Callum Hunter-Hill finds new Premiership club days after Saracens exit

Northampton Saints have announced the signing of second-row Callum Hunter-Hill, who recently left Saracens.

It is the second lock signing in as many days for the Gallagher Premiership champions, following the arrival of George Smith from the NFL's Internation Player Pathway programme.

The 27-year-old's departure from Saracens was announced earlier this week after five years at the StoneX Stadium, where he amassed 81 appearances.

Northampton have seen second-rows Alex Moon and Courtney Lawes (though he played primarily in the back row in the final seasons of his Saints career) leave Franklin's Gardens over the summer, and have therefore been forced to find replacements.

The former Scotland U20 international is not the only Saracen that is making the move north in the offseason, with prop Tom West also joining the side that triumphed over Saracens in the Premiership semi-final last season on their way to winning the title.

“When the opportunity to join Saints came, I looked at the team and it just seems like a fantastic place to be,” Hunter-Hill said after signing.

“They are a club on the up, and have obviously just won the Premiership.

“I love the brand of rugby Saints play. It is very open and it is very quick. Even the defensive systems suit me as a player, it just makes me excited.”

Hunter-Hill's new director of rugby Phil Dowson said: “Callum has been a key part of the success at Saracens over a long period and will have learnt a lot from those experiences.

“We look forward to having that experience within our squad, and giving Callum an opportunity to compete and improve in an area of strength for the club.

“We were impressed when we spoke to Callum about his desire to kick on and get better and we know we have an environment to allow him to do that.”