Sarries head for Storm

Eddie Jones is confident Saracens will reap the rewards of a week's warm-weather training in South Africa.

After European Challenge Cup fixtures against Viadana this weekend and in Mont de Marsan a week later, Saracens will head off to South Africa where they will play a friendly against Super 14 team Stormers at Newlands in Cape Town on 25 January.

The trip will strengthen the club's links with the SAIL, the South African company that owns 50 per cent of the Guinness Premiership club and who have a significant stake in the Stormers.

Sarries director of rugby Jones said: "We don't have a Guinness Premiership match on 7 February and this warm-weather training should be a real boost for everyone.

"This is the start of what we hope will be regular contact with the leading South African teams."

Meanwhile, the Guinness Premiership clubs have agreed to freeze their salary cap at £4million for the next two years but believe they need to increase revenue by playing more matches.

The clubs - who will retain a 12-team Premiership - will need the the Rugby Football Union's support to increase their fixtures and the EDF Energy Cup would have to be sacrificed.