Saracens announce contract extensions

Saracens have announced that they have extended the contracts of seven academy players.
Centre Tom Griffiths, prop Hayden Thompson-Stringer and half-back Tom Whiteley have all signed deals which will see them graduate from the club’s academy to join the senior squad from the beginning of next season.
Prop Ralph Adams-Hale, wing or full-back Matt Gallagher, fly-half Max Malins and prop Billy Walker have all penned contract extensions with the club’s senior academy.
Griffiths, Thompson-Stringer and Whiteley will follow in the footsteps of last year’s graduates Joel Conlon, Nathan Earle, Titi Lamositele and Henry Taylor in making the step-up from the academy to the senior squad.
Adams-Hale, Gallagher, Malins and Walker have worked their way up through Saracens youth system and have all been included in England U20s set-up. Gallagher, Malins and Walker have already made their debuts for the club this season unlike Adams-Hale who has been ruled out with injury.
“I’m very happy for all them,” said academy manager Don Barrell, “these lads have worked extremely hard to get where they are and we’re excited to see them continue their development at the club.
“There is another crop of players coming up, plus another crop after that, so at the minute the Youth system is looking really good.”
Director of rugby Mark McCall added: “Over the last seven-and-a-half years, our academy has been right at the heart of the development of the club.
“The likes of Jamie (George), Owen (Farrell), Will (Fraser), George (Kruis) and Jackson (Wray) have become mainstays in the first team and they’re now leaders of this group.
“Underneath them we have Maro Itoje, Nathan Earle and Nick Tompkins and hopefully this new batch will be around for a long time to come too.”