By Darraghgirl
June 27 2016

So here it is, the annual End of Season Poll. I have tweaked some of the questions, added a couple of new ones and ditched the Team of the Season (as it was always the Sarries' First XV anyway!) PLEASE DO NOT POST YOUR ANSWERS HERE email to unofish at hotmail dot co dot uk Voting closes Monday 11th July

1. Saracens Player of the Year (2014/15 Jamie George) Not an easy one this year as so many of our players have had a brilliant season. Alex Goode (Premiership player of the Year), Owen Farrell, Maro itoje, Billy Vunipola, Chris Wyles, Duncan Taylor, Chris Ashton – or maybe there is someone else you think deserves this accolade.

2. Saracens Young Player of the Year (2014/15 & 2013/14 Maro Itoje) I’m tempted to disqualify Itoje. Not that he isn’t an amazing young player but maybe we should consider some of the other youngsters coming through. Nick Tompkins maybe, Jared Saunders (who filled in superbly at Hooker), or Titi Lamositele. Or maybe someone else?

3. Saracens Old Player of the Year (2014/15 Petrus Du Plessis). We said goodbye to Jacques Burger and Charlie Hodgson. But there were other “senior” players who excelled this year too – Neil de Kock, Kelly Brown or good old Petrus again? Or maybe you have other ideas?

4. Saracens Unsung Hero A new category this year. Who is that dependable player who doesn’t hit the headlines but turns in a performance week in week out? Jackson Wray maybe? Brad Barritt, Chris Wyles, Richard Barrington, Kelly Brown or someone else?

5. Saracens Find of the season. Another new category but which player, who became a first team regular this year, was the real find of the season? Michael Rhodes may be? Juan Figallo? Samu Vunisa? Mike Ellery? Or someone else?

6. Favourite Saracens Player? (2014/15 Billy Vunipola) Regardless of everything else, who is your favourite Sarries’ player? Last year it was Billy but how about “smiling” Schalk Brits, Will Fraser, Owen Farrell & his “joining Jack” sign, Try machine Chris Ashton, Captain Brad Barritt? Or someone else?

7. Worst Disciplinary Panel Decision of the season? Well surely there is only 1 contender? Poor old Chris Ashton and the dreadful 10 week ban for a perceived eye contact? Owen’s suspension might also register? Or perhaps there was another one?

8. Aviva Premiership Player of the Year (non Saracens) (2014/15 Thomas Waldrom) Which opposing player has caught your eye this year. Christian Wade maybe, or Jack Nowell, George Smith, Gareth Steenson, Charles Piutau? Jack Clifford? James Haskell? Or maybe someone else?

9. International Player of the Year (must play outside Aviva Premiership) (2014/15 Steffon Armitage). Which International player deserves this accolade? Dan Carter won the official accolade but didn’t do much when we played Racing. Pocock and Hooper were superb in the world cup but their star has maybe faded? We know Maro won the official European title but he’s disqualified from this one! How about our “own” David Strettle? So who is your choice?

10. Best Individual Performance by a Saracens Player (2014/15 Bosch’s kick v Racing). Which player really made a difference to a game? Was it Goodey in New York? Maro against Bath? Or was there another stand out performance you can remember?

11.Best performance by an opposition player against Saracens (2014/15 Gareth Steenson) Fortunately there haven’t been too many brilliant opposition performances. Charles Piutau, Nathan Hughes or Jimmy Gopperth in that Wasps victory maybe? Steven Myler when Saints won at Allianz? Or perhaps you remember another one? 

12.The Albanese Award for the worst performance by an Opposition Player against Saracens (2014/15 Billy Twelvetrees). Which opposition player had a “mare” against Sarries? Maybe it was an unfit Dan Carter? Or did someone else have a "mare" against us?

13. The Martin Johnson Memorial Least Favourite Opposition Player Award. (2014/15 Dylan Hartley) Dylan Hartley has virtually made this award his own in years gone by but maybe the England captain has redeemed himself a bit this year and there is someone else you love to hate?

14. Player you would most like to join Saracens next Season? (2014/15 David Strettle) It’s hard to improve on perfection but just suppose you could choose from anyone in the world, who would it be?

15. Best Performance by a Saracens Team. This year we’re spoiled for choice aren’t we. The win over Racing 92 to become European champions? The win over Exeter to become English champions? Or perhaps it was another game where the team won against all odds – Exeter away? Leicester at home with 3 penalty tries or in the Premiership semi final, Wasps away in Europe, Ulster away….it just goes on and on but can you choose one?

16. Worst Performance by a Saracens Team. Fortunately not too many choices here. The home defeat to Wasps I suspect, the loss away to Quins or at home to Saints but their weren’t too many bad days

17.Favourite Club to visit for an away game. (2014/15 Stade Marcel Michelin/Clermont Auvergne). We had a couple of new venues this year: the Red Bull Arena in New York, Stade Charles Mathon in Oyonnax, and of course the lovely Grand Stade de Lyon. Then there were all the usual suspects in the Premiership and return visits to Stade Ernest Wallon & the Kingspan. Which one provided the best experience?

18.Least favourite Club to visit for an away game. (2014/15 Kingsholm, home of Gloucester Rugby). As above, but which one gave you least pleasure to visit.

19. Best Opposition Fans. (2014/15 Clermont Auvergne). Well this year we avoided “les jaunes et bleus” but whose supporters were the best? Was it the guys in Oyonnax who put on quite a show? The lovely French fans of Stade Toulousain or Racing? The Exeter fans who flocked to Twickenham? The Irish in New York? Or maybe someone else?

20. Worst Opposition fans. (2014/15 Harlequins) Again as above but this time which fans were the least fun to be with? Our hairyqueen friends again maybe? Or perhaps supporters from up the M1? Or across the Irish sea? Or maybe someone else?

21. Favourite other AP team. (2014/15 Exeter Chiefs) With the exception of 2013/14, Exeter Chiefs have won this every year – but will the fact they came so close at Twickenham make a difference?

22.Least Favourite AP team (2014/15 Northampton Saints.) Will it be Saints again this year, how about Ulster? or is there another team you love to hate even more?

23 Best Bar. (2014/15 Allianz Park) Since we moved to Barnet, there has only been 1 winner in this category. Will things change this year? Has another venue, home or abroad, served you something better?

24. Worst Bar. (2014/15 Twickenham) This category is usually won by HQ or Wembley but was there somewhere else you liked even less?

25. Best Food. (2014/15 Allianz Park) the odd French venue has won this category but most years it has gone to our very own home. What about this year? Were there better burgers in New York? Or scrumptious sausages in Toulouse? Or was it somewhere else?

26. Worst Food. (2014/15 Twickenham) This one is again usually a toss up between HQ & Wembley although I think Stade Charles Mathon (which only seemed to serve chips) may be a contender?

27. Best Saracens Moment (2014/15 becoming Champions again) Spoiled for choice this year aren’t we! But this category is supposed to represent a single moment in time – maybe Goodey’s try that sealed the Premiership final or Farrell’s penalty which ensured a first European Cup victory. Or maybe you can think of something else? 

28. Worst Saracens Moment (2014/15 James Hook's successful penalty from half way to win the game for Gloucester at Kingsholm). There were a lot more good moments than bad ones but there were undoubtedly a few. Brits sending off against Wasps which opened the floodgates? Ashy’s failed disciplinary appeal? Capitulation at The Stoop? Or was there something else you remember?

29. Funniest Moment of the Season (2014/15 Saracens and Northampton turning up in the same colours at Stadium MK) Was there anything which made you laugh on or off the pitch?

30. Best Referee (2014/15 Wayne Barnes) Will it be Wayne again? Or maybe Nigel? One of the French guys? Or one of the up and coming Englishmen (Matt Carley or Luke Pearce?) or the retiring Andrew Small? What about our own Glen Jackson? Or maybe you can think of someone else.

31. Worst Referee (2014/15 J P Doyle) Has JP been forgiven yet or will he once again win this category. Some of the younger guys might feature maybe (Craig Maxwell-Keys, Ian Tempest or Tom Foley perhaps?) Or was it another whistle blower who got your goat? 

32. Best Media Performance by a Rugby Celebrity or Broadcaster (2014/15 Will Greenwood) What did you think of ITV’s world Cup coverage? Or BBC’s 6 Nations? Sky’s European or Australian coverage or BT’s everything else? Will it be Will again or did someone else impress you?

33. Worst Media Performance by a Rugby Celebrity or Broadcaster (2014 15 Stuart Barnes) As above but can anyone topple Fat-boy from the position he has held for many years?

34. Michael Gentleman Award for the Best Contribution to the Message Board Who has contributed most over the year? Special mention to Gerard (BehindtheBench) for so many previews and reports. Was there a particularly special post you remember?

Once again

PLEASE DO NOT POST YOUR ANSWERS HERE:-  email to unofish at hotmail dot co dot uk before Monday 11th July