Saracens academy chief Mike Hynard has heaped praise on director of rugby Mark McCall and his staff after ten Men in Black players were chosen by England coach Eddie Jones for this summer’s tour of South Africa.

McCall’s side finished the regular Premiership season in second place, eight points behind Exeter Chiefs, boasting the most points scored and fewest conceded.

Among Jones’ 34-man squad are Sarries representatives Owen Farrell, Maro Itoje, Billy Vunipola, Mako Vunipola, Jamie George, Nathan Earle, Alex Lozowski, Ben Spencer, Nick Isiekwe and Ben Earl.

Seven of those came through the youth ranks and academy manager Hynard is delighted to see so many promising youngsters are continuously being given the chance to prove themselves at senior level.

“It’s brilliant and fantastic to see the academy producing players for the first team - that’s the purpose of the academy,” he said.

“All the staff have worked and are working unbelievably hard in the academy to ensure Ben Earl, Max Malins and the next group of players below that are all pushing themselves and making themselves as good as they can be to firstly get in the first team and then kick on and hopefully play for England.

“It’s fantastic for the club that seven academy products will be on the England tour this summer.

“Some of the older boys came through the programme a long time ago but it’s testimony to the club and how seriously the club takes the academy.

“It’s an important part of the future success of the club and it’s vital Mark McCall, [performance director] Phil Morrow and the senior coaches believe in and invest time, effort and energy into the academy to make it as important and successful as it is – and they do.”