Hardly wins v Harlequins

By Jason Harris
November 7 2002

OK, so the catchy headline above is a little harsh, but it will be a reminder to Sarries that they have won just once in their last six league outings and that this upcoming game against Quins is - must be - a home banker. Or things could get a little difficult for the Men in Black.

Everyone at the club, the supporters and even the fans of last week's winning side Leeds Tykes have been wondering this week how Sarries managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory at Headingley.

Sixty minutes of hard work from the forwards, some inspiration from the likes of Castaignede and Horan and tries from Hill and Califano were completely undone by a final quarter collapse normally associated with the England middle order. Put bluntly, Sarries went to sleep.

Now, without international players Hill, Johnston, Shanklin and a very surprised Castaignede, the Men in Black must halt their slumber party antics and their slide down the table with a win over fellow under-achievers Quins.

The swanky west Londoners came unstuck at Vicarage Road last season when Sarries played one of only a handful of games anywhere near their potential.

The final 39-25 scoreline in that game was flattering to Quins who, by half time, had conceded four tries and looked like they were going to be on the wrong end of a cricket score.

Sarries took their foot off the gas and Quins stuck at it to narrow the gap. And that has an alarming ring of familiarity to it.

Surely Saracens won't make the same mistake again. Quins name their strongest side possible and have added some spice to the mixture by naming former Sarries stalwart Tony Diprose as captain.

Kyran Bracken, disappointed to be omitted from the England squad for the Autumn Internaionals, will lead the Men in Black into a battle they have to win in order to keep in touch with the sides in the top half of the table.

Adey Winnan makes a return at fullback in place of Castaignede and Richard Haughton comes in on the wing in place of Gerald Arasa. Hill, who will win his 50th cap against New Zealand on Saturday, is replaced by Tony Roques on his recovery form injury.

Looking back at games between these two sides, they have never failed to entertain. Almost every one since the start of the national leagues has been a high-scoring match with the fewest number of points coming in the last league encounter at Bramley Road way back in 1996. Quins won that dour affair 13-6.

The huge news for Quins is that Ireland and Lions hooker Keith Wood will be starting the game after several months battling injury. Harlequins appear to be a different prospect when the ebullient Munsterman is in the side and this will temper slightly the loss of Leonard and Greenwood, both with the England squad.

Quins strength elsewhere lies in the back row. Everyone at Sarries knows about Diprose but now he has been joined by former Springbok Andre Vos who will be taking over the club captaincy next week. And with the abrasive Tiatia on the blind side, the breakaway unit looks fearsome.

Behind the scrum, you'd bet on Sarries having the upper hand with the likes of Horan and Bracken in the team, but Quins could prove difficult if the ball gets into the hands speedsters of Matt Moore and Ben Gollings.

On paper, this game looks like it will be a cracker. Realistically, neither side looks in great shape right now, but the overwhelming need to secure four, maybe five points from this encounter should provide us with a rousing spectacle.

Both kickers - Quins' Nathan Williams and Sarries Andy Goode - had games they would rather forget last time out and it could come down to which one of these two picks up, or flunks out if the tries are raining in at both ends.

Too close to call? Perhaps, but I'm banking on home advantage counting for the Men in Black. Simply because it must.

The teams:

Saracens:

Winnan; Haughton, Sorrell, Horan, O'Mahony; Goode, Bracken(c); Flatman, Cairns, Califano; Benazzi, Yandell; Chesney, Roques, B.Russell.

Replacements - Kershaw, Marsters, Hooper, Quinnell, Peacey, M.Williams, Sparg/

NEC Harlequins:

N.Williams; Moore, Satala, Greenstock, Gollings; Slemen, Duncombe; Starr, Wood, Gomez; Davison, Codling, Tiatia, Vos, Diprose (c).