Preview of Tuesdays vital match against Saracens

added to squad
By David Hibell
April 28 2003

It’s another crucial game on Tuesday as Bristol travel to Vicarage road for this televised match, site of their last victory over Saracens, and the only victory against them in the last six Premiership matches.

Saracens will be particularly focussed on this game with their remaining

fixtures area against Newcastle away and then Sale Sharks at home being

the “harder” games on paper in terms of recent form; they are targeting this

game as their cup final.

They come into the match on a run of six defeats in the premiership, one 

more loss would equal their worst worst-ever league run set in the old division

one in season 1992/93.  That run includes three home games and they have

never lost four home games in a row.  

There has been no team announcements as yet from Wayne Shelford, their 

official site confirming that the medical team would assess the squad Monday

morning for decisions on the fitness of the players that came off during the

game on Saturday, Bristol old boy Kyran Bracken, Tim Horan and Nicky Little, 

though it was reported elsewhere that they were taken off as a precautionary 

measure.  Also in question is the fitness of Richard Hill and Thomas 

Castaignede who both missed the clash, Richard Hill being rated 50/50 before 

the match.

Peter Thorburn has named a 24 man squad, with Emiliano Bergamaschi the 

only addition to the 23 players named for the last match but I am expect a 

different backs line to last Sundays match.

Both teams have a game in hand over the rest of the league, and with just

one point separating the two teams, both will be looking for the win that will

see them move closer to safety with two games remaining after.

The stats bit

 Summary of meetings between the teams in the Premiership

Played                                                     17

Saracens Won                                       11               64.7%

Bristol Shoguns Won                               6               35.3%

Drawn                                                        0               0%

Biggest Win for Saracens              37 – 10            21 May 2000

Biggest Win for Bristol Shoguns   45 – 22            27 Dec 1999

Saracens top try scorer vs Bristol Shoguns - Darragh O'Mahony 5 tries

Saracens top points scorer vs Bristol Shoguns - Luke Smith 41 points

Bristol Shoguns top try scorer vs Saracens - Adam Vander 3 tries

Bristol Shoguns top points scorer vs – Saracens - Mark Tainton 37 points

Previous Meetings

Date                   Teams             Result  Venue            

01 Sep 2002 Saracens vs Bristol Shoguns  45 - 30 Memorial Stadium 

12 May 2002 Saracens vs Bristol Shoguns  26 - 28 Vicarage Road    

02 Dec 2001 Saracens vs Bristol Shoguns  25 - 22 Memorial Stadium 

18 Mar 2001 Saracens vs Bristol Shoguns  24 - 13 Vicarage Road    

26 Aug 2000 Saracens vs Bristol Shoguns  34 - 23 Memorial Stadium 

21 May 2000 Saracens vs Bristol Shoguns  37 - 10 Vicarage Road    

27 Dec 1999 Saracens vs Bristol Shoguns  22 - 45 Memorial Stadium 

14 Feb 1998 Saracens vs Bristol Shoguns  37 - 20 Memorial Stadium 

02 Nov 1997 Saracens vs Bristol Shoguns  31 - 9  Vicarage Road    

09 Mar 1997 Saracens vs Bristol Shoguns  33 – 15 (Enfield?)