OUR FRIENDS IN THE NORTH

And so we reach the final Premiership game during the 6 Nations. The team travel to Kingston Park on Saturday to take on Newcastle Falcons. After the fabulous victory over table topping Tigers last weekend, this should be a walk in the park. Shouldn’t it? Well we’ve been here before. Sadly Sarries are rarely flat track bullies ( Bath excepted) and more often than not play at the level of Their opposition. Which means nothing is taken for granted. The prospect of a week off ( prem cup game next Saturday) should mean we field our strongest available team and anyway last week’s squad should be able to take Newcastle for breakfast: in theory at least! but games aren’t won in theory, they are won on the pitch and that is a whole different ballgame.

We will be without the fabulous Nick Tompkins (concussion rather than Wales apparently) but it appears Andy Christie is surplus to Scotland’s requirements so should be available. The vagaries of Eddie’s selection policy (does he have one?) have deprived us of Elliot Daly but returned Nick Isiekwe to the Saracens’ fold (what all this is doing to the poor guy’s self esteem god only knows! ). Presumably the lack of a decent full back (Obatoyinbo is still a long way off) will trigger a selection dilemma. Goodey at 10 was a winner last week but with no Daly to support from 15 can we risk it again? Personally I would stay with Goodey at outside half and maybe utilise Maitland at fullback rather than return to the less than impressive Manu. Aled Davies was a breath of fresh air at 9 so hopefully he will also start. Assuming they are fit, the front row should be unchanged (Baz is a more than capable deputy if Makos ankle is still playing up). Isiekwe will come in at lock maybe for Hunter-Hill (allowing Tim Swinson to play against his old mates) and I would start Theo, Earl and Billy in the back row.

Newcastle’s last ‘victory’ was on Boxing Day when they were awarded a Covid win over Sale. Their last actual win was on 16 November when they sneaked past Exeter Chiefs at Sandy Park. Sarries have apparently won the last 19 games against Falcons in all competitions. Falcons aren’t unduly bothered by international call-ups and Adam Radwan has been returned to the fold so will need watching. The veteran Mike Brown, who is apparently surplus to Falcons’ requirements next season, will probably start at full back. Newcastle can also field the wonderfully named Josh Basham and George Wacokecoke (who could win his 50th cap). Last weekend Falcons lost at home to Quins despite the London side being down to 13 for quite a long stretch. The Falcons’ attack couldn’t find a way through and as Sarries are apparently the League’s best tacklers, that doesn’t bode too well for our friends in the north. But we shall see. Sarries are also the League’s top points scorers and the 2^nd highest try scorers (only Irish are ahead of them).

The smart money says there is only 1 outcome: a 5 pointer for the Londoners but we’ve all been supporting Sarries for far too long to believe anything is a given. Sarries really should win this one though, and with some ease. Let’s hope whatever Gods dictate these things have read the form book.

Our referee is Ian Tempest assisted by Adam Leal and John Meredith. David Rose is once again in the TMO box. I wonder whether Mr Tempest will take any more notice of Rosie than CMK did last weekend? Good luck to those making the journey to the frozen North. For the rest of us, don’t forget you can now watch on the PRTV app for £4.99. It would be interesting to know how well it works.