Mark McCall isn’t convinced that Schalk Brits needs to retire next summer, after the veteran hooker turned in a man-of-the-match performance in Saracens’ curtain-raiser against Northampton Saints.

The European champions started their league campaign with a bang, trouncing Northampton 55-24 in front of a Twickenham crowd and running in nine tries.

The result was beyond doubt at half-time with Sarries leading 41-3, Sean Maitland had scored a first-half hat-trick but even that wasn’t enough to deny Brits the man-of-the-match honours.

The 36-year-old Springbok covered every blade of grass on the pitch, displaying devastating pace and throwing a succession of outrageous offloads.

And upon being asked about Brits’ decision to retire at the end of the season, McCall didn’t rule out the forward staying with the club next year.

"That's a decision that he has made,” said McCall. “He will be 37 next year...so we will see.

“He's Peter Pan. He's an explosive athlete and his athleticism hasn't gone away at all.

"His body is sore after games, but it was a stunning performance today, he was incredible.

“This is his ninth season at the club and he's been a star from day one, he seems to save all of his best performances for Twickenham, I can remember so many breaks he's made here.

"People see the smiler in him and all of that but he's just a good man to have in camp, he's very good with the younger players and has been very good with Jamie George.

“He certainly complained that he played too much last year! We've got enough hookers to look after him.

“A couple of years ago he sometimes didn't train on the first day of the week but he's got more competitive!"

To add to Maitland’s hat-trick Saracens also scored first-half tries through Brad Barritt, Richard Wigglesworth, Alex Lozowski and Vincent Koch, with Brits and Ben Spencer touching down in the second half.

A slight negative for last season’s Premiership semi-finalists was an injury to second-row George Kruis, and next up for the London side is a trip away to Bath on Saturday.