Kaden Pearce-Paul

Kaden Pearce-Paul arrived in rugby union via an increasingly well-trodden route, switching codes from rugby league after time with Wigan Warriors to join Saracens. Born on 13 June 2003, the back-row forward brings the athleticism and ball-carrying instincts honed in the thirteen-a-side game to the fifteen-man code. Tall and mobile, he offers a dynamic presence in the loose and a strong defensive work rate, with the breakdown and the carry the natural focal points of his developing union game. The transition between codes is a significant undertaking, demanding mastery of new technical areas such as the lineout, ruck and scrum, and Pearce-Paul has been working to add that detail to his considerable raw physical tools. As a young player adapting to the Gallagher Premiership, his progress will be measured in how quickly he absorbs the nuances of forward play while retaining the attacking threat that made him a code-switching prospect in the first place. For Saracens, he represents a promising long-term project with a high physical ceiling and the potential to become a powerful presence in their back row.