Latest news with #Sarries
South Wales Argus
29-05-2025
- Sport
- South Wales Argus
Theo Dan ready to play the tourist on England tour to America
The Saracens hooker, 24, hopes to add to his 17 England caps in Argentina and the USA in the coming months as Steve Borthwick's side head across the Atlantic. They are destinations and cultures Dan is keen to soak up on and off the field and he has been tapping up some of his teammates at StoneX Stadium for an inside track. 'It would be my first time in Argentina and I've never been to the USA either, so it would be an amazing experience,' he said. 'At Sarries, we have Juan (Martin) Gonzalez and Lucio (Cinti) and we've spoken about it a little bit over coffees, asking them what it's like and about the stadiums we'll be playing in. 'They've both played in both of them and said it's unbelievable. One of them is a football stadium in Buenos Aires (home of Estudiantes) and the atmosphere there is one I'm really excited to experience. 'You have to be sensible, of course, but I try to be a tourist where I can, especially when you're going somewhere you've not been before. 'Japan was incredible, Tokyo was one of the best places I've ever been. I loved it there, and being able to explore bits of New Zealand was amazing as well.' Dan was one of five Saracens players in a 33-man England training squad who spent two days together at Pennyhill Park to prepare for an international summer which begins with an uncapped clash against a France XV at Allianz Stadium on June 21. His fellow hooker Jamie George is set to keep him company in South America while Tobias Elliot, if selected for the final touring squad, could make his England debut after a standout season on the wing. 'Tobias has been outstanding for us this year,' Dan said. 'It might feel like he's broken through from out of nowhere but for us at the club it's no real surprise. 'He has been knocking on the door for the past year in training, he has trained and played really well for Ampthill and in the Prem Cup. 'It's no surprise he's transitioned seamlessly into the Premiership and I'm really excited for him. I hope he takes it with both hands and enjoys it as it's a really good opportunity and he deserves it. 'Jamie is a great guy and one of my really close friends, I feel very lucky to call him that. 'He has been a great mentor to me and also the younger guys coming into camp, he is such a great guy to have around. 'He's able to share invaluable knowledge and he makes everyone feel welcome. He's an incredible asset to have in camp and day-to-day around the club.' England XV face France XV at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, on Saturday 21 June at 3:15pm. Tickets from £25, please visit
The Herald Scotland
28-05-2025
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
Theo Dan ready to play the tourist on England tour to America
They are destinations and cultures Dan is keen to soak up on and off the field and he has been tapping up some of his teammates at StoneX Stadium for an inside track. 'It would be my first time in Argentina and I've never been to the USA either, so it would be an amazing experience,' he said. 'At Sarries, we have Juan (Martin) Gonzalez and Lucio (Cinti) and we've spoken about it a little bit over coffees, asking them what it's like and about the stadiums we'll be playing in. 'They've both played in both of them and said it's unbelievable. One of them is a football stadium in Buenos Aires (home of Estudiantes) and the atmosphere there is one I'm really excited to experience. 'You have to be sensible, of course, but I try to be a tourist where I can, especially when you're going somewhere you've not been before. 'Japan was incredible, Tokyo was one of the best places I've ever been. I loved it there, and being able to explore bits of New Zealand was amazing as well.' Dan was one of five Saracens players in a 33-man England training squad who spent two days together at Pennyhill Park to prepare for an international summer which begins with an uncapped clash against a France XV at Allianz Stadium on June 21. His fellow hooker Jamie George is set to keep him company in South America while Tobias Elliot, if selected for the final touring squad, could make his England debut after a standout season on the wing. 'Tobias has been outstanding for us this year,' Dan said. 'It might feel like he's broken through from out of nowhere but for us at the club it's no real surprise. 'He has been knocking on the door for the past year in training, he has trained and played really well for Ampthill and in the Prem Cup. 'It's no surprise he's transitioned seamlessly into the Premiership and I'm really excited for him. I hope he takes it with both hands and enjoys it as it's a really good opportunity and he deserves it. 'Jamie is a great guy and one of my really close friends, I feel very lucky to call him that. 'He has been a great mentor to me and also the younger guys coming into camp, he is such a great guy to have around. 'He's able to share invaluable knowledge and he makes everyone feel welcome. He's an incredible asset to have in camp and day-to-day around the club.' England XV face France XV at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, on Saturday 21 June at 3:15pm. Tickets from £25, please visit
Powys County Times
26-05-2025
- Sport
- Powys County Times
Tobias Elliott delighted to be on England radar ahead of summer
Tobias Elliott is delighted to find himself on England's radar ahead of an action-packed summer. The 21-year-old Saracens wing has enjoyed a breakthrough season for his club, scoring nine tries in all competitions and providing a bright light in campaign which has otherwise fallen below expectations in North London. The back-three flyer earned his first call-up to a senior England squad as part of the 33-man training group who gathered at Pennyhill Park last week and despite his rapid success, Elliott seems unphased by his growing reputation. "It does happen quickly, doesn't it," he said. "I'm privileged to get the opportunity at Saracens, and I hope to push on into the summer. "I'm excited, reaching England camp is obviously one of everyone's goals in their career so to finally get here is nice.' Join us at @allianz_stad as England XV take on France XV 👊 Get your tickets now 👇 — England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) May 23, 2025 Elliott has been a mainstay at all levels of England's age groups, scoring five tries in as many games in the 2023 U20 Six Nations Championship, and was part of the England A squad who took on their Irish counterparts earlier this year. 'It was nice being in an England men's team, it was my first experience of it since age groups,' he said. 'It was nice to meet a bunch of new faces and quite a lot of boys who aren't in the same age group as me, so it was nice to make those new connections, and learn how things work and what it takes to be at the next level as well.' The winger is also the only player under 22 with more than six tries this season and his tally puts him level with Tommy Freeman and Freddie Steward. He had some familiar faces to help him settle in at Pennyhill Park, with Sarries teammates Jamie George, Theo Dan, Tom Willis and Nick Isiekwe also in the squad. "You'd be silly not to learn from all these players who have done it all,' he said. "They're some of the best players in the world so I'll definitely learn from them but also relish the competition. "Jamie not getting picked for the Lions surprised me. I thought he would have been nailed on. "He's been class all year, and he's been a real leader for us at Sarries, and I'm sure he's been a real leader at England as well. He is a real level head in camp.' Elliot could find himself going up against clubmates Juan Martin Gonzalez and Lucio Cinti should he find himself in Argentina while England's summer starts with a visit from a France XV at Allianz Stadium on June 21. 'Playing France is always a pretty brutal game, they have some pretty good talent and If I manage to get on the field against them, I'll be really looking forward to it,' he said. 'I always enjoy playing against them it's always a good competitive game, and it will be a fun one for the spectators as well.'
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Tobias Elliott delighted to be on England radar ahead of summer
Tobias Elliott is delighted to find himself on England's radar ahead of an action-packed summer. The 21-year-old Saracens wing has enjoyed a breakthrough season for his club, scoring nine tries in all competitions and providing a bright light in campaign which has otherwise fallen below expectations in North London. The back-three flyer earned his first call-up to a senior England squad as part of the 33-man training group who gathered at Pennyhill Park last week and despite his rapid success, Elliott seems unphased by his growing reputation. "It does happen quickly, doesn't it," he said. "I'm privileged to get the opportunity at Saracens, and I hope to push on into the summer. "I'm excited, reaching England camp is obviously one of everyone's goals in their career so to finally get here is nice.' Join us at @allianz_stad as England XV take on France XV 👊Get your tickets now 👇 — England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) May 23, 2025 Elliott has been a mainstay at all levels of England's age groups, scoring five tries in as many games in the 2023 U20 Six Nations Championship, and was part of the England A squad who took on their Irish counterparts earlier this year. 'It was nice being in an England men's team, it was my first experience of it since age groups,' he said. 'It was nice to meet a bunch of new faces and quite a lot of boys who aren't in the same age group as me, so it was nice to make those new connections, and learn how things work and what it takes to be at the next level as well.' The winger is also the only player under 22 with more than six tries this season and his tally puts him level with Tommy Freeman and Freddie Steward. He had some familiar faces to help him settle in at Pennyhill Park, with Sarries teammates Jamie George, Theo Dan, Tom Willis and Nick Isiekwe also in the squad. "You'd be silly not to learn from all these players who have done it all,' he said. "They're some of the best players in the world so I'll definitely learn from them but also relish the competition. "Jamie not getting picked for the Lions surprised me. I thought he would have been nailed on. "He's been class all year, and he's been a real leader for us at Sarries, and I'm sure he's been a real leader at England as well. He is a real level head in camp.' Elliot could find himself going up against clubmates Juan Martin Gonzalez and Lucio Cinti should he find himself in Argentina while England's summer starts with a visit from a France XV at Allianz Stadium on June 21. 'Playing France is always a pretty brutal game, they have some pretty good talent and If I manage to get on the field against them, I'll be really looking forward to it,' he said. 'I always enjoy playing against them it's always a good competitive game, and it will be a fun one for the spectators as well.'
The Independent
22-03-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Harlequins stun star-studded Saracens to decisively end derby day hoodoo
Sign up to our free sport newsletter for all the latest news on everything from cycling to boxing Sign up to our free sport email for all the latest news Sign up to our free sport email for all the latest news SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Consider the derby day hoodoo most definitely banished. Before overturning Saracens at the Stoop in October, Harlequins had lost eight in a row against their London rivals, but a more significant streak was snapped with an against-all-odds win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium here. It was March 2012 when they last tasted victory in this fixture away from their southwest London home; a neutral site this may have been but the travelling fans in their quarters filling the seats would have relished such a victory. The matchday programme declared Alex Dombrandt, Danny Care, Marcus Smith, Chandler Cunningham-South and Cadan Murley as the five Harlequins players to watch; the fact that only one of them was on the pitch made this win all the more significant. Injury put paid to Care and Murley's chances of featuring but for Smith and Cunningham-South, this fixture served as a mandatory stand-down after their England exertions. It would have been a commercial own goal had the Sarries stars done the same – Maro Itoje and co. will take their breaks in coming weeks – but with the league always battling for eyeballs, it was a shame not to see all of the stars on show. That is not to criticise Smith, sunning himself in Miami, and the rest, but more to highlight the sacrifices that have to be made with an ever more congested calendar complicated further in a British and Irish Lions year. Even the relentless Itoje, who has played every minute of the last six editions of the Six Nations, admitted in November that it would be impossible to play at the peak of his powers throughout a gruelling year. For that reason, then, this was a serious setback to Saracens' hopes of a top-four finish with so many sides in the mix. This would, should, have been a banker given the circumstances; to come away without even a single point is a major blow. This might not be a Saracens squad quite able to rival that which they assembled, by hook or by crook, during the glory years but the talent is still considerable, which made this flat performance perplexing. With Ben Earl nursing a knee infection, Mark McCall could still call upon Theo McFarland, Juan Martin Gonzalez and Tom Willis as an elite back row, with Andy Onyeama-Christie – back from a horror injury sustained in the reverse fixture in October – as a high-quality reserve. Youngster Nathan Michelow is also tipped for big things. It took not even five minutes for McFarland to open the scoring. A loose offload from Quins skipper Dombrandt gave away possession softly, with Ivan van Zyl's resultant kick ahead well chased by Sarries. A breakdown penalty was tapped quickly by Jamie George, and the flanker did the rest. What followed thereafter, though, did not live to the spectacle provided pre-match at a world-class arena. The crowd of 54,414 had been lively ahead of kick off but drifted with a sloppy game played largely between the two 22s, both sides perhaps displaying understandable rust given that some of their Six Nations representatives had been back in camp a mere matter of days. It took Saracens until on the brink of the break to strike again, with the cutest of blind balls out the back from Alex Goode helping create room for Tobias Elliott to squeeze into the corner. open image in gallery Tobias Elliott scored on the stroke of half time for Saracens ( Getty Images ) Harlequins had done well to stay in the fight but, much like Ange Postecoglou, their ideological tendencies weren't perhaps helping them. Several times they turned down kickable penalties to head for the corner and came away with nothing to show for it. Their route back into the game came from one of the few England squad members who was on show in the quarters. Oscar Beard must have become very familiar with the backside of a tackle bag after a Six Nations spent toiling at training for a first cap to no avail, but the centre could well end up a key figure on the tour to Argentina in the summer, and showed his quality here. Showing the pace and power that make him a player of high potential, the centre shook off the attentions of Elliot to surge across halfway and send his midfield partner, Ben Waghorn, under the sticks. open image in gallery Young fly half Jamie Benson kicked Harlequins to victory ( Getty Images ) Jamie Benson, uber impressive off the bench at fly half, nudged over a penalty to close the gap to two points, before slotting another nine minutes from time to put Harlequins in front. A high tackle from Alex Lozowski and the young 10 stepped up and delivered again. Smith will soon be back rested and recharged but his shirt is in safe hands. Will Porter's score put the result beyond all doubt – what a win, what a statement, what a turnaround.
