Mark McCall launches centre search after serious Olly Hartley setback

Gallagher Premiership Champions Saracens have started a search to replace Olly Hartley after the England hopeful seriously damaged his knee ligaments in the win over Gloucester last weekend.

The 22-year-old is set to miss the rest of 2024 after it was revealed he suffered ACL damage in the 46-24 victory in London, which has prompted director of rugby Mark McCall to open a search for another centre.

Hartley’s unavailability is a blow for Saracens who are chasing down Northampton Saints and Bath at the top of the Premiership table as they look to retain the crown they won with a 35-25 win over Sale Sharks at Twickenham last May.

The Whitgift School-educated midfielder, whose father Gary was a former England trialist, has been in outstanding form for Sarries and his try against the Cherry and Whites at the Stone X Stadium was his seventh in 20 games this season.

The inside centre joined Saracens on an academy contract in November 2022 after Wasps went out of business and he was close to England’s Guinness Six Nations squad after catching the eye playing for England A against Portugal in February.

McCall has been busy in the transfer market in the last couple of months, bringing in Sam Spink, one of Hartley’s former Wasps teammates, from the Western Force and Wales loosehead Rhys Carre from Cardiff.

Fergus Burke is also arriving in North London from the Crusaders later this year to replace former England skipper Owen Farrell, who is heading to Stuart Lancaster’s Top 14 giants Racing 92 next season.

McCall has also added the Newcastle Falcons pair loosehead Phil Brantingham and young fly-half Louie Johnson and has also spoken to veteran winger Jonny May about switching from Gloucester when his contract runs out at the end of June.