Saracens look to new blood for new season

England flanker Richard Hill has given his backing to Saracens’ new recruits by insisting their international ambitions can only be beneficial to the club.

Saracens have traditionally lured big-name internationals to Vicarage Road, a policy that has met with little success as many of the foreign imports were in the twilight of their careers.

But coach Rod Kafer has decided to take the club in a new direction by signing the likes of Alex Sanderson, Dan Scarbrough and Hugh Vyvyan – players who are on the fringes of the England set-up.

Hill said: “You only have to look at the new guys who have come in to see we mean business – they are people who are close to playing for England.

“There is only one way for them to make the step up and get picked for the full England side and that’s to perform for their club. The fact these guys have ambition and want to do well is massively important.

“We will be looking to bring them into the fold and galvanise them into a quality team. Good team performances are just as important as individual ones if you want to move up the ladder.”

Kafer has not yet finished strengthening Saracens’ squad with the former Wallaby centre, who has completed his first year with the Vicarage Road coaching reins, planning further acquisitions.

Saracens finished third from bottom in the Zurich Premiership last season and Kafer has ruled out the possibility of following in Bath’s footsteps by turning into title challengers in the space of a summer.

But the former Leicester back is looking for a big improvement on last term - and feels it may arrive in the New Year.