Owen Farrell is poised to make his on-field return for Saracens early next month after he was included in their squad that will head to South Africa to face the Sharks.
The 33-year-old has been named in a 45-man party that will fly to Durban as the Prem outfit ramp up their preparations for the season with a fixture on Friday, September 5.
Farrell was recently in action for the British & Irish Lions as they secured a 2-1 series triumph over Australia. He had been added to the 2025 squad as an injury replacement.
Farrell and Daly named
The player the fly-half/centre replaced on the tour was Sarries’ Elliot Daly, who was in superb form for Andy Farrell’s team before he suffered a fractured forearm on July 2.
Both have been named in Mark McCall’s touring squad to South Africa, but there is no Maro Itoje, Ben Earl or Jamie George, as they continue to recover after the Lions tour.
Theo Dan, Tom Willis and Nick Isiekwe are included following their exploits with England in the Americas, while Alex Lozowski, Max Malins and Nick Tompkins also travel.
Saracens have revealed their visit to South Africa will be with several objectives in mind as they look to get match-ready, bond and also put in community and charity work.
A club statement read: “The fixture brings together two iconic rugby clubs, offering a valuable opportunity for both squads to test themselves ahead of the new campaign.
British and Irish Lions star handed surprise Prem captaincy role as England ace replaced
“As part of the tour, Saracens will focus on strength and conditioning alongside the Sharks as well as training and a fixture against the South African outfit.
“There will of course be a big emphasis on social capital, with plenty scheduled to bring the group together including a safari, golf day and beach braai.
“There will also be a strong community focus, with a visit to Zululand Rhino Orphanage planned as well as a donation to a Kit Charity to give back to the local area.
“This tour demonstrates the ambition for both teams to be at the forefront of the sport, showcasing how they will move forward with engaging and industry leading content.
Pre-season preparation
“This fixture in Durban will also give supporters the chance to see teams from different hemispheres come together in preparation for the season ahead of their respective campaigns.”
Saracens will be determined to bounce back this term after a 2024/25 Prem campaign that saw them finish in sixth place and ultimately miss out on the coveted play-offs.
They were also dumped out of the Investec Champions Cup at the Round of 16 stage, losing 72-42 at Toulon after sneaking into the knockout action as the 13th-ranked side.
READ MORE: Ranked: England fly-half depth chart as star ‘leapfrogs’ Lions tourists but ‘duel’ emerges