Preview: Saracens v Worcester Warriors

By Japie
September 10 2004

This season has started with what on paper seem to be Saracens’ most contrasting home fixtures. Week one: the mighty London Wasps, the reigning Heineken Cup and back-to-back Premiership Champions at Twickenham. Week two: Worcester, the Premiership’s newest members back at Vicarage Road.

On paper, though, is not in practice, and you can be sure Sarries’ new coaching team have emphasised this week that a win is a win regardless of opposition; we have to be maintain concentration and effort in pursuit of every victory this season. There is no place for complacency in such a vital year for the club.

So after the high of a sun-kissed win at HQ last week (oh the joy, so unexpected and born out of a fantastic defensive display), Saracens cannot afford to slip up against many commentators’ tip for an instant return to Division One.

The win (win!) over Dallaglio’s men was not without possible costs. Thomas Castaignede and Paul Bailey picked up hamstring tweaks and are only assessed by the club as 50/50 to play. Ben Johnston has made a timely return to training, but may be given another week’s recovery and fitness building before being thrown into the starting team.

Difficult, however, to see the need for any changes in the pack (or scrum half) after last week’s powerful and mobile display. Cobus Visagie was surprisingly the only Saracens forward in SkySports' team of the week; as a unit they looked impressive (even the line out) and version one of Saracens' dream back row (Taine, Richard and Hugh) should make another appearance.

But what of the opposition? No pushovers, that’s certain. They ended without a try in their first Premiership game against Falcons last week ended in a 9-30 defeat. However they are likely to fight hard in every game to avoid Rotherham’s ignominious fate of last year.

Cecil Duckworth’s generous benefaction has attracted a decent array of new faces with which to blend with some of their Division One champions. A few of last season’s performers still in the team stand out. The lock Craig Gillies will be a constant threat at lineouts; his performance against Falcons last week earned him the Man of the Match award. Captain Ben Hinshelwood was a late withdrawal from the Newcastle game, but may return on Sunday and is likely to pose an attacking threat.

Lots of new arrivals in the team as well and there are likely to be high expectations in particular of possible future England scrum-half Clive Stuart-Smith, South African Thinus Delport, Pat Sanderson (Alex’s brother) and England Sevens specialist Ben Gollings. Hopefully there will also be a swift return to Vicarage Road for ex-Sarrie Steven Sparks (other “old boys” include Matt Powell and Darren O’Leary).


The crowd at Twickenham last week was given as 51,000. Hopefully a lot more than ten per cent of that will turn up this week and discover what the new “match day experience” entails. Is this the end for “Nowhere to run to” as the opposition run out? No more “Men in Black”? What has Taine chosen as his try-scoring music? And will there be any opera?

Guess the majority don’t entirely care as long as Saracens get the win!