A STEEP LEARNING CURVE

I used to enjoy watching Storm games on a Monday evening, seeing the Academy lads make their first tentative steps towards a professional career. The young Owen Farrell and Alex Goode, their former selves almost unrecognisable from their world class alter egos. It was always a point of discussion: who would make it and who wouldn’t. Who would stay and who would go? A glimpse into Sarries of the future.

So I guess that’s why I went to StoneX on Saturday, along with a couple of thousand others. To, at least for Sarries, a dead rubber in a competition they weren’t really interested in winning. I think there was also a bit of fascination: given the attrition of recent weeks, and the Instagram photos of Loz and Earl and co on a beach in the sunshine, how on earth were we going to put out a team?

Ethan Lewis was named captain and bolstered the front row along with Christian Judd and young Jevaughn Warren. Andrew Kitchener partnered by Alex Wardell, a  late change for Cameron Boon were the locks and Samson Adejimi (primarily a hooker) Toby Knight and Ollie Stonham completed the back row. Sam Bryan and Tobias Elliott were the half-backs (Elliott more at home in the 15 shirt). Olly Hartley (recent Wasps Academy recruit) and Brandon Jackson in the centres and Tom Howe (also late of Wasps), Francis Moore and Jenson McInulty making up the back 3. The bench was struggling with Nathan Michelow, a back-rower, wearing 22 and no obvious fly-half cover. There was also the intriguing prospect of Bracken junior waiting in the wings.

Leicester had also brought a development team albeit a little more experienced with Charlie Atkinson (late of Wasps) at fly half alongside Sam Edwards at 9. There was a sprinkling of experience in James Whitcombe, Cameron Henderson and Eli Snyman along with the brothers of better-known siblings (Tom Cowan-Dickie, Phil Cokanasiga) and Francois Van Wyk on the bench.

When the 2 teams took the field, Leicester just looked a bit bigger and stronger: the Leicester B/C team versus Sarries U18’s! Things were not helped when Ethan Lewis sustained an HIA within the first 2 minutes and departed, never to be seen again and literally throwing  Samson Adejimi in at the deep end. Good job Michelow was on the bench!

I won’t go into great detail about the match. Sarries were basically outplayed, out-muscled and outclassed. Men against the boys! When you can’t win your lineout or your scrum and the opposition rolling maul is unstoppable, you don’t have a lot of chance. There was plenty of kicking to begin with, Sarries just about edging it, but Tigers scored from their first visit to Sarries’ 22 and that was effectively that. It soon became apparent that Tigers had a lot more muscle and giving them attacking ball in Sarries’ half wasn’t going to work out well. Young Tobias Elliott made a decent fist of stand-off, given that it’s not his position of choice. He was responsible for all 8 points that the team accrued including a well-taken try. He tackled well but like the rest of the team it was always an uphill struggle. Of the 2 scrum halves on show, Bracken had the quicker pass, Sam Bryan is still somewhat ponderous at this level.

Toby Knight and Ollie Stonham looked useful in the loose but just too lightweight up against some fierce Tigers. Samson Adejimi was also dangerous when not being asked to throw the ball in! In the backs, Brandon Jackson added a bit of muscle to the centre pairing. At half time the score was 8-19, Sarries just about in touch. Tigers scored early in the 2^nd half to make it 8-24 but then the 2 sides went toe to toe for the next 20 minutes. However fitness/strength began to take its toll. Sarries’ young men seemed to be struggling with the pace of the game and the power of the Tigers pack began to reap rewards. The arrival of tall ginger Lewis Chessum removed any hope of Sarries ever winning a lineout again! There was a collective gasp as Charlie Reynolds-West, who appeared to be all of 5’ nothing in his socks, replaced Jensen McInulty. But never underestimate the little guy – he tackled beyond his weight and looked decidedly slippery. Hopefully he still has a few more inches to grow. Nkwocha, on for Ollie Stonham, almost scored in the last 10 minutes but was tackled just short and the excitement was over. Tigers finished the game with their 7^th try (5 converted by Atkinson after an early miss) and ran out easy winners 8-45

So a big learning curve for these lads but they will learn. As always one wonders which of these will be the stars of tomorrow, carrying forward the proud tradition of Saracens Rugby Club. They have a long way to go but Owen and Maro were youngster’s once. Let us keep faith with our fabulous coaches that they can sort the wheat from the chaff, nurture the emerging talent and ensure the club’s success in the years to come.

SARACENS:

McInulty, Moore, Jackson, Hartley, Howe, Elliott, Bryan; Warren, Lewis, Judd, Kitchener, Wardell, Adejimi, Knight, Stonham

Isaacs, Smith, Beaton, Wardell, Nkwocha, Bracken, Michelow, Reynolds-West

LEICESTER TIGERS

Walsh, Ramage, Cokanasiga, Woodward, Saumaki, Atkinson, Edwards; Whitcombe, Cowan-Dickie, Hurd, Henderson, Snyman, Manz, Ilione, Jansen,

Horton, Van Wyk, Richardson, Chessum, Manz, Goodwin, Meredith, Browning

SCORERS:

Saracens (8): Try Elliott, Pen Elliott

Leicester Tigers (45):  Tries: Ramage, Henderson, Jansen (2), Horton (2), Van Wyk

Referee: Joe James