By Chris Randall
June 11 2002

Craig Quinnell, one of Sarries big name summer signings, recently talked to Rugby World Magazine about injuries, international aspirations, discipline and his move to Saracens. "I like a change and a challenge, and I can't tell you how much I am looking forward to playing for Saracens." he said.

This won't be Craig's first sortie into English Premiership Rugby, 4 years ago he was part of a Richmond team that had it's fair share of ups and downs. They beat Newcastle to the second division championship, then finished fourth in the Premier League (surely one of Sarries aims next year) and reached the semi's of the then Tetley Bitter Cup. Then the backer of Richmond, Ashley Levett, decided he didn't want to pump any more money into Richmond and withdrew his funding, forcing the Richmond club into administration. This finally resulted in them being merged with London Scottish and London Irish (now just called London Irish) and the premiership being reduced to twelve teams. It also resulted in Craig's move to Cardiff where his uncle (Barry John) had played before him.

He, along with his brother Scott, was also part of the initial success that Graham Henry brought to the Welsh International team but his international caps were cut short due to injuries. Come on, to be a signing for Sarries, you have to had some injury problems over the course of your career and Craig has had three serious ones.

"I broke my back. I think I did it during the World Cup (1999), but I only really noticed it after we were hammered at Twickenham in 2000. I'd smashed a vertebra in the lower half of my spine and was out for eight months. I was told it was most definitely a career-threatening injury."

Sounds ominously familiar. However Craig was back three months earlier then expected, played 11 more games and was playing away for Cardiff at Edinburgh when the second injury struck. "I got my face smashed in." It happened in a clash of heads with an opponent (purely accidental) and left him with six fractures to the side of his face. Two metal plates, six pins and three weeks and Craig was playing again for Cardiff and for Wales on their short tour of Japan, somewhere he will be revisiting with Sarries pre-season tour this summer.

Despite some poor performances against Ireland and Argentina, things started to look up for Craig in the 2002 Six Nations. He was picked in the starting line-up against Ireland and France where he also managed to get across the line to score. Things were going well and Craig was happy with his form when the final (we hope) injury struck. In a training ground accident (also sounds familiar) he snapped his posterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.

Despite all of this Craig doesn't see himself as jinxed, "I'm not injury prone. I've had a few over the past couple of years but I'm always back quicker than expected. I play hard and passionately, andif you removed that from my game it would hardly be worth playing."

Hard and passionate brings up the discipline area. Mentioned to exhaustive lengths on the saracens.com official fanz forum when we signed Craig, but when questioned if he has a discipline problem the answer is straight forward. "No. I know what you're saying, but the truth is I've never received a red card in my career, and I'd wager I've receivedno more yellow cards than any other lock forwards in the country. Look at the games against Ireland and France. I didn't give away a single penalty."

I'm willing to give Craig the benefit of the doubt as Mr Grewcocks record is not untainted by yellow cards and we all know about a certain tigers lock forward and with Uncle Buck pulling the strings next season Craig will have to control his temper into strong charges. The other thing mentioned on the fanz forum was the relevant shape of Shrek (as he is affectionately named) but since he has not been selected to tour South Africa with Wales he has already started getting into shape.

"I started pre-season training two days after my last game with Cardiff. It's a great chance to be in the best shape of my life by the time Saracens tour Japan in August. Steve Hansen has told me to get myself right over the summer, and all I'm going to concentrate on is doing the business for Saracens. That means earning the right to wear their number 4 shirt, only once I'm playing well for Sarries can I think about Wales."

Fine words indeed, let's hope Craig's final statement is true:-
"I am only 26 and I firmly believe my best rugby is to come, but first I've got to make it work with Saracens. I'm confident I will."