By Jason Harris (filed: 23/4/04)
April 23 2004

Saracens have announced the names of 11 players who will leave the Men in Black at the end of a disappointing 2003-04 Zurich Premiership campaign which currently sees them languishing one off the bottom of the table. The players who will be seeking pastures new for the 2004-05 season will be front row quintent Steven Sparks, James Parkes, Robbie Russell, Joe Ross and Johnny Marsters; back rowers Tony Roques and Daniel Legge; half back Dan Kirton; threequarters Denis Cech and Nathan McAvoy and fullback Adryan Winnan while lock Craig Yandell is retiring from professional rugby.

Sarries had made it no big secret that there would be significant changes and, after the arrival of Newcastle captain Hugh Vyvyan, Leeds and England flyer Dan Scarbrough and Sale Sharks quartet Matt Cairns, Alex Sanderson, Iain Fullarton and Kevin Yates, the number of players and their identities will not come as a shock to many observers.

Since their high-profile and early entry into the transfer market, Saracens' three main influences - CEO Mark Sinderberry, Head Coach Rod Kafer and recently-arrived assistant Steve Diamond - showed that they believed the current squad was not good enough to compete with the best in the Zurich Premiership.

Kafer, on the club's official web site, listed four reasons; one or more of which were instrumental in reaching the decision to axe the 11 players:

"The reasoning behind such decisions" he said "are not always as obvious to our supporters as they may appear to the club and I feel we should explain our decision making process.

1, They do not fit into our plans as we move forward; meaning we are looking at a different type of player for that position.

2, It is a business decision where a choice is made between players in the same position based on cost.

3, The risk, either of injury or of not reaching the players potential, is too great and the club decides to release a player prior to the completion of their contract.

4, We simply believe we have recruited a better player."

Kafer, though, thanked those players leaving for their efforts for the Men in Black since he arrived last summer by saying

"All of the players have made contributions to the squad this season and have worked extremely hard. I would like to thank them for their efforts. There are players who have been with the club over a number of years and on behalf of the club I would like to wish them every success in the future.


However, Saracens also stated that the blood-letting may not yet be over by issuing a no-nonsense one-line statement which read "Discussions are continuing that could also see other players leave the club."

Further new signings are due to be announced very shortly but, accroding to some press reports, the Men in Black appear to have lost the race to sign Scarlets and Wales outside half Stephen Jones who is now likely to join Leicester Tigers.

Meanwhile the chase for a new outside half continues even though it is possible that Nicky Little will be offered a new contract and that Thomas Castaignede will definitely be staying. Among the names linked with the black no10 shirt so far have been Gerard Merceron, Butch James and David Walder, but there has been no announcement from the club about discussions with any of the aforemntioned.