Saracens pay tribute to Mark McCall after director of rugby steps down after trophy-laden 15 years in role - 'Career-defining'

But one thing they all have in common is, when they do settle on their description, they are glowing in their opinions.

Jamie George goes with "career-defining." Maro Itoje chooses "humble." Owen Farrell selects "no fuss" and Joe Shaw says "competitive".

McCall announced in January that he will step down as Saracens director of rugby at the end of the season after 15 years at the helm, with his predecessor, Brendan Venter, returning from the start of the 2026/27 campaign.

Under McCall - a former Ireland centre and Ulster head coach - Saracens claimed the Gallagher Premiership on six occasions and were crowned European champions three times.

As well as success on the field, McCall has played a key role in developing a number of England internationals, including George, Itoje, Farrell, Billy Vunipola, Mako Vunipola, Elliot Daly and George Kruis.

George, who joined Saracens' academy aged 14 and has played his whole career for the club, called McCall "the most successful club coach of all time", but added that the 58-year-old is so much more than that.

"The trajectory of the club, the reason why we won, the culture that was created, the character that you saw from that team was purely driven by Mark," George said.

"He's been a father figure to me. He's going to hate hearing that, but he has, because I've looked up to him in so many ways."

George remembers his first encounter with McCall vividly.

"I was an 18-year-old kid, just come out of school, and I remember thinking: 'He is so invested in me,'" he recalls. "'Why would he be? Who does that? What sort of organisation is this?' I was blown away."

And that kind of leadership from McCall is something Farrell and Itoje echo, and which has come to define the Irishman's time at the club.

For head coach Shaw, he has seen first-hand the guiding hand McCall has provided to players throughout their careers.

"Some of our players, he would have bought through since they were like 14," Shaw said.

"Like their whole careers, they're coming to an end, and they've had Mark there, he's seen them develop, not just players that have gone on to be Lions, but they've become family men. Those kinds of relationships for a club to trust in this process and trust in a man like that to lead, that doesn't happen that often."

It was not just in the good times when McCall showed his value, but also in the bad times.

"In times when things haven't been going well, so whether that's personal stuff with my mum over the last year or whether that's been times of public criticism, he's always been honest, and he always delivers it in a compassionate, empathetic way," Itoje said.

George added that McCall was the first person to call him when he lost the England captaincy and the first to message him after his mum passed away.

Farrell has a similar story of McCall's character.

"When I was going through a difficult spell and I pulled back from playing international rugby and I thought about maybe it'd be a good time to get a different experience, he was the first person that I went to," he said. "They couldn't have been more understanding if they tried."

After the end of this season, McCall will work as a technical adviser for the club and join the board.

Saracens still have plenty to play for this season, sitting just three points outside the Gallagher PREM play-off spots with the end of the season around the corner.

And ending McCall's final campaign with another league title could be the fitting way to bring an end to his remarkable chapter with the club.

As he steps away from Saracens, George - who has spent 17 years at the club - explains he would be a different man if it had not been for McCall.

"I would not be sat where I am today as the person that I am now without you."

Watch and stream the Gallagher PREM and Premiership Women's Rugby on TNT Sports and HBO Max.