Saracens have announced that Mark McCall, the club’s long-standing director of rugby, will be taking a medically-recommended short break from his role.

The news comes as a shock with McCall, 54, now set to step away from leading Saracens for an unspecified amount of time. Saracens’ players were informed at lunchtime on Friday and then sent text messages of support to McCall.

“People will always come first at our club and Mark will be given all of the support and time he needs,” read a club statement.

“Meanwhile we would ask that everyone respects Mark’s privacy. Mark is obviously more than confident in the coaching team he has worked with for many years to temporarily take the reins.”

McCall has overseen Saracens’ spell as a dominant force in the English game since becoming director of rugby in 2010, with Saracens winning five Gallagher Premiership titles and three Champions Cup crowns.

He signed a contract extension at the beginning of last year, running until the end of the 2024/25 season.

Saracens head coach Joe Shaw will take charge starting with the club’s Gallagher Premiership fixture this weekend against Wasps, supported by assistant coaches Kelly Brown, Ian Peel, Kevin Sorrell and Adam Powell

A number of clubs plus the Rugby Players’ Association sent messages of support to McCall and Saracens.

“Everyone at Premiership Rugby wishes Mark McCall all the best,” tweeted the league’s official account. “Sending you Best Wishes from Devon Mark! Looking forward to seeing you back on the sidelines soon!” said Exeter Chiefs. 

Bath added: “Everyone at Bath Rugby sends their best wishes to Mark and hope to see him back as soon as possible.” Sale Sharks, who are coached by McCall’s former assistant Alex Sanderson, also tweeted: “All the best Mark, hope to see you back at the StoneX when you’re ready!”

In one message of support, a former club employee wrote: “Wishing Mark all the best as he takes a break. He was always such a supportive and caring influence when I was working at the club – you could always count on him when you needed him.”

An Ireland international as a player, winning 13 caps between 1992 and 1998 as a centre, McCall retired at the age of 31 following a prolapsed disc. He went on to have successful coaching stints with Ulster, winning the Celtic League by a point ahead of Leinster in 2006, and also Castres before linking up with Saracens initially as head coach under Brendan Venter back in 2009.

Saracens sit second in the Premiership table this season following their successful return to the top flight, after spending last season in the Championship following their enforced relegation for salary cap breaches. The club’s last league outing was a narrow one-point defeat to top-four rivals Gloucester. 

Saracens are also in position to make the knockout stages of this season’s Challenge Cup following last weekend’s bonus-point victory over London Irish with a game in hand remaining against Brive, a postponed fixture set to be played at the beginning of April.