Earl ready to play his part in new era for Saracens
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It is no secret that Saracens’ squad this season will have a very different look to the one that fell at the semi-final stage in Gallagher Premiership Rugby in May.
Between them, Owen Farrell, Mako Vunipola and Billy Vunipola were at the forefront of a glorious period for the club, winning six Gallagher Premiership Rugby titles and three Investec Champions Cup crowns.
The trio have all left the StoneX Stadium over the summer, and while there is still no shortage of talent remaining, there is also an acknowledgement that a lot has changed.
Ben Earl, who has emerged as a key figure for Saracens and England, will be one of those charged with filling the void. Alongside current England skipper Jamie George and new club captain Maro Itoje, Earl has a big role to play, and explained how the team are already planning for a new era.
Speaking at the launch of Gallagher Premiership Rugby, Earl said: “The club has been brilliant – the energy about the place, the youthfulness, the buzz that we’ve been getting about a new journey for this team is getting everyone really excited, so we can’t wait to get going.
“I just think we’ve lost so many players that made Saracens what it was. We kind of have to, as this new group, create our own story, our own narrative. It’s up to us to create a future for Saracens because the past has been and gone and it’s been amazing.
“Now we’ve got this responsibility to try and continue that and write our own futures, so I think that’s what’s getting everyone really excited. We’re going to do things a little bit differently; the way we play, the way we train, the way we are with each other. I think everything is going to be a little bit different and so, so good. Everyone seems to be really enjoying it.”
Starting the week with some Ben Earl energy 👍👍#GallagherPrem @Saracens pic.twitter.com/3LUS8uRgwv
— Premiership Rugby (@premrugby) August 19, 2024
A year on from winning the Gallagher Premiership Rugby title, Saracens saw their reign ended by eventual champions Northampton Saints in a titanic tussle at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens in the last four at the end of last season.
That match saw Farrell play through the pain as he hobbled around with a quad tear, but still almost masterminded a comeback.
And while he and the Vunipola brothers have moved on, Earl believes that their legacy lives on in the way that Saracens approach the game.
He said: “The quickest way to get respect in the group is to train unbelievably hard and be a good person. I’ve tried not to change too much on that front, but there is going to be a bigger onus [on me] after losing the likes of Billy, Mako [Vunipola], Owen [Farrell].
“They’re game winners in their own right, those three, so there will have to be times when we as a senior group have to step up and produce in some clutch game. I think we’re well prepared for that challenge.
“The coaches have been brilliant. I think there’s an understanding that we’re a different group now that require different things and the way they’ve gone about it, the way they’ve approached training and the way they’ve presented to us, the way they’ve driven is so far has been fantastic.
“That’s all well and good but now the games start for us. That’s kind of when the first real test comes and we feel like we’ve got a good grasp of what we want to go for, playing-wise.”
The first big decision for the coaches in this new era was about who should captain the side. George, the current England skipper, was an obvious candidate, while Earl also has captaincy experience from his time leading England Under-20s.
But Mark McCall and his coaching staff decided to give the job to Itoje, a choice that Earl has wholeheartedly backed.
He added: “It was just the obvious choice, really. When you think of Saracens, you think of Maro, he’s been and done it at almost every stage – Lions, World Cup final, multiple tours, nearly 100 Tests for England, countless games for Saracens.
“He’s done it all and the way he leads, the way he plays is exactly what we want to play as a team and we’re looking forward to seeing how he goes.”
Saracens will kick off their campaign at Kingsholm against Gloucester Rugby before welcoming Sale Sharks to the StoneX for their first home game, with the Sharks having triumphed in north London in Saracens’ last game on their home patch.
