SHOWDOWN !

So it’s almost here – the big one! Only 2 years in the making thanks to COVID but finally we get the chance to visit the new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. As a little girl, my dad used to take me to the old White Hart Lane on a regular basis to see “the Lilywhites” as they used to be called (I know, I’m very old!) Dad was an Arsenal supporter but most of his friends supported Spurs so when the Gunners were away we went to Tottenham instead. My main memory was of the pitch on a wet Wednesday evening in February covered in so much sand and so little grass it looked like Southend with the tide out. I rather think things will have changed!

So “Showdown with the Shoguns” – what a shame Brizz changed their name to bears, Shoguns was so much more alliteral. Others have questioned the nature of opposition for the Big One, personally I think it’s nice to have a change from Quins so welcome to our party Brizz. Please don’t be party poopers!

It doesn’t seem that long ago that Little DG and I were stuck in an almighty traffic jam on our way down to Bristol on a Friday Night in September (we made it to our seats with 3 minutes to spare!) There was a huge sense of anticipation that day: our first game back in the big time against a team who had finished in the top 4 the previous season. Missing many of our British Lions. How would we get on? We won, just, and we drove home very happy. It surpassed our limited expectations. How things have changed. So now with just a few games remaining we can see how things have panned out. Sarries are riding high, having taken the return to the top flight in their stride. Bears have sadly struggled this year sitting in 10^th place with just 6 wins from 18 games. Max Malins and Ben Earl both spent last season in Bristol, and both improved enormously for their time in the West (so we should thank Brizz for that) – it seems they were even more important to Bristol’s success last year than maybe we first thought.

Brizz are likely to be without Piutau, Sinkler, Uren and Luatua. Former Sarrie Tom Whiteley is recovering from injury too. The first choice half backs, Randall & Sheedy should be back and Brizz do of course have the considerable talents of Semi Radrada to call upon. One of the Brizz faithful suggests a line up something like:

Lane, Radrada, O’Conor, Frisch, Purdy, Sheedy, Randall; Y Thomas, Byrne, Afoa, Attwood, Joyce, Vui, D Thomas, Harding.

With the Six Nations over, we have the delightful prospect of almost all our players available. Riches indeed (in most positions anyway). Even though the likes of Maro and Jamie have played a lot of high level rugby over the past 3 months, I don’t see either of them wanting to pass this one up! Will Faz make his long awaited return? McCall has been talking him up along with his enormous Leadership qualities but if he’s fit I’d start him from the bench this time anyway. So a pleasant change in selection dilemma, choosing from plenty rather than few.  For what its worth here is my suggestion:

Daly, Malins, Lozowski, Tompkins, Maitland, Goode, Davies, Barrington, George, Koch, Itoje, Isiekwe, McFarland, Earl, B Vunipola.

Christophe Ridley has the whistle accompanied by Dan Jones & Wayne Falla with Brian MacNeice in the truck. The game is on BT Sport and ITV. Good luck to both teams but really Sarries should win this!