PRESS NOTES | Mark McCall ahead of Showdown 5

Director of Rugby Mark McCall is excited for Saturday as The Showdown 5 in Association with StoneX kicks off the resumption of the Gallagher Premiership with a bang.

When speaking to the press this week, McCall stated how the clash at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is a perfect way to get the run-in started with six games left of the league campaign.

“It’s a game we are really looking forward to, it’s a game which the club put a lot of effort in to make it a great way to restart our Gallagher Premiership campaign.”

McCall also has internationals back at his disposal after successful senior and U20 campaigns for the England contingent.

“We had nine away on international duty and some players who are returning from injury too, so we have to knit those players back into the fold as quickly as possible to start things on the front foot.”

One of those returnees is Andy Onyeama-Christie, having sustained an ankle injury against Harlequins in the reverse fixture, the Scottish back-rower is in line for his first competitive appearance since October after a successful Edinburgh friendly cameo.

“Andy played 25 minutes in Edinburgh, which was a valuable experience for him having been back involved in training for the last few weeks. He got through that game really well and is feeling confident heading into this weekend.”

McCall is also pleased to see more key figures return from the treatment table in time for this crucial fixture.

“Alex Goode and Nick Isiekwe have also both been training well and are both available for selection, as well as Theo McFarland and Rotimi Segun who both got minutes in the tank against Edinburgh on Friday night.”

When asked about the season as a whole, McCall was quick to highlight the potential in the wider squad as they look to reach a fourth successive semi-final.

“Over the last few months we’ve had some performances that haven’t shown us at our best but on the other hand we’ve had games where we’ve shown close to where we want to be as a team, we’ve reflected on that a lot this week and believe that if we can get close to that potential it will put us in the best place to get a win on Saturday.”

There is still time to book your place at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for an unmissable event this weekend! Book your seats now.