EDINBURGH PREVIEW2 - post all match related comments here

By The Saracens
January 18 2023

So it all comes down to this, the last game of the final round of the pool stages of the European Champions Cup. Sarries are through to the next round but as yet a home tie is not guaranteed. They sit in 3rd behind Leinster (who appear uncatchable with an extra point -15- and a points difference of 124) followed by Cell C Sharks on 14 and a points difference of 40 then Sarries with 14 and a points difference of 32. Exeter are 4th with only 11 points but a better points difference (34). Could those 4 tries sloppily conceded on Saturday prove costly? It is not beyond the bounds of possibility that Sarries, Exeter and Edinburgh all end up on 16 points!

One good thing to have come out of Round 3 is that Edinburgh have qualified by right. They will of course want a home tie in the next round too but some of the pressure should be off. I have been critical of the format of the competition but it does mean that even in the final round, most teams still have something to play for. Cell C Sharks have to travel to The Stoop next Saturday with Quins also looking for qualification so a victory for the South Africans will need to be hard won. Exeter are home to Castres (who have no points but could still get themselves into the Challenge Cup) and Leinster home to Racing 92 (who are currently hanging on to the last Champions Cup place). By the time Sarries and Edinburgh take the field at the DAM Health Stadium on Sunday evening, both sides will know exactly what they need to do.

Edinburgh will put up a fight, one helluva fight one imagines. Despite 2 yellow cards, they gave Saracens quite a fright in the reverse fixture. 5 tries from Sarries were only just enough: Edinburgh were much better at the breakdown and got the better of an inexperienced referee so the man in the middle could be all important. On Sunday it was to be Matthieu Raynal (who is most definitely not inexperienced) however he picked up an injury in South Africa during the Bulls/Exeter game and has been replaced by fellow Frenchman Ludovic Cayre. Monsieur Cayre does not appear to be a withering violet and both sides need to be on their best behaviour as he issued 2 red cards to London Irish in the previous round plus 2 yellow cards and 2 penalty tries in the match! He also took charge of Ospreys/Tigers in R1 (a somewhat calmer affair with just 1 yellow card).

Edinburgh dug in for a good win at Castres on Sunday. After a pretty even first half, Edinburgh took control in the 2^nd half scoring 17 unanswered points. Yes Edinburgh were a lot fitter but there were very few unforced errors and they made excellent use of possession. As Sarries found during the previous encounter, Edinburgh are very fast to the ruck and carry the ball to great effect. So basically if Sarries switch off on Sunday as they did last Saturday, be sure Edinburgh will take full advantage!

Edinburgh were without Emiliano Boffelli last weekend – he was hugely influential when the teams last met. He was a late withdrawal along with Luan de Bruin, Boan Venter and Paddy Harrison. Whether they will be available this week remains to be seen. Edinburgh will definitely be without Darcy Graham and Duhan van der Merwe though. Cameron Hutchinson, Henry Immelman Sam Skinner, Ben Vellacott and Villiame Mata all had big games last weekend.

Sarries missed Farrell against Lyon, not as a Fly half – Alex Goode did a superb job – but just his dynamic presence. Faz would not have tolerated that sloppiness which crept into the 2^nd half. They will need to consume a lot of iron nails this week to try and get that steeliness back because once again Faz is forced to sit this one out. I fear Maro will also be absent, having limped off with a dodgy looking ankle. That potentially leaves pretty limited cover at lock and in the back row. Hopefully Daly’s arm, which he was holding after scoring that 3^rd try, is just a bruise because in the form he’s in, he’s the first name on the team sheet. I’d also consider starting Segun, if he’s fit, to add a bit more pace on the wing.

So it appears the fates have conspired to deprive Sarries of potentially their 3 best players for possibly the biggest game of the season so far: Theo out for the season, Faz on the naughty step, and probably Itoje as well. The rest of the lads will need to step up big time, they’ve done it before, they can do it again! A simple win will do. 2 points will probably be enough. Right now the likely opponents are Munster or Ospreys but of course much can change!

I think Sarries will field a team something like:- Daly, Malins, Lozowski, Tompkins, Segun, Goode, Van Zyn; M Vunipola, George, Riccioni, Isiekwe, Tizard, Christie, Earl, B Vunipola. Let’s hope they all remember the game is 80 minutes long – and they need to play for each and every one of them!

It looks like being a good night. Edinburgh are most definitely bullish about their chances, and so they should be. There is limited standing room only remaining so it should be a good crowd. Edinburgh are celebrating their 150^th anniversary this season. It is also billed as their first ever “Club Legends Night”. Tom Brown (he one of them) will deliver the match ball (have to say it’s a better idea than DHL last week!) and the Merchiston Castle Pipe Band will play before the match and at half time (you’ve been warned, bring your ear plugs). Mr DG and I will be there for a weekend of haggis and scotch in the Scottish Capital. Let’s hope for a win.

EDINBURGH PREVIEW2 - post all match related comments here

Posted by: TheSaracens.com (IP Logged)

Date: 18/01/2023 19:33

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2023:02:03:18:53:06 by Darraghgirl.