Owen is our leader....

By TheSaracens
May 11 2022

A trip to Kingsholm, dubbed “Castle Grim” by some, isn’t an “away” trip that anyone looks forward to in the sense that one might in the case of, say, Ashton Gate, the Rec, Sixways or even, in an odd sort of way, The Stoop: indeed, Mrs Jonny, not exactly the type to be bothered by a bit of “banter”, however unpleasant, has longed deemed the home of Gloucester a ground that she would only visit if something important was riding on the match. It isn’t as if the crowd at Kingsholm is overtly hostile to visiting fans, and certainly not pre-match in the pubs around the ground where you’re far more likely to encounter fellow rugby fans who are happy to chat about the imminent game and the sport in general than any aggressive behaviour (with the odd and very individual exception, but that can happen anywhere), but come match time inside the ground, though, the assembled mass of humanity in the low-roofed Shed becomes something akin to a Seventies football crowd (and this NOT, before anyone says anything, to be inferred as a suggestion that rugby and its culture is in any way superior to that of the round ball game – it isn’t, it’s just different) with vitriol and, very strangely, old football chants hurled at opposing players, the referee and anyone who incurs their ire at any given moment.

I do speak from experience here, having grown up in an Aston Villa-supporting family and attending matches both at Villa Park and away grounds over the years and, in particular during the Seventies and Eighties when things were often pretty unpleasant.  

In the above light, watching a game at Kingsholm can feel like stepping into an episode of “Life On Mars”.   

After a few very enjoyable pints in Teague’s, just across the road from Kingsholm, we make our way into the ground and find that our allocation of seats is located in near the corner and towards the top of the stand which at most grounds wouldn’t be an issue as it’s a standard and perfectly understandable procedure to place away fans in such locations except for the fact that at Kingsholm the ageing stand roofs are supported by struts that create a restricted view in certain areas of the seating and which in the case of where we’re located obscure the posts at the far end of the pitch - which to be fair can be viewed when leaning back at an angle that is both painful and undignified for a man of my years.

Gloucester’s squad is familiar with notable names including Adam Hastings, Lewis Ludlow, Chris Harris, Louis Rees-Zammit and a name recognisable to Sarries fans, Jack Singleton, who made a cameo return to North London from Worcester three years ago before going out on loan to Gloucester and then deciding to stay there - while lurking on the bench is the eternally classy Billy Twelvetrees who always seems to play well against us.

Sarries, clearly taking this tournament deadly seriously (as in my view they should), are almost at full strength, with only the long term-injured Mako and Max Malins missing from what most would regard as this season's First XXIII.   

The game starts in a – shall we say - boisterous atmosphere despite Kingsholm, a little surprisingly, not being anywhere near full, and it’s immediately and firstly apparent that Sarries mean business tonight as they make a strong start, while, secondly, the cognoscenti in the Shed, and, indeed immediately in front of us in the Malvern Tyres Stand, will be paying some attention to Farrell - I’m sure it’ll really bother him….

It is, nonetheless, Gloucester who provide the first excitement of the encounter when the speedy Rees-Zammit breaks clear down the right and chases his own kick to go over, but to the ire of the Shed and relief of the black and red faithful, play is called back for a forward pass.

Shortly afterwards Sarries are awarded a penalty in front of the posts giving Farrell an easy kick - with both Gloucester’s strategy of “rushing” during his run-up and the Shed’s unsurprising refusal to “respect the kicker” completely failing to distract our leader - to draw first blood for 0-3 after 6 minutes.

The evening - for we of a Sarries persuasion that is - gets even better shortly afterwards, when Farrell finds Koch who deftly finds space between two defenders before slipping the ball to Davies who goes over on 9 minutes, with Farrell calmly finishing things off to increase Sarries’ lead to 0-10.

Shortly afterwards, Maitland is replaced by Taylor with a consequent slight tactical switch  seeing Daly move to cover the left wing.

Gloucester briefly rise to what’s already proving a challenge and a kick to the corner from a penalty threatens the Sarries line as their maul pushes forward but the ball is turned over and the “red and black army” is in raptures.

The atmosphere becomes still more charged when Thorley is yellow carded for a high tackle on Davies – it looks bad in “real time” but replays show that a “yellow” is about right, although the home crowd is not happy and delves into its archive of Seventies football chants with a chorus of “You Don’t Know What You’re Doing” - which I haven’t heard since my last visit to Villa Park some 10 years ago – alongside another favourite from the days of bovver boots and team scarves tied round teenage wrists, “Same Old Sarries, Always Cheating”. 

The pain for Gloucester increases as a Faz still completely unfazed by onrushing Gloucester players and catcalling Shed dwellers (why are they bothering to try and distract one of the most focussed players in the game?) slots over the ensuing penalty to take matters to 0-13 as we approach the second quarter.

Davies, who is having another superb game, comes within an ace of bagging his second try of the encounter after good work from Day and Segun but Gloucester snuff out the danger.

As we move into the last 10 minutes of the half, there’s another sin binning for a high tackle, this time by George on Reid, who with the benefit of replays looks to have had his head quite low when he makes contact with George, so while again a yellow card seems to be a correct and consistent decision, the home fans are in paroxysms of rage and the ref’s informed by the Shed of its views on his competence levels alongside Seventies chant no. 3 - ”Off, Off, Off”.

In short order following the resulting penalty, George’s former understudy Singleton gets over at the front of an impressive driving maul although Hastings fails with the conversion (undistracted, let it be said) and at 31 minutes it’s 5-13.

During this spell, Billy demonstrates that he is human, and certainly no hooker, by throwing an appallingly bad line-out – Daly has a go at next one, and fares marginally better.

We’re also treated to an old-fashioned mass brawl sparked by a bit of “argy-bargy” involving Koch, the players in cherry and white urged on by their fans.

Sarries, as always in these situations, quickly regain their collective sang froid and the last real action of the half sees another successful Farrell penalty on 36 minutes, sending the players down the tunnel and the crowd out for refreshments or “natural breaks” with a score of 5-16. 

A good and incident-laced game so far, with Sarries doing a good job of building a decent score, while there’s always the danger of Gloucester stepping up to something like their recent excellent form.

Farrell’s kicking, from what we can see, is unerring and his game management is stellar, the uniquely gifted McFarland continues to enhance his reputation by the game, Itoje is his menacing self, and Billy is at his pile-driving best.    

Act Two gets underway with Sarries looking to consolidate their lead, but it is Gloucester who take both the initiative and the first points of the half with a Hastings penalty from a few metres inside the Sarries half (the kicker afforded full respect, it is noted) on 43 minutes narrowing the gap to 8-16 – is it me, or is the success rate from longer kicks much higher these days?

The somewhat bovine noise from the Shed grows louder as Gloucester endeavour to press home their early advantage with the lion’s share of the possession, although a Sarries counter-attack sees the imperious Farrell set up Segun for a characteristic dart into the heart of Gloucester’s territory but the home defence holds out.

A few minutes later, however, Sarries put some daylight between the teams as a five-metre scrum followed by some destructive work from Billy, who with his recent form surely must be getting closer to an England recall, and then Itoje forces his way over the line in the 48^th minute with Farrell’s ever-trusty right boot taking to score to 8-23.

Immediately afterwards, Gloucester’s evening gets worse as Rapava-Ruskin, who if memory serves was once on Sarries’ books, is yellow-carded for deliberately killing the ball; it’s tempting to mockingly shout “off, off, off” but we travelling Sarries fans do have some dignity…

The Cherry and Whites are immediately punished as the ensuing penalty is kicked to the corner and a driving maul takes Sarries close to the line - and even closer to a decisive scoreline - whereupon the powerhouse that is Itoje virtually carries Tompkins over the line to take the score, with still another calmly taken Farrell conversion, to 8-30 on 50 minutes.

All of Sarries’ much – and rightly – vaunted knock-out game experience comes to the fore now, as they control the game and, as we reach the hour, Gloucester are starting to crack, a flurry of penalties culminating in a trademark Sarries try where the hooker drives over from a maul, and, George gains what must have been a great deal of satisfaction after the all the jeering from the Shed and he celebrates his score in fine style; it goes without saying that Farrell adds the extras and with 62 minutes on the clock and a score of 8-37 Sarries are looking good for a trip to either the south of France or Brentford.

A few minutes after his try, George is replaced by Pifeleti and theatrically milks both the applause and boos, leaving the field with a broad grin and having clearly enjoyed his role as pantomime villain.   

Gloucester are still giving the game a go, although we’re continuing to witness a masterclass from Sarries in how to manage out a game.

With 10 minutes left, Sarries and in particular Taylor benefit from the interception of a sloppy looping pass across the Gloucester line, and our much-loved centre caps another fine display since his return to the ranks by scampering unopposed into the Gloucester half and over the line unopposed to the joy of the travelling Sarries fans (and, looking later at the recorded TV coverage, the Sarries bench) – Farrell’s conversion, as ever, is successful so at 72 minutes it’s 8-44 and we start baying for the 50 points: well, I and Mrs Jonny do anyway…

The game is pretty much wrapped up now and Sarries continue to manage out the closing stages, but in what for a watching “neutral” would be the try of the game, Rees-Zammit, sprinting 80 metres and through the Sarries defence, picks up his own kick and crosses the line, with a successful conversion by Twelvetrees taking the score to a marginally more respectable 15-44 on 74 minutes – cue applause from both sets of supporters.

Sarries continue to seek out the chance of a half-century, but the game ends when Farrell fires the ball into touch.  

A fine performance from Sarries against a very decent Gloucester side who could yet have a say in the Premiership title race, drawing on the experience of so many European knock-out games and, as always, hitting their straps at the sharp end of the season, with, as discussed above, messrs. Farrell, McFarland (named man of the match), Davies, Itoje and Billy all in supoerb form.

Ler’s see what the semi-final brings…….

With thanks to Nigel Eaton for use of the photo, and acknowledgment to David Bowie for the title of this article.

Teams:

Gloucester: Carreras; Rees-Zammit, Harris, Atkinson, Thorley; Hastings, Chapman; Rapava-Ruskin, Singleton, Balmain; Clarke, Alemanno, Reid, Ludlow (capt); Morgan

Replacements: Socino, Elrington, Ford-Robinson, Davidson, Clement, Meehan, Twelvetrees, Seabrook

Sarries: Goode; Segun, Daly, Tompkins, Maitland; Farrell (capt), Davies; Mawi, George, Koch; Itoje, Swinson, McFarland, Earl; B Vunipola

Replacements: Pifeleti, Barrington, Clarey, Isiekwe, Christie, Van Zyl, Taylor, Lozowski

Referee: Frank Murphy (Ireland)