Large's Most Memorable Matches - The Top Five
Thomas Castaignède
By Large
June 3 2009
And so we arrive at the final isntalment of my top 20 most memorable matches. I'm sure there are some that have been missed by me, either by not being there in person or, perhaps, there was another reason (normally alcohol-induced) for some you may remember that I haven't. Since I started following Saracens in 1996, I think the following stand out; each one for its own special reason.
5. Saracens 48-18 Wasps; Twickenham, 9 May 1998
I dream of the day that we can consign this to the history book as the previous time we won something, not the last time. Plus we can watch something else on the away coach from time to time.
It was all over by the break with Sarries up 29-6 thanks to tries from Sella, Constable, Johnson and Grewcock and a drop and three conversions from Lynagh. After the break Bracken and Richard Wallace also crossed for tries. All of which was watched by yours truly and a couple of Sarries-supporting mates in amongst 25 stunned Wasps fans; a wonderfully enjoyable experience.
All in all, then, the greatest day in Saracens history and little did we know at the time that, 11 years later, we will still be waiting for another like it.
Team: Johnson; Daniel Sella, Ravenscroft, Constable Lynagh, Bracken; Grau, Chuter, P.Wallace; Johns, Grewcock; Pienaar, Sturnham, Diprose.
Replacements: Olsen, Lee, Singer, R.Wallace, Reidy, Botterman, Bennett.
Report: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sport/rugby_union/90169.stm
4. Saracens 20-16 Bath; Vicarage Road, 15 March 2009
The fightback from 16-0 down on 35 minutes to shut out a high-flying Bath team was remarkable enough, but to do it in the wake of mass-sackings and the resignation and early departure of your coach and mentor is something else. That’s what we had here. 22 players out there playing for themselves to prove that they are capable of pulling together and beating one of the form teams in the league whilst, at the same time, sticking up two fingers to the management that refused to put their faith in many who took to the field that afternoon.
It wasn’t just the context and the nature of the win; a winning bonus point with the lowest possible score was a first; as was missing eight kicks at goal; but the game was special also for Alex Walker scoring in his first starting appearance, Rodd Penney’s 101 metre run for his second try and also Don Barrell’s magnificent finish from 30 metres out for the winner three minutes from time.
A party? There wasn’t one; just a feeling of immense pride in a team who repaid the faith shown in them by the fans in what was the most spirited display form, and emotional day for Saracens at Vicarage Road in many a long year.
Report: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/english/7924245.stm
3. Colomiers 19-30 Saracens; Stade Selery, 14 December 2002
I could go on for days about this one, given the things that happened before, during and after the match. Thing started with a cup of coffee at Gatwick at 7am turning into a round of Guinness and it was all downhill from there.
A taxi convoy took us from Toulouse to Colomiers, a town with no town centre, so we were dumped outside what looked like a skating rink, just as the kids came out. To say we two dozen or so in our fezzes and a few Edinburgh supporters (in town for a game v Stade Toulousain the following day) in full Scottish regalia got funny looks from the Colomiers teenagers would be an understatement.
We decamped to the nearest bar which we drunk dry, but not before we were beckoned into a party hosted by some of the locals. An old lady was there celebrating her birthday – her 100th birthday. So on went the fez, and the pipes played happy birthday as we sung along.
Afterwards McNab and I somehow (and separately) blagged our way into the complementary bar and the rest is a blur, apart from having to beg for a lift back to Toulouse on the team bus. Thankfully, I got back to the town, although to this day I can’t remember how I got back to the hotel. Oh, we won the game, apparently.
The following day was another rugby feast as we saw champions-to-be Toulouse wallop Edinburgh. Well, until half time when Pete and I had to leg it to the airport for the return trip, ensuring that we got some strange looks from the locals as we lugged our suitcases into and around the ground.
2. Saracens 25-23 Leicester Tigers; Southbury Road, 31 August 1996
For me, this is where it all began; at a packed Southbury Road on a scorching August afternoon and a win against a team I have always gone out of my way to dislike. Marvellous.
I have to admit that, as I was the worse for drink, I don’t remember much about the game other than Saracens won and that some wag in the crowd shouted out “C’mon Sarries! Home banker!” presumably because of Andy Lee’s winning penalty in the corresponding fixture the previous season. Oh, and I met Wales and Lions player (and ITV commentator) John Taylor afterwards, which was nice. Almost as nice as JT saying to me “you’re older than you look” for remembering him.
According to the Saracens 125 Years of Rugby book, Kyran Bracken scroed a try and Michael Lynagh booted 17 points, but I still don’t know where the other three came from. To be honest, I still don’t care!
Team: Tunningley; Chesney, Ravenscroft, Sella, R.Wallace; Lynagh, Bracken;
Holmes, Botterman, P.Wallace; Johns, Copsey; Green, Hill, Diprose.
Replacements: Andrews, Langley, Olsen, Lee.
Report: http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/tigers-awake-too-late-1361277.html
1. Toulouse 22-32 Saracens; Stade Municipale, 7 October 2000
All the talk before this opening Heineken Cup Pool match was about Sarries fullback Thomas Castaignède going to his old stomping ground and whether he could give his old mates the run-around.
Sure enough, Thomas didn’t disappoint, scoring 22 points through four penalties, two drops and the conversions of tries Darragh O’Mahony and Scott Murray, and all this after Sarries had leaked two early tries to go behind 15-3 after a quarter of an hour.
The party began in a bar full of jubilant Colomiers supporters, ecstatic that their nearest and dearest had been beaten, and ended much later in the legendary Frog and Rosbif where we were joined by a load of the players for a party that will go down in Fez legend.
It was my first European trip and from that moment on I was hooked. The funniest part of the weekend was not the Carcassonne taxi driver being fined for overloading (there were 8 of us in his 7 seat minivan) by a policeman who was just out of nursery; nor was it the incident involving McNab and the steak at the airport; but it was the late and much-missed Dai Ramadan walking up to a bloke in the empty end of Stade Municipal, seated miles from anyone else.
Dai walked all the way up to him, had a quick word and came back. When he came back we asked what he had said and Dai replied “I said ‘someone’s sitting there, mate!’” which made us all laugh hysterically, and made the unnecessarily large police and dog presence look on somewhat confused.
Tries: Murray, O’Mahony
Conversions: Castaignède (2)
Penalties: Castaignède (4)
Drop Goals: Castaignède (2)
Saracens: Castaignède; O'Mahony, Johnston, Sorrell, Luger; McRae, Bracken; Flatman, Russell, P.Wallace; Murray, Grewcock; Hill, Chesney, Diprose.
Replacements: Cairns, Arasa, Davison, Roques, Phillips, Walshe, Sparg.
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Quote:Large
According to the Saracens 125 Years of Rugby book, Kyran Bracken scroed a try and Michael Lynagh booted 17 points, but I still don’t know where the other three came from. To be honest, I still don’t care!
Tunningley penalty, I believe..........
......... I'd been suffering toothache for a couple of days (waiting for an abcess to clear up) so was on the scotch big time.
Bboonie xxx
Funnily enough, for the cup final, 9 mates & I bought tickets together through Sarries, only to find, when we got to the ground, that our row of 10 seats were surrounded by W*spies, too.
I was still smoking, back then, and had brought along 10 humungous Havanas, for smoking at the final whistle, had we won. I decided at half-time that the celebrations could already begin, and five of us lit up.
Many of the W*spies had been in a foul mood as the first half played out. The clouds of smoke we generated (along with the looks of smug contentment on our faces) did nothing to improve their demeanour.
As five of my mates had declined the ceegars, the only thing for it was for the five smokers to light up again once the first ones had been finished (circa 25 minutes after starting)
No doubt, Mrs Le Dip will be on here to share her reminiscences of the Colomiers bash
It's a long time since Sports network paid anything!
Thank you stinky Pete from DunnnnnBAR.
It is all relative
Nigel Wray looked totally confused by the fez being led into the ground by the Edinburgh bagpiper.
.Hysterical! but brilliant
In addition to the above do we recall the relocation of the large Tiger from the bar with the century party that failed , just.
The bizzarre token system for the fizzy beer.
After having a terrifing sight on returning from buying beers (wife laying on floor - lots of stewards and medics surrounding) it turned out a great weekend. As i was so convinced that the good lady could not fly we got the bonus of Toulouse against Edinburgh. Same stewards and we were treated like VIPS. Still hear from the Dunbar boys occasionally - this is a good reminder to get them down here next Calcutta.
Always feel sorry for those sitting behind Babs after the bang - apparently it looked foul!
It is all relative
The bar before the match ran out of both beer and glasses. We ended up drinking out of little glass boots. Still got one at home.
The memories are coming back!
It is all relative
Who removed my H.R. Giger picture?
Coat!
Who removed my H.R. Giger picture?
Quote:jeremy ogorman
nice old picture of Johnno in England garb tackling moses in Fiji kit on the BBC (re England cancel Fiji game)
Are you sure that is moses ? Playing as a No 10 ? I thought it looked more like Serivi (sp) use to be big on the sevens circuit.
Graeme
Who removed my H.R. Giger picture?
“I believe it might have been said before, but there is something special happening at Saracens, and I want to be part of it.” - Nils Mordt