FOUR PREMIERSHIP TITLES, two Champions Cups.
Some people wouldn’t count the Anglo-Welsh Cup success or the Premiership Rugby A League victory, but there is no doubt that Saracens’ record during Mark McCall’s time as director of rugby at the club is deeply impressive.
There is also no doubt that McCall is one of the greatest Irish rugby coaches ever but, still, he doesn’t seem to get the plaudits from these shores that might seem deserved.
Perhaps that’s because the Premiership is not widely watched in Ireland. Maybe it’s the dislike for Saracens as a club – and the questioning of their adherence to the salary cap – that has been widespread in recent years.
Whatever the reasons, the lack of openly-declared admiration for him is something that certainly doesn’t cause McCall to lose any sleep.
In fact, the impression is that the man they call ‘Smally’ is delighted to go under the radar.
The 51-year-old’s leadership of the club since taking over from Brendan Venter as director of rugby during the 2010/11 season has been quietly superb and he has Saracens back in the Champions Cup final – where they face Leinster in Newcastle on Saturday – and the Premiership semi-finals this season.
“Mark is massive for us, for the club,” says Saracens flanker Michael Rhodes, who played for the Sharks, Lions and Stormers in his native South Africa before joining the English club in 2015.
“He’s one of those coaches that you really feel privileged to play under once you’re done. I’ve moved around a couple of times in my career and you don’t come across coaches like Mark very often, especially with the success of late that we’ve had and the way that he hasn’t really changed his approach to how treats players or people in the organisation.”
McCall won 13 caps for Ireland as a centre, moving into coaching with Ireland age-grade teams and then with his native Ulster, who he guided to the 2006 Celtic Cup before a drastic downturn in form saw him resign.
Having built a reputation as an intelligent attack coach, McCall had a spell with Castres as an assistant coach alongside Jeremy Davidson and then joined Saracens as first team coach in 2009, stepping up to his current role when Venter departed.
Saracens have grown and grown since, with McCall’s calm, precise leadership at the heard of everything.
“Mark has the ability to keep a very level head, no matter what the situation,” says Rhodes. “He doesn’t get too excited over any particular victory and also doesn’t get too upset about a loss.
“He’s able to view any particular situation introspectively, so that’s one of his massive strengths.
“Another one is the way he handles and communicates with the players. The players know where they stand, they always know what’s expected of them, there’s never any confusion around selection or any aspects of play that need to be fixed.
“It’s always clear what’s needed from you and what he wants from you.”
Rhodes also highlights the quality of the coaching staff around McCall, which includes former Saracens players like Alex Sanderson and Kevin Sorrell, and certainly one of the Irishman’s qualities is surrounding himself with strong assistants.
With the club having won all of their games in the Champions Cup so far this season, McCall has Saracens in good shape once again as they look for their third European title against Leinster on Saturday.
The quiet Ulsterman may even let loose if his side can win this one.
“Smally is not very outspoken and that’s the way he likes to keep it,” says Rhodes. “I think he doesn’t get very animated, as you see on camera on the weekends.
“Behind the scenes, he can let his hair down a bit more away from the cameras and all that.”
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