Saracens
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Pugilist
By Sir Tease
May 6 2010
Leicester v. Saracens at Welford Road. A home banker if ever there was one. 32 visits and nothing to show for it but a draw in 1998 and a couple of bonus points since.
Yes, our home record over the professional era is respectable and put us on neutral territory and we might even force extra time. But there’s something in the water at Welford Road that seems to bring out the worst in us.
For it’s not as if you can look back and say “we wos robbed”, or even “if only”. We’ve been consistently thumped and where the scoreline has suggested otherwise, it’s been down to Tigers having already bagged the bonus point and instead concentrating on improving their tax liability by making some charitable contributions.
We’ve been in contention at half time on many an occasion, only for us to crumble in front of the Crumbie as the Leicester pack do what they do. We’ve tried all sorts of tactics to shake off this particular monkey.
Go back to that draw in ’98 – how did we pull that one off? Well, it has to be said that Leicester were not at their best. We and Newcastle had embraced professionalism in ways that the old guard would take a whole year to mimic. Buying in Johnnie foreigner, Jaffa cakes, personalised training ground lockers. Heady, if not Roger Headey, days . We were even able to be without Pienaar, Lynagh, Bracken and Hill, instead relying on the likes of Barney Rubble to steer the ship and score what might have been the winning try, had Gavin from the Veldt had his kicking boots on. Cost us the league, did that. Well no, 2 drop goals did that (Stransky’s against us and Mapletoft’s miss for Glass against Newcastle) – but I digress.
We’ve since tried outmuscling them. We set our Scots Highland Terrier on their Great Dane in the Cup in 2000. Result? The then England captain got time off for a Christmas at home with the family and a chance to recharge his batteries before the 6 Nations. McRae got cracked ribs but it no doubt toughened him up for his later assault on Ronan O’Gara. And we still lost, comfortably.
We’ve tried taking advantage of their high representation at international level, going as far as initiating a foot and mouth epidemic, thereby forcing a delay of England’s game in Ireland until the following season, to coincide with our away league fixture. Result? Rod Kafer has a blinder…
We’ve tried confusing the bejasus out of them by electing a callow youth by the name of Adrian Winnan as our place kicker for the day. That almost worked, holding them to a 5 point margin.
At one point we obviously decided that having so many players on the pitch was just too confusing and complicated. So, we earned ourselves 4 yellow cards, including one for Robbie Russell. For fighting. Obviously.
Still, at least it’s a nice place to go for a day out away from the smoke. Well, not exactly. Those in the home crowd that choose not to venture far from home have grown accustomed to seeing their team invariably win – a few hiccups in recent years, particularly when lead by regimes not versed in Leicester ways from birth, but with Cockerill at the helm they’re very much back in the groove. The 24th man makes his feelings known to one and all and as travelling support we’re very much tolerated rather than welcomed. Which is fair.
And we’re not alone – they’ve not lost at home this season and can even match our record against the Springboks were it to come down to a Top Trumps tie breaker.
And yet. Admittedly it’s a small “and yet”, but this might just be the time to do it. They have nothing to play for (other than that home record), already top of the league and facing a home semi the following week in any event.
Our carrot is the chance to avoid yet another trek up the M1, albeit also requiring the assistance of the Irish whose form this season seems to have mirrored our own right up until the last month when they’ve remained pants. But does that make you think it’s better to take it easy this week and concentrate on the semi?
I’m a huge believer in momentum. We were successful early in the season playing uninspiring rugby and grinding out a succession of narrow wins. Right up until the point when we weren’t and soon our confidence was blown. The weather, the refereeing of the breakdown, a weekend in Brighton, a change of tactics, all the above. Who knows, but that confidence is back and with it Something Special. Forget the implications of the result – go all out and if nothing else you’ll have an idea of how far you’ve come.
A prediction then? Sadly, at time of writing Guscott hasn’t posted his, so I don’t know with what I need to disagree. But I think he’ll be going with the homer. So, I’ll go with Homer, I am sorry the tickets don't cover visions, miracles or other godly hoohaas.
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Stumbleupon06/05/2010 17:59
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2010:05:11:09:44:11 by TonyTaff.
Tis said, "It is sometimes better to travel in anticipation than to arrive"
But I have bought my ticket, getting the coach and will be shouting myself hoarse (again) for the boys.
We travel and sometimes you get your wishes. After all we were tipped to lose at Stains.
That performance was something special!
Can we do it? YES WE CAN!!!!!!!!
Go Sarries!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Those were the days...
have fond memories of the jaffa girls Burning the Boards London Style
[images.google.co.uk]
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