Mark McCall has rejected Eddie Jones’s suggestion that his Saracens players will prioritise their club duties ahead of playing at the Six Nations for England, as they prepare to face Ospreys in the Champions Cup.

Sarries were handed a 35-point deduction and a £5.36 million fine for breaching salary cap regulations, a penalty which the club have decided not to appeal.

With several of his England players returning for their Champions Cup match against Ospreys at Allianz Park – Elliot Daly, Manu and Mako Vunipola among them – McCall held a meeting with the club’s squad on Wednesday to draw a line under the controversy surrounding the club, in a bid to move forward.

And despite the domestic troubles the club find themselves in, McCall insists that his players have his full support to play international rugby.

He said: “I’m not sure why he [Jones] is saying that to be honest. You will have to ask him. Certainly not from me something I would ever ask one of our players to do.”

“Playing international rugby is really important and we want our players to play for their country and will be continuing to support our players playing for England.

“I genuinely want our players to play for England. Of course, I do, it’s the pinnacle of the game.”

There were six Saracens players in the England staring XV that lost the Rugby World Cup final to South Africa in Yokohama, and they are likely to be selected by Jones for the opening Six Nations game against France on February 2.

“Wanting to play in the Six Nations doesn’t mean you’re not committed to the club. All of these guys are 100 per cent committed to the club but playing for your country is playing for your country.”

After being defeated in their Champions Cup opener at Racing 92 last time out, last year’s winners have work to do against Ospreys if they are to get their title defence back on track.

And ahead of what is the reigning champions 100th European Cup game, winger Alex Lewington said the meeting was a success, that the players are fully focused on their domestic duties.

“Mark McCall led the meeting well,” said Lewington. “To be honest it’s been quite a dragged-out thing over the last two weeks. It sounds a bit ridiculous, but you get a bit bored of it.

“You just want to concentrate on your rugby. If we do that as a team, we’ll get a result, and that closes the gap. Then it’s bit by bit moving forward.”