Saracens' Caluori targets England summer Test debut

3 min read
Saracens' Caluori targets England summer Test debut

Saracens' Caluori targets England summer Test debut

Saracens' teenage star Noah Caluori believes he is now ready for the step up to international rugby after a stunning breakthrough season.

Saracens' Caluori targets England summer Test debut

Saracens' teenage star Noah Caluori believes he is now ready for the step up to international rugby after a stunning breakthrough season.

Saracens' teenage sensation Noah Caluori has set his sights on an England Test debut this summer, declaring himself ready for the international stage after a remarkable breakthrough season that has taken the Premiership by storm.

The 19-year-old has been nothing short of electric, crossing the try line 18 times in the Premiership this campaign—just two short of Sam Simmonds' regular-season record set in 2021. That kind of form doesn't go unnoticed, and Caluori has already had a taste of the top level, training with Steve Borthwick's senior squad ahead of the autumn internationals.

"I feel like now is a good time to play international rugby," Caluori told the BBC Rugby Union Weekly podcast. "I feel like I would back myself if I got put into that environment. I would be happy to go on the summer tour."

His journey to this point has been nothing short of meteoric. After scoring five tries against Sale on his full Saracens debut in October, he earned an immediate call-up to Borthwick's autumn squad and made an appearance for England 'A' in November. Yet despite that rapid rise, Caluori admits that stepping into full international rugby during the Six Nations might have been premature.

"Maybe the autumn or the Six Nations would have been a bit of a rush," he reflected. "But I feel like I was handled well—being put into England 'A' to experience that level, while also enjoying my time with the Under-20s and following a physical development plan. That was good for me."

Now, with England's summer schedule taking shape—a clash with South Africa in Johannesburg on 4 July, followed by a fixture against Fiji at Everton's Hill Dickinson Stadium in Liverpool on 11 July, and a trip to Santiago del Estero to face Argentina on 18 July—Caluori believes the timing is perfect.

"If I were to play for England earlier this year, it would have been a rush," he said. "But now is a good time, especially experiencing this run-in with everything on the line for Saracens. It shows how critical every result is, and that's similar to a Test match game."

With Saracens pushing hard in the Premiership, Caluori is keeping his focus firmly on the club's charge, while also keeping an open line with England head coach Steve Borthwick. "I've had some comms with him—we've had a chat—and I'm just focused on playing my best rugby from now until the end of the season."

For a player who burst onto the scene with a five-try haul against Sale, the sky truly seems the limit. Whether he'll be wearing an England jersey this summer remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: Noah Caluori is ready for his moment.

Like this article?

Order custom jerseys for your team with free design

Related Topics

Related News

Back to All News