Tigers v Saracens Match Preview
By ChrisC
February 18 2013
The Golden Boy He, like me, was blessed to be born into a generation that never had to involuntarily fight a war, enjoyed vast technological and medical advances while enjoying opportunity and prosperity hitherto unheard of by people from our backgrounds.
He was good looking and possessed of an easy and disarming charm. The sort of person others want to be around.
He wanted to be a pilot. He wanted it more than anything in the world. He duly became a fast jet aviator. He worked hard, as did most of our golden generation, even if it seemed to come to him so easily.
Whenever I’d advise him to caution on some matter or another he’d toss back his floppy blond hair, laugh, draw on the cigarette hooked in the corner of his mouth and, before taking a sip of his favourite malt whisky, tell me, in his RAF drawl, not to worry so much. “Don’t worry, it’ll be fine, have a drink” his stock response to my misgivings.
He married, had two children but then somebody new took his eye and, tired of his affairs, his wife divorced him and threw him out. He’d left the RAF, which had also palled and, homeless, lived with us for six months while a stream of girls came and went until eventually he left to work as a pilot in Libya and thereafter flew for an international airline for the rest of his career. He was happy. It was his passion and his destiny to be a flyer.
He soon married again, had another two children. Once more he eventually lost interest, and another of his affairs saw him again divorced and he married for a third time.
He’s always lived life on his own terms but was careless with people. Oddly although he left emotional debris strewn behind him, he never seemed to make an enduring enemy and he remains on good terms with his first two wives and his children.
Now living in Spain with his third wife his health is failing and when asked if he’d be coming home he predictably laughed and said if he had to spend his last days anywhere it would in the warmth of Spain looking over the almond blossom that, at this time of year, fills the valley below his house like drifts of freshly fallen snow. So you see right until the end it’ll be a life lived on his own terms for the golden boy.
Saracens also operate very much on their own terms but without deploying a soupcon of the insouciant charm of my friend. Even though Nigel Wray has copious amounts of the stuff and comes across as the nicest and most urbane of men. Charm is the secret to getting your own way without making implacable enemies.
Nevertheless Saracens go about things in a “Joe Blunt” sort of way which seems designed to antagonise and, while I don’t much like how they usually play, nor their Africa-centric recruitment policy, I can’t help but admire them for just getting on with it and letting the devil take the hindmost as far as their critics are concerned.
When I’ve watched Saracens play in the Heineken Cup I’ve been frustrated to see how they can play when their talented team are so permitted. I found myself shouting at the TV screen “Why can’t you play like this more often in the Premiership”. I felt cheated that Saracens have all that talent, assembled at vast expense and generating enormous losses, and yet when playing English teams they too often persist with turgidity.
Were they a team just promoted from the Championship with meagre resources I could understand it. Were they in a year after year battle against relegation I could understand it. If they couldn’t play any other way I’d understand it. But when they can be so entertaining, beating good opposition in the process, yet choose not to be. I don’t understand it. I just don’t.
Something I don’t admire though, much less understand, was the need last May that they had to organise a Saracens’ supporters’ march upon Welford Road under their red and black banners like latter day Stoßtruppen seemingly with Mr Griffiths, their CEO, involved. The deployment of a “rent-a-crowd” to bolster their numbers and occupy the area around the players’ entrance to the pitch, so valued by Tigers’ supporters, was especially crass and uncalled for.
Of course visiting supporters may stand where so ever they wish at Welford Road but this organised occupation was distasteful. A rugby match is not an opportunity for a re-enactment of the Sudeten crisis nor, as far as I know, is Saracens, while South African financed, a UK branch of Afrikanerbond, even if more than 30% of its playing squad were born in southern Africa.
Maybe Mr Griffiths will not care that anybody was offended by these “innovations” but nevertheless I do hope that this Saturday he will see fit to let his players’ rugby do the talking, as well as joining with the club’s travelling support to generate a positive view of their club to add to the goodwill that its investment in Allianz Park has provided from many quarters of our sport.
So it was that I settled down to watch Saracens’ inaugural Premiership match at Allianz Park. I was full of anticipation at what Saracens’ new dawn, sans the fetid Vicarage Road, held.
Allianz Park is certainly colourful , I was half expecting Andy Murray and Roger Federer to appear as the playing area resembles a giant ATP court and certainly Saracens tried to play some all court stuff although were frustrated by inaccuracy from their makeshift backline, assembled due to international call ups. No such problem with the home side’s pack though which played very well with Vunipola immense in every sense of the word.
The match officials certainly entered into the party atmosphere bringing some lovely presents as they mercilessly penalised an already lethargic looking Exeter, including a ludicrously harsh yellow card for Luke Arscott, and in ignoring numerous infringements by the home side. As a consequence such energy as Exeter had was expunged by half time.
After a relentless second half performance from their forwards and an exhausted Exeter falling off more and more tackles, Saracens ran out deserved winners and even celebrated with a try bonus.
Happy times at Allianz Park – even the PA operator couldn’t contain himself and it burst into a spirited rendition of Nessun Dorma while the game was still in progress– ah well it can’t all be perfect.
Shortly afterwards Tigers locked horns with Quins at The Stoop and it soon became apparent that the wish I expressed in last week’s article;
“We can only pray that the referee has some semblance of knowledge about what’s going on and officiates in an even handed way so that we are spared the spectacle of “rule book lite” being used for one team and “rule book high tar” for the other.”
was not to be granted as Mr Barnes, not for the first time, endlessly penalised Tigers at the scrum and breakdown while his south west London neighbours went blissfully about their business without sanction. Botica taking full benefit of Mr Barnes mores.
It was especially apparent in the second half that Mr Barnes had set his face against the visitors and so it was that when he gave yet another unfathomable, in the context of the way both teams were addressing this area of activity, penalty at a breakdown. Care, although not taking the tap from the precise place of infringement, which was still littered with bodies, a law which Mr Barnes is usually very keen on applying with the enthusiasm of a weights and measures apparatchik, darted through Tigers’ flat footed defence for a try.
Tigers for their part crossed the home side’s goal line twice although Mr Barnes seemed determined not to award the second try. I thought that maybe he would have added to his litany of queries for the TMO; “Please check with PRL whether all the players are properly registered” such was his apparent determination not to award the score.
So Quins returned to the top of the Premiership while Saracens regained second and Tigers returned to third, where they were before last week’s match against London Welsh, just three points separating first from third and with Wasps a further three points back in fourth spot.
With Vunipola back in the embrace of Stuart Lancaster and Rhys Gill injured I expect young Nick Auterac to be on the loose-head side for the visitors and facing Mulipola who got such an unjustified shellacking from Mr Barnes at the Stoop. Surprisingly Schalk Brits wasn’t in the Saracens’ match day squad against Exeter, multi capped Springbok John Smit getting the start and ably supported by young Jamie George who I must say I really rate as an up and coming young hooker.
Maybe if the rumoured departure of Smits comes to pass we’ll see more of the talented youngster who, with two Springboks ahead of him in the pecking order, has just two starts in the Premiership this term. Wonder if he’s thought of Tigers as a destination for more game time? Matt Stevens, freed from international commitments, is playing really well and, refereeing permitting, it should be an enthralling contest between him and Tigers’ Marcos Ayerza.
George Chuter seems to be in the twilight zone of Richard Cockerill’s thinking having been supplanted by Rob Hawkins however against either Brits or Smit I think the experience of Chuter warrants a rare starting berth but I expect it’ll be Hawkins in what promises to be a tight contest with the Auterac/Mulipola element possibly swinging things in Tigers’ favour at scrum time.
Louis Deacon went off early on against Quins so I suspect he’ll be missing next Saturday and if so Ed Slater should get a well deserved start. Deacon’s power in the engine room will be missed but not much. Slater’s a big lump and also incredibly mobile and accomplished at the breakdown. Graham Kitchener had a lovely time against the re-jigged Quins second row at line-out time but I wouldn’t bet on a reprise come next Saturday when Steve Borthwick will be the usual threat as he reads the runes and with Botha likely on England duty expect to see a Springbok lock in the form of the abrasive Alastair Hargreaves completing the Saracens’ usually bomb proof line-out.
The outcome of the line-out contest will, I think, hinge on whether Tom Croft is cleared to play. If he is then advantage to Tigers, if not; advantage to Saracens.
Essex boy Jackson Wray was simply splendid against Exeter, although to be honest the Devonian side gave up the chase in the second half, and with Saxon Will Fraser he looks part of a really useful English combination. Neither are “fetchers” in the Andy Saull, Matt Kvesic or for that matter Julian Salvi style but their other work is of the highest order. The wily old bird Ernst Joubert guiding them and waving his arms about.
If Croft does not start at Welford Road then I think it fair to assume that all is not well with the management of his reintroduction, so I hope the British Lion will start with Salvi and, in Waldrom’s likely absence, Crane, to provide a trio with a varied approach. It will of course depend on the referee but if we have one who referees consistently for both teams then I think Tigers could have the best of things if Saull isn’t on hand to combat Salvi’s predatory nature.
If Cockerill stubbornly persists with the one dimensional Sam Harrison, who again brought nothing much other than functionality to proceedings, then I think whether it’s the likely starter for Saracens; Springbok Neil deKock or the sparky Wigglesworth Tigers will once again find themselves at a disadvantage. It is a mystery alongside that of Manu Tuilagi being preferred, out of position at #12, to Twelvetrees last season, that Young can’t get more than the occasional sniff at game time.
In a scenario where Ford partners Harrison I expect the Saracens loose forwards to be all over him like a cheap suit as they’ll know precisely what Harrison is going to do. Ford will also need to kick better than of late – much better, for if Saracens’ forwards see that they can infringe and escape punishment from the young fly-half’s boot they’ll roll the dice.
With Charlie Hodgson in imperious form, in spite of some early rejections of refereeing largesse, he was at the centre of all that was good about Saracens. Like Flood he’s a hugely intelligent player and he’ll be a big threat if Tigers’ scrum half play by numbers is again order of the day as he’ll be on the shoulder of his rampaging back row with a pod of forwards on his.
I have mentioned the effect of Wayne Barnes’ refereeing on the outcome of the Quins’ match but also influential was the departure of Tony Allen. Once he’d hobbled off Tigers’ defence lost its shape and with Tuilagi moving to inside centre his attacking threat was extinguished although by then he’d drifted out of the game, maybe believing he’d done enough to get him the England #13 shirt next weekend which seems to have been his focus since England’s victory over the All Blacks.
Dan Bowden reportedly has an injury that prevents him kicking from the tee (but not apparently from hand) and if Allen is not restored to fitness during the ensuing week it will be very different game plan that faces Adam Powell, who I would have thought, after a good outing against Exeter, would keep the #12 shirt. He was very busy on the gain line and seems to have developed a “Britsesque” shuffle in his running style.
With Matt Smith the probable starter for Tigers at outside centre he’ll have to take on the talented Joel Tomkins. Not all cross code converts are a success but Tomkins has made the switch well. I’m mightily impressed with the ex Wigan player. Much credit going to the Saracens’ coaching team as, while the Warrington born player joined them in November 2011, over a year elapsed before he made his first team debut, so he fully understood the code. Like Smith he’s very strong in the tackle, remains on his feet to either offload or provide a target for his pack. Already an England Saxon and with Jonathan Joseph faltering I see Tomkins with Barritt as part of an alternative mid field duo for the senior team.
Powell and Tomkins will be spending the coming week getting in synch and I can’t imagine, even given their predilection for rotation, there’d be any point in introducing Duncan Taylor into the mix.
If Allen isn’t playing for Tigers then I can see the centre of the field being a close contest with Saracens maybe edging it unless a way is found to reorganise the Tigers’ defence without its main man.
Out wide the industrious James Short was on parade against Exeter, replacing Joe Maddock who came on later. Short is deceptively strong and if he does get some decent ball he’ll be hard to stop as indeed will Adam Thompstone who’ll be looking to build on his stellar debut season for the Tigers. Even Mr Barnes, despite his best efforts, couldn’t deny the big lad his seventh try of the season. He’ll also take all the stopping if he gets a sniff, so Short would need his tackling head on.
On the other side David Strettle seems to be enjoying his time in the #11 shirt, his cut backs are vintage Chris Ashton in execution. Lancaster will probably persist with Mike Brown out of position on the wing for England so Strettle could be available. If not then maybe Ben Ransom, who leapfrogged into the starting line up last Saturday when Chris Wyles cried off late on, could get another chance. Young Ransom was very impressive coming forward and in defence and if Wyles is fit, and there’s nothing to suggest he won’t be, then I’d be tempted to give Ransom a place in the back three anyway.
With Niall Morris injured Scott Hamilton stepped in and provided a good, intelligent performance against Quins and it wouldn’t be a disaster if he were once again on duty. The Kiwi rarely makes a mistake but then neither does Morris who has more pace than the Tigers stalwart from the land of the long white cloud.
As Alex Goode will be away with England it will be, if fit, Saracens’ very own Yankee-doodle dandy; Chris Wyles at the back and he’ll also get little wrong whereas I am starting to become a little alarmed by Matt Tait.
Each time I see him he looks less like a full back. I know Cockerill’s stubbornness is legendary (qv; Sam Harrison) but surely it’s time to let the talented Tait play where he’ll be the biggest threat – on the wing, with Morris at #15. And where was Murphy on Saturday? When Deacon and Allen departed Tigers’ looked rudderless.
Tigers must win this but will they? I really don’t know. Maybe the Welford Road crowd will push Tigers over the winning line by three points but in any event here’s hoping that the referee’s performance doesn’t become the centre of attention and the decisive factor. We all deserve better.
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2013:02:25:20:52:23 by Tiggs.
Less sure about the "underdog" tag which you seem keen to grasp (as ever
) ... Tigers seem to be developing a 'backs-to-the-wall' mentality around this game.
I reckon it will be extremely close - and we're not helped by Tomkins & Fraser being called up to the England training squad for the week.
Anyway, I'm excited for it. I will pen some thoughts later in the week, but they won't rival your usual opus.
As you know I share your exasperation with the men in the middle - I am, like you, heartily sick of finding myself discussing them after every game. How I long for one without an agenda!
I suspect that Geordan's exclusion relates to long-term (and probably, at the last, career finishing) injury. We may well see him play again but I doubt he will start many games and we must accept it. That said, if Deacon is fit and starts with Crane and Croft behind him the leadership should hopefully not be an issue this week. Still it would be a great to see Geordan available at least from the bench. I am still undecided on Tait - what he does well is still exceptional but he is still, imo, a victim of too much interference with his game in the past and I can't help but feel that more interference would not be a good thing. That said at the moment Morris seems the better option of the two at 15. I hope the Irish man is fit because Hamilton for all his understanding, nous and solidity has undoubtedly lost a yard or so - I felt, last week, when Harrison broke in the second half, that while Sam rather butchered the opportunity by running away from his support, when he did look for support Scott hadn't got there where Niall or Matt might well have done.
Like you I see the key area of disadvantage in the halves where if Harrison-Ford performs as we fear, all may come to nought
It was suggested that Micky Young might be in purdah after what I understand was a less than forceful performance in Llanelli the other week. Whilst there have to be consequences to those sort of failures I would hope (I suspect vainly) that time on the naughty step may now be served and we may get the benefit of seeing him keeping a tremendous Sarries break-away unit honest.
For the rest it all seems pretty even and it should make for a good game. All we need is a referee who doesn't want to be a star...
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There are a few point I would take issue with but I don't want to be construed as a Victor Meldrew!
You weren't impressed by Wayne Barnes last weekend, then?
Sad to read of your friends failing health, but so glad your's has recovered sufficiently to allow more of these insightful previews
Saturday? Gulp! .. but ever hopeful
'Lions led by donkeys' .. Lest we forget
Where did you get the impression that my opinion of Mr Barnes hasn't improved? Was it that obvious!?
Sorry it was a bit of a gloomy piece this week - next week's is in a much lighter vein you may be pleased to know
My (our) friend is just starting an intensive, and I suspect somewhat last ditch, course of chemotherapy so we are praying for him.
Me? Yes better thanks. A bit patchy - good spells and bad spells. My prayers usually include copious thanks though!
One interesting point not raised is the relative weakness of both benches during the international period.
Between us we're missing an entire team (8 Tigers and 6 Sarries to internationals plus the usual assorted injuries) which creates holes in each side filled by usual bench players.
The knock on effect is that inexperienced players begin surfacing on the bench and the usual patterns get knocked.
For example, usually we replace our props at 50 minutes but with Vunipola and Gill both missing then we don't have the usual strength in depth and the relative newbie Auterac may have to play the whole game.
Managing the bench then becomes a key part of the game - so all coaches will have to be on top form as well as the players.
Nous sommes l'armée noir et rouge !
Quote:King Zak
I can guarantee, that if Tigers lose, it will be the referees fault!
Not so as I have noticed. Retraction?
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'Lions led by donkeys' .. Lest we forget
