Will It Be Cossack Hats Here We Come?

Match Promo
By Chris Chaplin
May 28 2003

Here we are then with the absolute final match of our season and so my final preview – cries of hooray were heard from all parts! The question now is which of these two under achieving teams can salvage something tangible from their 2002/3 season

Will It Be Cossack Hats Here We Come?

By Chris Chaplin

Here we are then with the absolute final match of our season and so my final preview – cries of hooray were heard from all parts! The question now is which of these two under achieving teams can salvage something tangible from their 2002/3 seasons by securing a place in next year’s senior European competition .

Like so many things in life it’s all a question of perspective as to how Sarries and Tigers view this manifestation of the marketeers’ art, the Wildcard competition. Tigers will surely see this as the last drink in the last chance saloon after gifting automatic qualification for the Heineken to Leeds by losing to London Irish at Welford Road with a dismal performance while Sarries, having found themselves flirting with relegation just a couple of weeks ago have, courtesy of fine wins over first Sale and then Leeds, seen their circumstances take a dramatic change for the better with participation at the very highest club level in 2003/4 a very real possibility.

I have to admit that I gave up watching the second leg of the Sarries/Leeds tie as with Sarries coasting and Leeds almost hysterical in their efforts to score it was not a great spectacle to watch, either for the interested neutral like me or more importantly for the 1400 souls who turned up at Headingly.

The only notable thing to come out of this encounter was the injury to Richard Hill which underlines the potential cost of these end of season pocket fillers (or not in the case of this particular series of matches) when the players are already worn out at the end of a long hard season. I did think it a lucky circumstance that one of Sarries’ sponsors is Duck Tape as so much was in evidence holding various players together.

To gauge the threat that the Men In Black represent to Tigers’ chances of appearing in the Heineken next term better instead to look at their recent performances against Sale, and in particular, Leeds at Vicarage Road.

I suppose it first has to be said that of all the matches I’ve seen this term Sarries performance against Leeds places them firmly in the vanguard of teams who were, to use the parlance so beloved of players and coaches alike, “up for it”.

Even the most ardent supporter of the Men in Black would surely have to concede that their pack has not been their strong suit this season and it must have been anticipated that with the impressive Abdel Benazzi absent from the fray the Leeds juggernaught eight would push them all around Vicarage Road - wrong!

The Sarries pack that night were as reborn and they dominated play to such an extent in both the tight and loose that Leeds must have thought someone had forgotten to bring the ball so little did they see of it in those first 40 minutes. Kris Chesney was truly outstanding especially in open play following his conversion to Lock, although it has to be said that the Saracens’ line out was often woeful and it was here that Leeds secured more than their share of possession that night. The lads from Watford were also handed two pieces of good fortune in that while Bracken and Goode rediscovered their form Leeds’ Albanese lost his, handing back bucket loads of aimlessly kicked away possession with a series of fumbles, sliced kicks and missed tackles. Such a shame as the little Argentinian has had a fine season following his arrival at Headingly from Gloucester.

The return of the Bath bound David Flatman saw him link up with veteran Cristian Califano who was at his abrasive best. Clearly even though after his three score and more caps may have been enough for his international career, which is now at an end it has not dulled his enthusiasm for his current club even though he is shortly off to Agen and he does of course still hold the record for tries scored by a prop an international, which bears ample testimony to his abilities in open play as did the burst and lovely inside pass that saw him put Kris Chesney in for a score under the posts after the Sarries Lock had risen from his bed of pain in the midfield, where he was grievous hurt, to sprint up field in support of the Frenchman - mind he did have the good grace to limp a bit through the rest of the game!

All this possession, in spite of their line out travails, enabled the Men in Black out back to have a field day against some abject defending from Leeds who looked shell shocked at the ferocity of the forward assault to which they were subjected. Bracken was back to near his best and gave Goode some immaculate service. As we know Andy Goode is very much a confidence player and rather wears his heart on his sleeve but the ex Tiger was brimming with confidence this night, potting five penalties and converting all six of his sides’ tries. Scores from newly re-signed England tourist Ben Johnston, who picked a lovely line through the statuesque Leeds cover to score under the posts. O’Mahony who ran in again having been handed a superb pass by Chesney, although frankly the dejected Albanese should have nabbed him as the winger scooted down the outside flirting with the touch line and Wales bound Shanklin, who again took advantage of some poor defending to see his nice show of the ball confound the Leeds cover, saw the Sarries home.

Try of the night for me though was that created and finished by Tim Horan who had been somewhat redundant at Full-back where in truth he could have occupied himself by reading Rugby World so weighted was the action to the other end of the field. Now while this all time great has lost a deal of his pace as his career ends he has lost none of his class and it was delight to see him slip through the defence with a little dip of his shoulder to dab the ball down and when Sorrell scored the last try of the night it was something of a relief for all concerned, other than his team mates of course who would happily played on and on and on.

It is hard to judge how good Sarries really were so poor were Leeds but without doubt their backs showed what they can do when they get good possession from their pack and Bracken and Goode are on form.

The situation at Franklins Gardens next weekend should be markedly different however with Tigers still boasting one of the meanest defences in the Premiership, conceding the same number of points as the Champions and only 20 more than those misers who’s home is this weeks’ neutral venue. All that’s been missing this season is the ability to score enough points at the other end.

In the second half at The Stoop and at Welford Road last Saturday their were signs of the old Tigers reappearing, indeed if the vilification heaped upon us by Quins fans is anything to go by Tigers are back with full effect - but don’t let’s get carried away.

What was true however was that the backs, celebrating only the fifth occasion this season where the line up has remained the same in consecutive matches, looked to be a more cohesive unit.

Videos will have been watched and Sarries’ end of season renaissance analysed and identified that the improved performance by the Sarries pack has been key in giving the half backs the confidence to get the backs moving.

While I think a Tigers’ front row of Rowntree/West/Garf may be able to hold the Watford trio it is at Lock where the difference should be seen, especially perchance the Sarries weakness in this area persists and if CraigYandell and Kris Chesney again start in the second row it could be here that advantage will be gained however if Benazzi returns to make his farewells and Chesney returns to the rear with Hill things could be a little trickier Of course the potent threat that Richard Hill presents in the line out must not be overlooked and for that reason I hope to see England “touree” Martin Corry on parade and delegated with the task of keeping the World’s best Blind side under control.

Young Ben Skirving joined England Sevens expert Tony Roques in partnering Hilly in the back row in both the Leeds encounters. Roques and Hill in particular are fearsome tacklers and they will be looking to be first to the breakdown and continue turning over ball although young Skirving will need a big game to compete. So if available I’d like to see a Tigers back row of Back/Corry/Josh to match them in this area as well as unsettle Bracken and Goode. We know that if Bracken and Andy Goode can be put off their stride early on then the dangerous Sarries back division can be halted.

In the second leg against Leeds Horan was replaced by Castaignede for the final quarter and this is not good news as it could be a precursor to next weekend’s starting line up and I’d prefer to have Horan play out his swansong at 15 rather than 12 and I’d just as soon not have the little Frenchman around at all! Johnston was replaced by Shanklin at Headingly but really both are playing so well it matters not who starts and of course Haughton, another Sevens man is also a deadly finisher.

The key undoubtedly is to starve the Sarries backs of possession for while our current backs will defend their socks off they’ll only be able to hold the full strength Men in Black. for so long

Harry Ellis looked sharp against Quins and if McMullen can get a better handle on his kicking game then there’s an opportunity behind the Sarries defence, however any wayward kicks will be severely punished as we saw when Monye scored in the last tie.

Certainly Fred passing the ball out of contact rather than taking it to ground will be essential and by thus giving him the resultant half a chance Gelderbloom will be able to get Geordan and Leon away on the wings and with Tim coming into the line, this is from where, apart from the back row forwards, tries are most likely to accrue. We must also hope of course that Tim remembers to bring his kicking boots.

So then can Tigers barge Sarries out of the way and claim a spot in the Heineken Cup next year?

Well both sides have come into a bit of form in this competition and although the case for Sarries is the more compelling in this respect I somehow feel that Back/Corry/Kronfeld could just get enough of an edge around the breakdown and in unsettling the Sarries’ half-back pairing to make the difference, this combined with what should be dominance in the lineout may see Sarries starved of possession. Tim will need to kick his goals but we could just do it.

If Roy Maybank again officiates we need to be mindful of his little foibles, not least the one about the tackler getting to his feet, waving his hands in the air and turning around three times to prove that he’s released his man and is on his feet before again touching the ball.

At least this time we shouldn’t be denied at Franklins Gardens by uncontested tries and I think Tigers will just shade a very close and edgy contest. Well they’ve got to, haven’t they if Cossack hats for away games in the Parker Pen next season are not to become de rigueur?!!

That’s all folks!