By Emma Goodwin
August 11 2004

With the new season approaching fast Rod Kafer really seems to be looking to the pre-season to choose his team for the big opener on September 4th at Twickenham against European Rugby’s premier side – London Wasps. Will the Middlesex 7’s be a big event for the real Men In Black? The Middlesex 7’s is an event Saracens have never won and not having had any silverware since the 1998 Tetleys Bitter Cup it would be nice to get our hands on the trophy. The Middlesex 7’s is one of rugby’s oldest tournaments, first held in 1926, the champions that year were Harlequins and £1621 was raised for charity. Since then it had gone from strength to strength, changing to a per-season event when professionalism arrived and raising over £3 million for charity in the last 10 years alone. This year is no different with the charities being The Professional Rugby Players Association Benevolent Fund and The Wooden Spoon Society.

So what of Saracens chances? Expect to see Richard Haughton (missing last weekend) returning to burn up the Twickenham grass alongside other club favourites Kevin Sorrell and Kris Chesney, but who will be joining them? The likelihood is that the squad for Twickers will be very similar to that used at the Compass 7’s that was mainly made up of young squad members but there is a possibility that Fiji Captain Mosese Rauluni and Haughton will join the squad for the ‘bigger’ event.

Last weekend’s Compass International 7’s at the Stoop was a disappointment to Sarries having been beaten by Staroba Orange (an invitational team) in the semi-final of the Bowl competition but it was seen as a good learning exercise for the young 7’s squad by coach Kafer, “It was a good experience for our players and they came up against strong opposition and a lot of Sevens specialists. There is a big difference between Sevens and 15-a-side players and we were trying to mould the two, which is a little bit difficult, but certainly a good hit out for our players.”

With the amazing rugby skills on show combined with the speed of the games as well as the brilliant atmosphere I for one will be really pleased if we can snatch the trophy from last years victors, the Northampton Saints – COME ON YOU SARACENS!

Cup Round One
British Army v Rotherham Titans 11.10
Bath v Leicester Tigers 11.30
London Irish v Harlequins 11.50
Northampton Saints v London Welsh 12.10
Worcester v Loughborough Univ 12.30
London Wasps v Leeds Tykes 12.50
Gloucester v Newcastle Falcons 13.10
Saracens v Sale Sharks 13.30

Cup Quarter Finals
(1) Army/Rotherham v Bath/Leicester 13.50
(2) Irish/Quins v Saints/London Welsh 14.10
(3) Worcester/Loughborough v Wasps/Leeds 14.30
(4) Gloucester/Falcons v Saracens/Sale 14.50

Plate Competition
The four best losers from round one will play each other in the Plate, kick offs at 15.10 and 15.30

Cup Semi Finals
Winner QF 1 v Winner QF 2 16.10
Winner QF 3 v Winner QF 4 16.30

Plate Final 16.50

Cup Final 17.10