By Chris Chaplin
September 17 2003

With the sad passing of the Man in Black last week I’ve now turned my attention to the Men in Black and whether after both they and Tigers got off to a good start last weekend it’ll be victory for us and the blues for them or the other way round after next Sunday‘s meeting.

It is always good to get the season off to a familiar start and so it was at Kingston Park last Sunday when that doyen of the controversial decision, Mr Steve (look at me) Lander, awarded Sarries a penalty try. I didn’t see the incident of course but it appears that Andy Goode was obstructed and while most neutrals seem to think that at worst a penalty was the order of the day Mr Lander decided to get the season off with a penalty try. Mr Lander then seemingly incorrectly penalised Garath Archer for not retreating 10 metres (which he apparently had) so 10 points from Mr Lander was a great help for Sarries in achieving what their first half attacking performance and second half defensive display probably deserved. OK Steve you’ve got our attention - oh nice outfit by the way, you sure you’re not off to Australia!?

By all accounts it rather sounds as if Falcons didn’t turn up for the first half and then realised what was going on and played well in the second forty minutes. All in all a good work out for Rod Kafer’s charges and one which will give them confidence ahead of Tigers‘ visit next weekend.

Unless injuries intervene I guess that coach Kafer will retain much the same partially World Cup influenced line up against Tigers.

In the front row we would then see close season signing from Bristol, Emil Bergamaschi. The Argentinian prop made just under a score of appearances during his time in the south west and while capped for his country was not really seen as first choice for much of the time at Bristol. Plenty of bulk and will stand up his side of the scrum but not usually that dominant in the loose. Joined by New Zealander Joe Ross, who stands in for the missing Ibanez, and who has scored eight tries in his career and so can be seen from that carries the ball well and certainly looks the part. The front row trio was completed by new signing Steve Sparks who joined Sarries from Castres in the close season. No stranger to the English game though having previously played for West Hartlepool. No superstars here then and barely a cap between them but they roughed up the Falcons pack until getting some of their own medicine in the second half. Workmanlike rather than stellar but with new(ish) recruit from Wasps Andy Kershaw still injured this may well be the line up that faces Tigers unless Marsters is recovered from a minor injury in which case I’d expect to see the Tongan international start.

In the second row was one of my favourites in the Sarries line up, Kris Chesney. On a purely personal note I prefer to see him in the back row where his speed about the park can be better utilised but with one new boy at 8 and another new boy in the wings, one Alex Codling, I wonder how much we’ll see of this stalwart especially as his height can be a bit of a disadvantage at flanker. Would be a shame if he got sidelined as he’s one of those players that always make me smile so much does he obviously enjoy his rugby.

While the opportunities to see Mr Chesney may be in some doubt I doubt that the same will be said of 39 time capped Fijian international Simon Raiwalui, newly joined the from Newport, and who scored three tries for his country in the process. Something of handful this guy and with Codling Sarries will have a formidable lineout combination with Yandell and Chesney in reserve.

The back row obviously misses flanker supreme Richard Hill but with the arrival of Taine Randell doubtless, and understandably, in some dudgeon after his treatment by All Black coach Mitchell I don’t think the Vicarage Road faithful have too much to complain about in this department. The All Black, able to play on the flanks or at 8, was capped 51 times scoring twelve tries in the process before what would seem to be the political climate saw him excluded from the World Cup squad. In this game he’ll be head to head with a 54 time capped All Black, also born in Hastings and also having played for Otago - no prizes for guessing who!

Randell was joined by Peacey who joined from Gloucester and made fourteen appearances in his debut year, still a youngster in flanker terms and sometimes his inexperience can show and I expect to see him again do a job share with that other promising youngster Ben Skirving. Tony Roques is however vastly experienced and his speed around the park and to the breakdown will be a benefit in a season which will see his 100th appearance for Saracens and in him and Randell the youngsters will have good support.

Aside from Hill Sarries other big loss to the RWC is of course scrum-half Kyran Bracken however don’t shed too many tears or count too many chickens as he is currently being deputised by Canadian international and the ex Stade- Francais #9 of our acquaintance, Morgan Williams until he too departs for down under. Nothing wrong with this sparky player but he can be rattled by too much close attention, he has a decent pass and I’ve seen him wriggle through some tiny gaps as well, so he’ll need some watching. Joining him in the half backs is Mr Andrew Goode late of Leicester Tigers and rejoined with his former team mate Rod Kafer! Well we know about Andy., a real curates’ egg of a player, sometimes faultless from the spot but then his out of hand kicking goes awry, sometimes dynamic, sometimes back in his shell, hard to tell which Andy Goode will turn up really. He can be a superb playmaker but as I’ve said before wears his heart on his sleeve and if things go wrong early on he can go into a slough of despond.

We now come to a hole as wide as the nearby M1, that left by the departure of the wonderful Tim Horan. Against Falcons young debutante Paul Bailey tried to fill the gap but from what I’ve read showed his nerves and looked hesitant, however he is real flyer if he can find a gap but my guess is that the more robust and experienced Kevin Sorrell will start against Tigers. Hugely under rated in my view and given the paucity of talent at centre at international level it is surprising he’s not had more chances on the big stage. I like this player a lot. Probably joining Sorrell in the centre will be Ben Johnson who has had a couple of chances at international level and is another who has plenty of pace.

On the wings, we’re sure to see flying machine Richard Haughton and the moral here is a simple one, don’t give him the ball in anything like space, with the likes of Randell likely to get turnover ball against the unwary it’ll get whipped out to Haughton and he’ll be gone. Partnering on the wide last week was ex league international Nathan McAvoy who is also part of the England Sevens set up. At 6’4” and 16 stones he’s ceratinly what I believe is called a “Big Old Unit”. Although he joined Sarries early this year he only played for the Men in Black on a couple of occasions due to injury, so as with all league converts he’ll be settling into the new code and could be vulnerable in defence.

Full back? Well Castaignede appears to be preferred here to specialist Adryan Winnan, who I rather like. Dependable in defence of course but also has some imagination in attack. Now Thomas Castaignede has loads of the latter but sometimes not so much of the former. Strange how the little Frenchman has not really clicked at Sarries and it’s a matter of much debate thereabouts as to where he’s best suited to play and perhaps the shunting about he’s endured as well as a difficult time under Shelford has not helped. Me? Well he’s a bit like Oz really. As soon as he gets the ball my stomach clenches as I’ve seen what he can do when in the groove and for that reason it seems a waste to put him out in the boondocks, better at 13 or even 10 I’d have thought where his flair can be put to better use - but as a Tigers supporter what do I know - nothing!

Right that’s Sarries. Full of confidence after beating Falcons. A talented and very quick back division with a more workmanlike pack now augmented by the class of Taine Randell Will the fabled All Black have a successful home debut in the Premiership?

Well obviously not if Tigers have anything to with it!

Against Irish the Tigers pack looked to be struggling in the front five and some additional grunt is needed in the scrum and to get the rolling maul activated, the use of which by Newcastle Bergamaschi and his cronies stopped time after time. It’s also essential that a more stable platform is produced than the wobbles that were seen against Irish. I do wonder how much longer it will be until Morris can make a full contribution, his weight and the running we saw from his a Lion would be invaluable. Chuters throwing in looked fragile and did not help the Deacon boys in their endeavours and I wonder if Louis will start with Hamilton to help in this department against the Sarries pairing who did well, in the first half at least, against two real doggers in Andrews and Archer.

I’m sure Dan will again start and so he should as he was coming to his game in the second half against Irish who’talented back row got little change but I rather hope he’s with Josh, who’s work on the ground on Saturday was simply superb and Balding who I think is more likely to make the hard yards than Will.

All in all I think Sarries could have the edge in the line outs with the scrums pretty even but I worry, and this is a weird thing for a Tigers’ supporter to say, about our ability to use the rolling maul or even defend against it without getting endlessly pinged in the process. I reckon we may have the edge at the breakdown and around the tackle area, with Josh getting after Mr Goode. So scrum even overall in my view and if Henry’s fit to come on for impact later it could just turn in Tigers’ favour but a close call with the contest between Josh and Randell alone worth the ticket price

Harry had a tricky job behind a struggling pack on Saturday and Vesty looked much better once Oz came on and was able to do more with the less than perfect ball that came from the pack. I hope that Oz starts for if he does then I fancy his chances against Williams.

Vesty I guess will start as at best Pez will be on the bench and while there could be bit of a scrap between him and his predecessor I rather think that Goode may find things rather hot and perhaps find time to think and act will be at a premium. However if Goode is on top form he could easily get the better of things.

In the centre and in spite of his having a good game on the wing last time I hope against hope that Ollie Smith will partner the superb Daryl Gibson and I reckon that it’s in this area that Tigers will have supremacy over their opposite numbers.

On the wings Leon can do some real damage if he’s in the same sort of mood as he was last week and it’d be good to see Booth weaving some magic. Stimmo looked to have regained his confidence and as I saw no sign of a French phrase book being consulted in the quieter moments I’ve still got my fingers crossed. In terms of the back three I rather think that defensively they’ll be strongest of the two sets and if they can get at the inexperience of union that must exist in McAvoy’s game, while making sure Haughton doesn’t cut loose, Tigers could have the best of things here too.

The result? Strange isn’t it that the worry should be for our backs getting enough ball?

But a worry it is. It will all depend on which way the evenly balanced packs perform on the day and also whether Sarries can maintain their concentration for 80minutes as this mental strength has been a problem for a while.

Very, very tight indeed. Because I’m me I’ll let my green, red and white heart rule and go with Tigers to edge it by the odd penalty. My head tells me that it could just as easily be The Men in Black by the same margin and it’ll be us that hear that mournful whistle blow.