Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall set to sign new long-term contract at Allianz Park

Mark McCall is set to sign a new long-term contract with Saracens after leading the club to three Premiership titles and successive European crowns.

McCall, who turns 50 next month, has been regularly linked with the Ireland job and would be favourite to take over from Joe Schmidt when the New Zealander decides to leave the post. However, McCall is adamant he is not an international-level coach and Standard Sport understands Sarries will shortly announce that their director of rugby, who has been in charge for six years, is going nowhere soon.

McCall, whose team are chasing a third successive Champions Cup win, is preparing his side to face Ospreys in the European pool stage on Saturday at Allianz Park. The Irishman, who took over from Brendan Venter in January 2011, said: “My contract runs out in 2019 and I would like to be here for longer than that.

“We have a good thing going on here and sometimes you have to realise when you have a good thing going. Genuinely, and some people don’t believe me, but having done this for a while and being lucky enough to have been at this club at the right time with the squad that we have and the age profile we have got, I want to stay here.”

Saracens chairman Nigel Wray believes McCall is absolutely key to the future development of the club, saying: “What Mark has done is assemble a star team, not a team full of stars, and that is great credit to him and the attitude of the players.

“They all play for each other and he has done an amazing job, although he will, of course, point out the incredible work of his coaching team.”