Saracens' McCall Steps Down; Venter to Return

Saracens, the English Premiership rugby club based in north London, announced on Wednesday that Mark McCall will step down as director of rugby at the end of the current season after 15 years in the role. Brendan Venter, a former Springbok international and the club's inaugural director of rugby, will return to the position starting with the 2026-27 campaign.

McCall, a Northern Irishman who joined Saracens in 2009 as first-team coach before ascending to director of rugby in 2011, leaves behind a legacy of sustained success. Under his leadership, the club secured six Premiership titles and three European Champions Cup victories, establishing it as one of the dominant forces in European rugby. His tenure also included navigating challenges, notably the 2019-20 salary cap breaches that led to relegation to the second-tier Championship. Saracens returned to the top flight immediately the following season and avoided further sanctions.

Despite the accomplishments, McCall, 58, described the decision as timely. "I'm immensely proud of what we've achieved at Saracens and grateful for the opportunity to have led the rugby programme for so long," he said in a club statement. "I feel the...