Mark McCall will step down as director of rugby at Saracens, with the Gallagher Prem club confirming they will undergo a “new technical structure”.
McCall, who has been at Sarries for 15 seasons, will not depart the StoneX Stadium completely, instead shifting across into a ‘technical adviser’ position as well as joining the club’s board of directors.
Saracens revealed on Friday that Brendan Venter, their former director of rugby, will return to the club in the same role as before.
Venter and McCall played together at London Irish, before Venter hired his former team-mate as a first-team coach at Saracens back in 2009.
McCall replaced Venter as director of rugby in 2011, with Venter shifting into the technical advisory position that McCall will now move into.
𝗖𝗟𝗨𝗕 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧.
— Saracens Rugby Club (@Saracens) January 23, 2026
Saracens announce Director of Rugby transition and new technical structure. pic.twitter.com/OAAftWtBkn
Venter, the former South Africa centre, admitted that McCall’s “continued involvement” at the club “was key to me accepting the appointment.”
In McCall’s time as director of rugby, Sarries won the Premiership five times - most recently in 2023 - as well as three Champions Cups.
Dominic Silvester, director of Saracens, said: “It is impossible to overstate the influence Mark provided to Saracens and for so long.
“Mark will be full on with Saracens until the end of this season.
“It is wonderful for all at Saracens that after he steps back from being director of rugby at the end of the current season, we will continue to benefit from his wisdom from the 2026-27 season onwards as technical adviser and around the boardroom table.”
