Transfer News: Saracens announce departure of international captain

Although his next club has not been officially announced, McFarland has been strongly linked with La Rochelle and is expected to join the Top 14 side.

Saracens gave McFarland his first opportunity in European rugby after he arrived in 2021, marking his first club stint outside Samoa.

Since then, he has become an important figure in the squad thanks to his versatility across the second and back row.

He missed the latter half of the 2022/23 campaign after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury in December 2022.

Before that setback, he had started each of the club’s opening nine Premiership and European fixtures, scoring six tries as Saracens finished top of the table on their way to winning the title.

In 2024, McFarland was named Samoa captain, replacing Michael Alaalatoa. In his first match as captain, he guided Samoa to victory over Italy, securing the nation’s first win against tier-one opposition in nine years.

With George Martin set to arrive from Leicester Tigers next season, Saracens appear to have already lined up a replacement for McFarland.