By Jason Harris
May 31 2002

Saracens are reported to be holding a press conference next week to parade two new signings and speculation is rife that neither will be Buck Shelford or Christian Califano who are believed to be on board already. The safest bet about two new signgins is merely confirmation that of Saracens' signing of Shelford and Califano.

However, it has been reported by the press in recent weeks that those deals have been done and that Sarries will be showing off two brand-new players.

Favourite among those touted as possible Saracens recruits is Leicester and England A outside half Andy Goode. Speculation has surrounded Goode and a possible move to Sarries for weeks now. Along with fellow Tigers Adam Balding and Leon Lloyd.

It would be a coup for Sarries if they could land just one of these talented youngsters who have all been involved in Leicester's recent successes, but with competition already fierce for threequarter line places, I think that Lloyd may not be at Bramley Road when the hacks meet the management team.

Balding could well be there. Having to scrap it out with such luminaries as Neil Back, Josh Kronfeld, Martin Corry and Lewis Moody for a spot in the Tigers back row, he could find it easier to claim a starting place here against Ben Cole, Tony Roques, Kris Chesney, Steve Cheesebrough and Ben Russell. Good players every one of them, but not of the international class of the Tigers listed above.

Goode would be the obvious choice. Sarries have not had an outside half last for a whole season (never mind two) since the retirement of Michael Lynagh after the 1997-98 season. Been and gone have Penaud, Mapletoft, Lacroix, McRae and since the arrival of DeBeer and Smith, neither South African has commanded a regular place at no10 due to injury, form or the overseas player restrictions.

At 22 Goode, already proven to be well up to the job during his time at Tigers, is at the right age and, crucially, maturity for Sarries to build their next generation squad around him. Only Jonny Wilkinson has the same amount of experience at ZP level in that position at the same age as Goode and with Charlie Hodgson and David Walder featuring heavily in Clive Woodward's plans, Goode could be just the man to steer Sarries week-in, week-out without being affected by the ongoing club/country tug-o-war.

I'm not for one minute suggesting that he couldn't improve on his England A honours by getting a full cap one day, but in the short term Sarries need a good outside half to play regularly and Goode is not going to be in the full England setup during that short term.

Looking back over the past three seasons, Saracens have not signed a player from another English club since the arrival in 1999 of Scott Murray from Bedford. Many expensive overseas signings have come and gone and with the exception of Tim Horan, they have had little or no effect on the Saracens cause. (I discount, of course, Thomas Castaignede who really has been the most unlucky man in rugby these past two years).

A signing like Andy Goode would put Sarries back on track as contenders for Heineken Cup rugby in 2003-04 and also prove that Saracens is no longe a no-go area for players at other English clubs.