Holders

By Behind the Bench
March 18 2015

Saracens head to Franklins Gardens for the LV= Cup Final (or should that be Finale?) amid much speculation about team selection as they bid to add to the Storm and Academy League titles already bagged this season.

A lot of the debate seems to have centred on whether it is "right" to field a first team in what is a development tournament, although this has only recently been the case, and was more of a response to the sides being put out by teams, as opposed to the other way round. Both sides, boasting two of the best academies in the Premiership, have stuck to their "A" League sides, with special guest appearances from the first team mainly on the bench, and, by definition, it has worked. Whilst the prospect of silverware could be reason enough to pick the strongest side, as Saracens bid to end a run of near misses stretching back to 2011, and Chiefs bid to retain the Cup, there's more reasons to stay loyal to the squads who have earnt this final place.

Without sounding glib, anyone who beats Northampton and wins at Leicester, scoring three tries in the process, can't be doing too much wrong, making a firm argument for continuity, but, in a more subtle sense, and especially given Saracens' aims to "make some memories", the experience gained by the second string will be crucial in strengthening squad depth. That's even more important in that both sides are realistic qualifiers for the Premiership final at Twickenham, so the more players who have experienced a final the better, making clubs more resistant to injuries, as the replacements are less likely to fall short on the big stage, having performed there before. Indeed, the benefits have been seen already with Ben Ransom and Ben Spencer offering quality cover for Alex Goode and Richard Wigglesworth's England involvement, and mitigating the loss of Owen Farrell to a certain extent.

Into the detail, then. Looking at the five LV= Cup matches so far, Nils Mordt and Ben Spencer have been the half back combination in all of them, creating crucial continuity of direction, whilst Matt Hankin and Nick de Jager have started in the back row, though not always in the same position, in all but the first match, in which they were replacements, and it has led them into first team involvement. Maro Itoje has captained the side in four of the five matches, although has played at both lock and flanker in the campaign, the exception being the second "double header" weekend when Saracens played at London Welsh, and he gave a stirring display as a replacement in the England Saxons win against their Irish counterparts in Cork. The settled selections have no doubt contributed to some fine defensive displays, not least on Saturday, as it allowed them to stay in the game after some concerted first half Saints pressure. 

The rest of the back line has been a bit more fluid, although Mike Ellery has added to his growing reputation by appearing in four of the games, culminating in that fantastic try against Northampton. Catalin Fercu has been the first example of the Global Network bearing fruit in a playing sense, as he has progressed from the four tries scored in the 45-12 HAC win against Gloucester last May to feature at both full back and on the left wing in this campaign. The centre berths have seen more change than anywhere else, with two appearances for Nick Tompkins and Tim Streather at 13, Academy product Max Wilkins and Marcelo Bosch also in this slot. At 12, the powerful Thretton Palamo, a stand-out performer in the Storm side has claimed two appearances, with Duncan Taylor, Wilkins and Streather also here, so at least demonstrating the adaptability and versatility of the players. Completing the backs, George Perkins and Fercu have appeared twice each on the left wing, although David Strettle played against the Saints and Goode made an influential cameo as a replacement in the home tie with Exeter. 

There has been a fair bit of alternation in the front row, with Rhys Gill, now back in the Welsh squad, sharing duties with Jack Culverhouse and Richard Barrington at loosehead, whilst Scott Spurling, Brett Sharman and Jared Saunders have all featured at hooker, and the tighthead berth has seen both Juan Figallo, now back from injury, and Biyi Alo, another key Storm player, start, with Ben Featherstone appearing from the bench. The locks have seen a lot of variation too, as the first match featured Jim Hamilton and Mouritz Botha there, before changing to Hayden Smith and Itoje for the win at Ospreys, and then the youthful combination of Kennett O'Neil and Jack Tredrea at Welsh with the squad at full strength. It reverted to Smith and Itoje at home to Exeter and for the Saints game. Completing the assessment of the appearances, Hayden Thompson-Smith and Ernst Joubert have slotted into the back row twice, with Jacques Burger and Jackson Wray playing one game each. 

Turning to the sides fielded by the Chiefs in their quintet of games. Although largely using an "A" side for their LV campaign, they deployed the first team for the pivotal second pool match at home to Bath, which they won 18-6. Taking that match out of the equation, Exeter's XV has again been fairly consistent, though starting with the backs, there have been three different full backs, with Namibian Byron McGuigan alternating with academy products Max Bodilly and Jack Arnott. Tongan international Fetu’u Vainikolo has been on the right wing, and Welsh international Tom James on the left, in all but the Bath match, with Adam Hughes at either 12 or 13 in each of these games. As well as his appearance at full back against Leicester, Bodilly has been at centre twice, whilst former Ulster player Ian Whitten has featured once here, as has Fijian international Sireli Naqelevuki. Fly half Ceri Sweeney featured in the four "non-Bath" matches, the last three as captain, alongside Dave Lewis or the more experienced Haydn Thomas, as they have opted to rotate scrum halves.

Into the Chiefs forwards, and club stalwart Brett Sturgess has been at loosehead, with academy product Luke Cowan-Dickie starting the campaign at hooker, but Tongan Elvis Taione starting the last trio of matches, whilst former Saracen Alex Brown, Tomas Francis (recently added to the Welsh squad) and Scottish international Moray Low have all started at tighthead. The second row has been the most variable part of the Exeter line up, with Dean Mumm, Damian Welch, Will Carrick-Smith, Jerry Sexton and back row Mitch Lees all featuring here in various matches. The back row has proved to be more settled, as Sam Simmonds has started four matches and Sam Skinner, although, as with Saracens, the third player has been more changeable, as James Scaysbrook, Tom Johnson, Ben White and Kai Horstmann have all started.

So, looking at potential sides, I would expect minimal changes from the sides which beat Saints and Leicester respectively, as they look to continue the momentum from that pair of epic encounters. Ben Ransom should consequently continue at full back, with Ellery and Strettle likely to continue on the wings, and a similar centre partnership of Bosch, providing a vital extra kicking option, and Streather. The ever-present half back combination of Mordt and Spencer looks guaranteed to remain in situ. Into the forwards, and Richard Barrington should come into the front row for Gill, alongside Saunders and Figallo. Itoje and Smith look likely to feature at lock, as do De Jager and Hankin in the back row, possibly alongside Wray instead of Joubert. For Exeter, Bodilly should continue at full back, as should Vainokolo and James on the wings, and Hughes alongside Naqelevuki in the centre. Captain Sweeney will feature at fly half, but Lewis could get the nod at scrum half instead of Thomas if the rotation pattern continues. Moving to the forwards, it's hard to look beyond the pack who performed so powerfully at Welford Road. That would see a front row of Sturgess, Taione and Low, with Lees and Sexton at lock, and a back row comprised of White, Joel Conlon and Horstmann.

How will the game pan out? As with the Saints match, Exeter probably have a slight edge up front, whilst Saracens probably have an advantage in the backs, particularly as the half back combination is so settled, and can unleash the potential of Ellery and assured finishing of Strettle. Both sides have shown the ability to edge tight games as well as set up comfortable victories in their previous matches, but Saracens will have a clear psychological advantage given their win at Allianz Park against the Chiefs just a matter of weeks ago. All in all, though, it looks to be a tight encounter between two well-matched sides.