Saracens has issued a plea to the RFU to expedite the finalisation of their inaugural central contracts or risk casting uncertainty over the futures of Jamie George and Maro Itoje, both for club and country.
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Scheduled for launch in the upcoming season, the RFU’s new hybrid contracts system will see England captain George and standout lock Itoje as the first beneficiaries of the two-tier agreements.
This hybrid framework aims to support England’s head coach Steve Borthwick in optimizing player resources, enabling increased access to Test players while retaining top-tier talent domestically.
Maintaining their stance against selecting overseas players, England’s policy leaves a cohort of stars unavailable for international duty.
Saracens’ Director of Rugby, Mark McCall, expressed, “I think it’s fair to say that, in principle, an agreement has been reached between the players, Maro and Jamie, the club, and the RFU – in principle. But as far as I know, I’m not sure there’s any contract on the table as it stands.”
He emphasized the importance of swift resolution, stating, “The sooner all that can get done, the better for everybody. It’s pretty important that it gets sorted as quickly as possible.”
Updated 2027 Rugby World Cup draw is good news for England and Steve Borthwick
The men’s Rugby World Cup 2027 in Australia will feature 24 teams after the World Rugby Council approved historic reimagination of the competition format, window and timing.
The new format will feature six pools of four teams, with a round of 16 added prior to the quarter-finals.
This will enable the tournament window to be reduced from seven to six weeks, while promoting a rhythm that builds momentum across the pool phase and respects the same minimum number of rest days between matches as at France 2023.
If the 2027 Rugby World Cup Draw was made tomorrow, this is what the Pools may look like (based on rankings)
2027 Rugby World Cup draw (Current rankings)
POOL A
- South Africa
- Japan
- Georgia
- Hong Kong
POOL B
- Ireland
- Fiji
- Samoa
- Chile
