McCall keen to extend Stringer’s loan spell at Saracens

PETER STRINGER’S Heineken Cup run with Saracens might be extended following the London club’s success in securing a home quarter-final with a gruelling away victory over Benetton Treviso yesterday.

Stringer was originally signed from Munster on a three-month loan deal and played in all of Saracens’ last four Pool matches and helped the English club through by saving a certain try midway through the second half.

The Irish international was to the forefront of most of his side’s attacking threats as Treviso threatened to spoil the party. Saracens needed at least a losing bonus point to secure a quarter-final spot but Stringer helped them do better through a 26-20 win.

Although the diminutive scrum half is still, apparently, expected back with Munster following this particular short-term deal, it’s strongly believed Mark McCall, the Saracens head coach, is keen to keep him.

It is not exactly known how that desire will impinge on Stringer’s return to Ireland, but there is word the player’s agent, John Baker, will be involved in discussions relating to the scrum half’s future in England, or Ireland, within the next 48 hours.

Meanwhile, Simon Zebo wasn’t the only Heineken Cup hat-trick hero this weekend, as Biarritz’s speed king Takudzwa Ngwenya scored a blistering trio of tries to dump Ospreys out of the Heineken Cup on a 36-5 scoreline.

Cardiff Blues booked their quarter-final place with a 36-30 win over Racing Metro — but not before Wales coach Warren Gatland was dealt another major pre-Six Nations injury scare.

Blues and Wales prop Gethin Jenkins went off six minutes before half-time at Cardiff City Stadium nursing what appeared to be a knee problem.

Gatland has already lost Jenkins’ fellow forwards Luke Charteris, Alun-Wyn Jones and Lloyd Burns from the tournament, while fly-half Rhys Priestland and flanker Dan Lydiate both suffered injuries during yesterday’s action. Wales’ opening game against Ireland is just a fortnight away.

Despite Jenkins’ early exit, the Blues secured a last-eight berth — albeit away against Heineken Cup holders Leinster — thanks to wing Alex Cuthbert’s try double, a Lloyd Williams touchdown and 21 points from full-back Leigh Halfpenny, including five penalties.

Edinburgh advanced to the knockout stage for the first time in eight years when they swept London Irish aside 34-11 at Murrayfield.

The Scottish outfit’s passage was secured by tries from Tim Visser, Jim Thompson, Netani Talei and Lee Jones, plus 14 points from captain Greig Laidlaw. The Exiles’ points came from a Jonathan Joseph try and two penalties by Adrian Jarvis.