‘It’s going to be so special’ Saracens star Lozowski admits he can’t wait to take on Bristol Bears

Alex Lozowski is now eligible to play for Italy, comes from Polish stock, and is all the better for a year in France yet for all that, Saracens and England is still home for the 28-year-old.

On Saturday, the mad Tottenham Hotspur fan will achieve a childhood dream of running out at the home of the Premier League side when he takes on Bristol Bears.

Lozowski can’t wait to play at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in front of his Spurs-mad family as he looks to continue what has been an impressive season in a Saracens shirt.

Boyhood Spurs fan Alex Lozowski is relishing his sides clash against Bristol Bears on Saturday

The 28-year-old continues to shine for his club and is set to play international rugby for Italy 

He was on standby for England’s underwhelming Six Nations campaign, but for all his fine club form, he has still not played a Test since the last of his five caps in 2018.

At the start of the year, Lozowski was approached by new Italy head coach Kieran Crowley to feature for the Azzurri.

World Rugby’s new eligibility laws mean a player can switch nations three years after his or her last cap. Lozowski qualifies for Italy through his late grandmother Giacoma Lozowska.

‘I said to Kieran the feeling I’ve got inside me is that I’m English,’ Lozowski told Sportsmail. 

‘I’ve obviously played for England in the past. I’ve grown up here. My dad played for England.

Rugby’s new laws mean a player can switch nations three years after his or her last cap

‘I feel an English bloke. At the moment that is where my loyalties lie, even if I’m not going to get picked.

‘That might not make sense to some people because they might think if I’m not getting picked for England, I may as well go and play for Italy. 

‘But I’m the type of player who needs to be all in to play for a team. At this stage of my career, I’m still passionately English.

‘Eddie Jones said it’s up to me which at the end of the day it is. If I hadn’t played for England then maybe I wouldn’t feel as English as I do. Because I have, I have that attachment.’

‘I always thought when I was growing up that it was peculiar you could play for more than one country. If I’m honest about it, my grandmother was Italian, but I’ve never lived in Italy.

Lozowski’s form for Saracens certainly warrants England selection given he continues to shine

‘I’ve been there on holiday, but I don’t speak any Italian. I am eligible for them, but it’s not as much a part of me compared to someone who might have been born in Tonga, Samoa or Fiji and then played for the All Blacks.

‘They would have more of a deep connection with their homeland than I would with Italy. It’s up to the individual what they want to do, but ultimately, I feel English.’

There is a good argument to say Lozowski’s form for Saracens certainly warrants England selection, particularly after a Six Nations in which Jones’ back-line failed to fire. 

He has been an exceptional performer for Saracens at either fly-half or centre and has slotted seamlessly back into the London club’s environment after a loan spell at Montpellier.

When Saracens were hit by the salary cap scandal, several of the club’s leading lights had to opt for pastures new. Lozowski ended up in the south of France. Covid-19 made things tricky.

Saracens and England is still home for the 28-year-old who is excited to play for Italy

As Montpellier struggled, Lozowski was voted one of French rugby’s worst foreign signings before he and his team turned things around to win the Challenge Cup.

‘It was a massively valuable experience for me,’ Lozowski said. 

‘I was stuck in France for the Christmas I was there. My mum was kind enough to send over a Christmas pudding for one.

‘I actually spent Christmas Day with Montpellier’s team manager Tom Whitford. He’s an Englishman and after that, I went for a couple of mince pies at Bismark du Plessis’ house!’

Lozowski has revealed he was stuck in France over Christmas during the Covid-19 lockdown

Now based back in England with his girlfriend Charlotte, Lozowski is focusing on a strong end to the season with Saracens.

International rugby is not the sole focus it has been for him in the past, but Lozowski admits he would love one more crack at the whip. 

He was brutally substituted by Jones at half time against Japan in 2018 in favour of Owen Farrell with England trailing 15-10. He has not been seen in a white shirt since.

‘It will always be a disappointment how that game went and how it effectively ended my involvement with England,’ Lozowski said. 

‘It’s played on my mind ever since, but less so recently as I’ve tried to park it at the back of my mind. Having said I’m not going to play for Italy and want to play my best for Saracens, I’ll just see where it takes me. 

‘I don’t really think I’m anywhere near playing for England, but that won’t stop me giving my best for my club each week.

‘I was obviously disappointed to miss out on the Six Nations. There is no time to feel sorry for yourself. I’ve not been involved with England for a long time, so maybe missing out on England shouldn’t have been too much of a surprise to me. Maybe I got my hopes up a little bit.

He claims he was really disappointed to miss out on the Six Nations with England

‘I pretty quickly got past it. It doesn’t do me any good to put England at the forefront of my mind. 

‘When I came back to Saracens at the start of the season, I couldn’t have been further away from England which probably allowed me to go out and enjoy my rugby.

‘Potentially that got me considered for the squad, but sometimes being on standby is worse than being completely forgotten about!’

Lozowski is part of a strong Saracens side to face Bristol. Farrell is back for his first game since last autumn and Jamie George, Maro Itoje, Nick Isiekwe, Elliot Daly and Max Malins all return from the England fold.

Lozowski was a talented footballer growing up and was on Chelsea’s books before rugby

Lozowski says he actually spent Christmas Day with Montpellier’s team manager Tom Whitford

Farrell is captain while George and Isiekwe bring up their 250th and 100th Saracens appearances respectively. Bristol also include an England star in Harry Randall.

Lozowski was a talented footballer growing up and was on Chelsea’s books before turning to rugby, so a chance to strut his stuff at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is one he is relishing.

It will be another chance for him to catch England head coach Jones’ eye. 

‘It’s going to be so special, a bit surreal,’ said Lozowski, whose family are all big Tottenham fans.

‘I’ll be pinching myself and I’m sure it will bring the best out of me and the team as well.

‘To be at the stadium, the world’s best, with Saracens – what a day for me and my family.’