1.       SARACENS PLAYER OF THE YEAR:  Richard Haughton

Last Year’s Winner:  Neil de Kock

Del Boy won the Saracens award and I can’t go against that decision. Although Rodd and Niles both had a good first halves to the  season, Del was one of the few consistent players – the others being Huge and Gussie - who put in top performances all season. Presumably it’s his age that is keeping him out of the England reckoning as another load of ten-a[-penny young wings are touted as the next David Duckham. England’s loss will be our gain next season if Johnno and his Tigers mates keep ignoring him

2.       SARACENS YOUNG PLAYER OF THE YEAR:  Adam Powell

Last Year’s Winner:  Kameli Ratuvou

I have that most rare of things, a two-eyed Gloucester-supporting friend ,who can see through the Anthony Allen and Dominic Waldouck hype and who reckons Powelly (FFS, get the kid a proper nickname) is the real deal at 12 and probably the best prospect to replace the likes of Mike Tindall in the near future. I agree as he has deputised brilliantly for Faz and should spend more time on the park and less on  the bench next season, even if Faz if fit. I’ll even forgive him “that” pass against Wasps for the Tom Voyce try. 

3.       SARACENS OLD PLAYER OF THE YEAR:  Paul Gustard

Last Year’s Winner                  Kris Chesney

This was a really tough one to call as I thought Ches, Huge and, of course Hilly all played their hearts out. For me, Gussie was the mainstay of the back row throughout the season as Ches moved up to lock, Skirvs went off the boil and open side was filled with a different player every week.

4.       GUINNESS PREMIERSHIP (non Sarries) PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Michael Claassens

Last Year’s Winner          Alasana Tuigali

There are any number of candidates for this one as the standard set has been high and the hype coming out of Wasps and Stuart Barns about you-know-who unbearable. For me Claassens has been instrumental in getting the Bath back line moving at last and is half of what is possibly the best half back pairing in the league, Glen and Neil excepted, of course. 

5. INTERNATIONAL PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Fourie du Preez

Last Year’s Winners             James Hook & Dan Carter

I thought RWC 2007 was a pretty forgettable affair, apart from the Fiji win over Wales and France beating the All Blacks (although I listened to that on the radio), but the stand-out player was du Preez. No wonder Claassens and Niles have to ply their trade over here, the bloke’s a genius. By the way, can someone tell me whether I imagined a Wales Grand Slam in the 2008 Six Nations as I can’t remember any of the games, such was its tedium.

6. FAVOURITE SARACENS PLAYER:  Cobus Visagie

Last Year’s Winners         Cobus Visage & Kris Chesney

Anyone who saw him annihilate the much-vaunted (by Shedweb, at least) Nick Wood at Kingsholm will know why I am such a fan of the man. It was almost as good as his out-witting, out-scrummaging and out-playing of the even-more-vaunted Andy Sheridan at VR in 2007. That’ll go down as one of my favourite Saracens games purely for that reason.

7. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN OPPOSITION PLAYER AGAINST SARACENS: Marco Bortolami, Gloucester v Saracens at Kingsholm

Last Year’s Winner      Danny Grewcock  Bath (ECC Semi Final)) 

The doyens of Shedweb were on Marco’s case for not performing or leading the team throughout the season. I saw the best of both attributes down at Castle Grim as it was his toil and leadership that gave Ryan Lamb an armchair ride to the Man-of-the-Match award. This was easily the best forward performance I witnessed all season. 

8. THE "ALBANESE" - WORST PERFORMANCE BY AN OPPOSITION PLAYER AGAINST SARACENS: James Hook, Saracens v Ospreys at Vicarage Road.

Last Year’s Winner                  Tani Fuga – Vs Quins (home)

I’ve been racking my brain for a stand-out candidate but I haven’t found one as all the howlers I remember were from the team in Black (or Pink). I’ll give it to Hook for being so cocky he thought he could catch a ball behind his back in that Heineken quarter final, only to make a pig's ear of it and ending up looking like those donkeys they're seemingly so fond of in the Shed.

9. THE MARTIN JOHNSON MEMORIAL LEAST FAVOURITE OPPOSITION PLAYER AWARD:  Andrew Sheridan

Last Year’s Winner                  Harry Ellis

This one has needed some thought since Richard bloody Cockerill retired. I’ll have to go with Sheridan even though he didn’t play against Sarries this season. I must be in a minority of one who thinks he’s overrated and when he’s up against a real quality tight-head comes second best and his directionless pass in the World Cup is proof that he hasn’t got a rugby brain worthy of mention. Guess it goes to show that I might not know much about the front row (althogh I do know enough to know that Tim Payne in front of Nick Lloyd in the England reckoning is risible. Actually, Tim Payne in front of anyone is risible), but all the praise for this bloke is lost on me.

10. PLAYER YOU'D MOST LIKE TO JOIN SARRIES FOR NEXT SEASON : Florian Fritz

Last Year’s Winner                  Juan Martin Hernandez (Chris Jack was second)

Why Fritz? Well, for one we need another quality centre and he has tons of quality and can play at both positions. Second, I’m fed up with everyone reckoning the best players all come from the southern hemisphere and most the do come here are fair-to-middling Super 14 types who come, see and rarely conquer. Better, IMHO, to have an experienced, hardened European player than take a punt on a sub-international upside-downer. (With apologies to Jacko who is an exception to the rule).

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Related Articles:

• thesaracens.co.uk 2006-07 Poll Reults; Part 1
• T's End of Season Poll, Part 2 of 3
• The long-awaited final instalment of t'poll

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