants to do.  Griffiths hinted that they will look to hold on to their young players as the Championship beckons, telling RugyPass: “Mark will make the decisions over the squad and if we were to be playing in the Championship we need to pick a squad that will benefit from playing there.

Continue reading below…

WATCH: The European champions have failed to adhere to the league’s salary cap for the past three seasons.

“In 20/21 you would want to put a squad together that is unequivocally compliant with the salary and is also as competitive as possible. Every squad moves on in a two-year period and I’m sure that will be the case with Saracens.

“I was asked back having been away five years to provide some assistance and I know a lot of people at the club. These are not ideal circumstances but I’m trying to help.”

BREAKING:

Saracens issue club statementhttps://t.co/JYHsVkA2jP

— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) January 19, 2020

The question for many players is whether or not they will leave the club permanently, or if players will opt for loan contracts, similar to deals worked out with a number of Newcastle Falcons players this season. England players will also have to weigh up the likelihood that if they travel abroad, they are unlikely to be selected by England head coach Eddie Jones.

Below list of players and, in brackets, teams or competitions they have been linked with, and whether they are likely to stay or go. This speculative list does not account for loans deals, that could see players take a year away from the club before returning in 21/22.

Likely stayers:

Owen Farrell (Lyon), Maro Itoje (Lyon), Jamie George, Jackson Wray, Brad Barritt, Ben Earl, Ben Spencer, Max Malins, Nick Isekwe,

Possible leavers:

Billy Vunipola (Lyon, Leicester Tigers), Mako Vunipola, Alex Goode, Jack Singleton, Rhys Carré (PRO14), Titi Lamositele

Likely leavers:

George Kruis (Japan), Richard Wigglesworth (Ealing), Michael Rhodes, Juan Figallo, Vincent Koch (Super Rugby/France), Nick Tompkins (PRO14), Callum Clark, Alex Lozowski (Bath), Matt Gallagher (Munster), Will Skelton (Super Rugby, France), Sean Maitland, Duncan Taylor, Elliot Daly, Alex Lewington, Ali Crossdale, Joe Gray, Joel Kpoku (Northampton Saints)

Confirmed leavers: 

Liam Williams (Scarlets)

WATCH: RugbyPass went behind the scenes with one of the most iconic rugby clubs in the world as they prepared for a clash with Wales at the Principality stadium.