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Saracens expect to host rugby union derbies at Spurs' new home

Steve Bardens / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Tottenham Hotspur's new stadium is expected to host future editions of the rugby union rivalry between London-based clubs Saracens and Harlequins.

"We are looking forward to Tottenham's ground being completed and that becoming our home for this game for the years to come," Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall told The Telegraph's Mick Cleary.

Spurs have been temporary residents of Wembley Stadium for nearly 20 months while redevelopments around their old White Hart Lane home are being completed. They were expected to move into the new stadium for the start of the 2018-19 season, but delays inconvenienced Mauricio Pochettino's side and - it seems - two Premiership Rugby clubs.

(Photo courtesy: The Telegraph)

McCall described West Ham United's London Stadium - which will host Saturday's latest skirmish between Saracens and Harlequins - as "a bit of a neutral venue," and indicated Saracens would host the derby at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the future.

"This weekend's game should have been at Tottenham's ground if the stadium had been ready," he said. "My understanding now is that (Spurs' new home) is going to be where we are going to be for this fixture. It is very exciting and it is more our area (in terms of support base)."

No details have been disclosed regarding the surface on which rugby union matches will be played: Spurs' retractable football pitch or the NFL-ready synthetic turf pitch underneath it.

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