SAINTS PREVIEW: PLEASE POST ALL MATCH RELATED COMMENTS HERE

By The Saracens
November 10 2022

Sunday sees the last, and probably most difficult challenge for Saracens during the Autumn Internationals when Northampton Saints come to the StoneX. Sarries have had an incredible start to the season with 8 wins from 8 and 38 from a possible 40 points putting them 10 points clear of nearest rivals Sale. Saints are in 4th with 22 points, having won 4 from 8, including 3 of their last 4 fixtures (a small aberration against Bath being the only blemish). But make no mistake, this will probably be the toughest challenge so far! Sarries, down to the bottom of the barrel (and maybe beyond depending on what Yoda decides), must once again dig deep into dwindling resources before most of the squad get a 3 week break (presumably in the sun somewhere). Incredibly this is our last Premiership fixture until 23rd December!

This mixture of old and young have produced so much more than we could have expected over the past 2 weeks. A miraculous performance against Sale was followed by a much grittier one in the wind and rain at Ashton Gate but the result was the same. Young players will have learned a lot about top flight rugby, recovering players will have learned about their fitness, first team regulars have continued to produce the sort of form that would earn international call-ups from anyone but Eddie and the coaches will have discovered even more about the present and the future of this great club. We have seen the baptism of a very promising young hooker in Theo Dan, the continued development of an emerging lock in Callum Hunter-Hill, the return to fitness of a titan in Marco Riccioni, the development of an excellent scrum half in Ivan Van Zyl. Ben Earl, Alex Lozowski, Elliot Daly, Alex Goode, Ben Earl, Max Malins all go from strength to strength. Alex Lewington, Andy Christie and Jackson Wray have risen to the challenge as we knew they would. Hugh Tizard is learning with every game. Newbies James Flynn, Robin Hislop and Andrew Kitchener are scrubbing up well.

Saints are presumably still missing Courtney Lawes and Lewis Ludlam, and injured fly half Dan Biggar has gone to France. Saints board also suggests they will be without Grayson & Sleightholme and Augustus us doubtful. England have again called on George Furbank, Alex Coles and David Ribbans and added Alex Mitchell and Tommy Freeman (both of whom scored 2 tries in the past couple of weeks) to the squad although they have subsequently been released. Saints have signed exciting former Wuss stand-off Fin Smith who has hit the ground running.

I imagine Sarries will be unchanged from last weekend unless there are any injuries we haven’t heard about. Malins and Tizard are once again surplus to requirements as is Christie I believe. Good news that Jamie George is back with the England squad ahead of time. Please don't break him Eddie!

So a big game against our old rivals. Apparently Saints have won only 1 of the last 10 premiership clashes between the 2 teams: in October 2019 at StoneX.

Referee is Andrew Jackson assisted by Nick Wood & Phil Watters with Claire Hodnott in the truck.

Tough one to call. Home advantage could be the decider. Sadly the change of date means I can’t be there but I’m sure the rest of you will be shouting loudly for our Men in Black to make it 9 from 9.

SAINTS PREVIEW: PLEASE POST ALL MATCH RELATED COMMENTS HERE

Posted by: TheSaracens.com (IP Logged)

Date: 10/11/2022 13:28

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022:12:05:08:46:19 by Darraghgirl.