Maro Itoje could be playing in the Gallagher Premiership next season after it was revealed the England lock could join Leicester Tigers on a season-long loan.
Unless injury strikes, Itoje will almost definetly be a key player for the British & Irish Lions when they tour South Africa next summer, making it unlikely he’d spend next season the Championship with relegated Sarries.
“I’m quite confident both of them will make good decisions.”
— BBC Rugby Union (@bbcrugbyunion) May 11, 2020
Saracens forwards Maro Itoje and Mako Vunipola will consider their international future when deciding whether to stay at the relegated club, says England defence coach John Mitchell.
In full 👉 https://t.co/yZaZM4cVse pic.twitter.com/nqT5u0pTkG
Eddie Jones, and other senior Twickenham officials had hoped Itoje would be moving on loan to Racing 02, but that was blocked.
Speaking on the rumour mill section of The Rugby Pod, former Saracens Star Jim Hamilton revealed a loan to the Premiership is now likely: “I saw one, a big one as well, just before we came on to do the podcast, so I have not done enough digging and there’s been a couple of reports.
“It was John Mitchell who mentioned how Maro and Mako (Vunipola) would be staying at Saracens but then I saw something about Maro to Leicester. Genuinely, I’m not throwing a dead line amongst the pigeons here. I genuinely saw it, so I’m going to do a bit more digging on that.
As tempting as Friday night lights at The Cornish Pirates may have been for Maro Itoje, it seems the England International could be making the switch to Welford Road🐯
— The Rugby Pod (@TheRugbyPod) May 12, 2020
Full video below 👇https://t.co/HBVcr6AuzH@AndyGoode10 @jimhamilton4 @AndyRoweOnline
“The more and more I think about it, I can’t see how someone like Maro Itoje is going to play in the Championship. I know they [Saracens] are going to put on some exhibition games. Imagine if he went to Leicester. I’m not throwing it out there to cause a stir. I have seen it somewhere and I will dig because I have got time to dig. I saw it on social media somewhere.”
The full list of who’s going & who’s staying at Saracens
Here’s our changing list of stayers, loaners, likely leavers and confirmed departures at Saracens.
STAYERS
- Owen Farrell
- Elliot Daly
- Jamie George
- Billy Vunipola
- Mako Vunipola
- Jackson Wray
- Alex Lewington
- Ali Crossdale
- Vincent Koch