Goode back in London and preparing for Saracens' promotion push following his Japanese loan spell

Saracens have confirmed that Alex Goode has returned to the Championship club following his Japanese loan spell at NEC Green Rockets. The full-back, who made 302 appearances for his London team before heading to the Top League, had been in Abiko since October but is now back in England and readying himself the final weeks of Saracens' promotion push.

The 33-year-old 2019 European player of the year, who has 21 caps for England as well as winning five Premiership titles and three European Cups, said on Thursday: “It’s great to be in the Saracens family again and be back amongst so many good friends. 

"When you leave you appreciate how amazing the club is and how big a part it has played in my life, so it’s amazing to be back. I had a great time in Japan and am very appreciative of the opportunity, but it feels really good to be back and I’m looking forward to playing my part in a huge period ahead for the club.”

Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall added about Goode: “We're delighted to welcome Alex back to the club after his experience in Japan. Everyone is aware of his huge contribution to the club over the last decade and he will play a key role going forward.”

On Wednesday, when hosting his media briefing ahead of next Monday's home clash with Ampthill, McCall described the mixed mood at the club last week when its joy at gaining the biggest representation of any team on the 2021 Lions was offset by disappointment for the omitted Billy Vunipola and Sean Maitland.  

“The squad were over the moon for the five who went," he told RugbyPass. "Every time a name was called out the room went mad but it was funny because they did it in alphabetical order and it so happened that Billy was the last on our list of people who could have gone.

“It went from jubilation to the opposite of that, to be honest, and everybody left the room quietly because they were so disappointed for Billy, which I thought was a lovely moment. Billy wasn’t in the room but it said a lot about how the group feel about him.”