By TonyTaff
December 31 2005

At New Year, Directors of Rugby and Head Coaches could be forgiven for peering into the future to see what it might hold. An amended play-off regime awaits, in the Premiership, for one thing.

Our hosts have had more reason than most to rue the introduction of play-offs, but, perhaps, last week’s events give a hint that the short-term incumbent of their Head Coach role has adapted to the concept.

 

Faced with two games over a festive period when sessions on the training paddock, or with the physios, are constrained, many rugby folk have found the phrase ‘squad rotation’ on their lips. This may not be a luxury widely available to the Sarries’ management at the moment, but the antipodean at Welford road tested the concept to destruction at the Memorial Ground.

 

All Change

 

The team announced by Leicester for the Premiership game saw 12 changes from that which took the park in a must-win European game the previous week. This was reduced to 11 when Graham Rowntree cried off ill, allowing Darren Morris to retain his slender hold on a starting berth at prop [Is this the only time ‘slender’ and Morris have been mentioned in the same sentence, Ed?].

 

Only Darryl Gibson and Julian White, returning from injury and suspension respectively, could be viewed as obvious candidates for a place in a starting line-up picked from strength. It would have been difficult to predict the outcome of this tie, certainly a complete absence of tries was unusual, but Bristol’s five penalties (to one) very all very Strange [That’s enough puns on players’ names, Ed].

 

At prop, Rowntree and Alejandro Moreno (promptly restored, following the attentions of the coiffeured one, it would seem) now return, the latter on the bench, in place of Morris and Michael Holford. George Chuter, formerly of this parish, displaces James Buckland who covers hooker from the bench. At second row, Ben Kay, a replacement at Bristol, swaps a starting berth with Leo Cullen. In the reshuffled back row, Brett Deacon and Will Skinner leave the 22, to be replaced by Shane Jennings (who has enjoyed much first team rugby due, in part, to Moody’s enforced absences) and Martin Corry, who will captain the side.

 

At scrum-half, the rookie Neil Cole is replaced by the veteran Austin Healey, with Scott Bemand (also returning from injury) again on the bench. Harry Ellis is absent following the attentions of Ian Evans and a surgeon. At fly-half the inexperienced Broadfoot drops to the bench making way for Andy Goode, who might be described as an ex-Saracen, though his tenure at Vicarage Road was brief when compared to that at Welford Rd.

 

On the wings, the experienced pair of Geordan Murphy and Leon Lloyd, who did not feature at the Memorial Ground, now start, though it should be no surprise if the younger legs of Varndell emerge form the bench at some stage on Monday.  With Gibson picking up a new injury, the promising Dan Hipkiss moves into the centre, to be partnered by Ollie Smith – a man who surely should have had greater international recognition, given England’s recent difficulties at centre. The more prosaic Seru Rabeni misses out; a clue to Pat Howard’s game-plan here, perhaps? Sam Vesty remains at full-back.

 

None of these changes can be described as weakening Leicester (with the debatable exception of Gibson’s absence), and Sarries can expect a much sterner test than Bristol experienced, and not just as a result of the home advantage which has served Leicester so well in the past.

 

Sarries, with a squad depleted by injuries, make many fewer changes.

 

 

Leicester 15. Sam Vesty 14. Leon Lloyd 13. Ollie Smith 12. Dan Hipkiss 11. Geordan Murphy 10. Andy Goode 9. Austin Healey 1. Graham Rowntree 2. George Chuter 3. Julian White 4. Ben Kay 5. Louis Deacon 6. Will Johnson 7. Shane Jennings 8. Martin Corry (captain) Replacements: 16. James Buckland 17. Alejandro Moreno 18. Leo Cullen 19. Luke Abraham 20. Scott Bemand 21. Ross Broadfoot 22. Tom Varndell

Saracens 15 Dan Scarbrough 14 Ben Johnston 13 Kevin Sorrell 12 Adam Powell 11 Tevita Vaikona 10 Glen Jackson 9 Alan Dickens 1 Kevin Yates 2 Shane Byrne 3 Ben Broster 4 Tom Ryder 5 Kris Chesney 6 Hugh Vyvyan (c) 7 Ben T Russell 8 Ben Skirving Replacements 16 Matt Cairns 17 Hamish Mitchell 18 Taine Randell 19 David Seymour 20 Moses Rauluni 21 Nicky Little 22 Mark Bartholomuesz

Match Ups

 

Nick Lloyd and Cobus Visagie remain sidelined, so the front row, who struggled in the early exchanges at home to London Irish, are retained. They will have their hands full against the opposition whose props have a cap collection to dwarf that of the visitors – If Ben Broster can overcome Rowntree, it will reflect a changing of the guard as well as the recent change in national fortunes.

 

The injury to Simon Raiwalui, sees the Sarries’ management opt for youth by handing a first Premiership appearance to Tom Ryder – a starting berth against the club where he spent his formative years. The option of experience was available, with the club captain able to play lock, and a former All Black captain available on the bench to come into the back row – this switch may yet transpire during the game, if the gamble, on Ryder’s ability (not least mental) to cope with such a demanding debut, does not work out. [Don’t include a cheap shot about Matthew Tait’s international selection here, Ed].

 

The unchanged back row should be the equal of that named for Leicester, subject to the front five not imploding.

 

At scrum-half, Alan Dickens will have his patience, and eardrums, tested by his opposite number, and will need to remain focussed on his own game. Mosese Rauluni makes a welcome return from injury to the bench, allowing the toothpaste that is Kyran Bracken’s remaining career to stay in the tube for this match. Glen Jackson will get a valuable yardstick up against Goode, but, as always, fly-halves always look better if their pack are in the ascendancy; bragging rights over kicking stats are also up for grabs.

 

In the backs, the injury to Paul Bailey sees the introduction of the inexperienced Adam Powell into centre, apparently matched against Hipkiss, with Ben Johnston moving to the wing. Johnston will be up against a smaller but quicker opponent, and will need to be watchful in defence, and capable, in contact, of staying up for the longer period needed for reinforcements to arrive at the wing. The quicker Scarbrough is retained at full back, the selection eschewing the alternative of Bartholomeusz (who continues to languish on the bench) which would have afforded a switch of the Yorkshireman to the wing.

 

Strategy

 

The inclusion in the play-offs of the 4^th placed side is not without its consequences.

 

Leicester’s decision to field a weakened side at Bristol led to them dropping to that position in the table. The Head Coach opined that he would ‘cop it sweet’ for his decision. A failure to win on Monday would probably see them drop out of the play-off positions – that would be the cue for criticism. This selection, against an opponent who have failed to win at Welford Rd in nearly 42 years and 28 attempts (there was a draw in the season in which Sarries finished one point behind the champions, Newcastle), is designed to head off such an outcome.

 

Sarries, who sit in 7^th, but within reach eventually of a play-of spot, chose a team to win their home fixture over the festive period, but narrowly, though deservedly, lost. Further injuries constraining selection options, have left the management with few choices for this match; those choices that have been made appear to favour the development of aspiring players.

 

History (or ‘Spare a thought for the bloke with the whistle’)

 

Leicester always enjoy a loud partisan support at home. The bank-holiday will see a capacity crowd, some of whom will be better-oiled than usual. This alone would lead to a great deal of ‘input’ from the terraces.

 

Recent meetings of these clubs have been marred by on-field violence, and provocation. Two wronged men from the last meeting (Johnson and Hill) will be absent this time, however, (Ben T) Russell and Corry live to fight again [Couldn’t you find a better metaphor, ED?].

 

As Steve Lander (and Fred Howard!) are no longer available, this chalice has been passed to Mr Maybank. He has some experience of encounters between the two sides:

 

The wild-card play-off final was played at a neutral venue, in contrast, and was relatively free of aggro. However, at least two old pros form each side, on that day, proceeded, with impunity, to continue cynically to infringe, despite both teams having been threatened (euphemistically) with the yellow card. Many of the protagonists on that day have moved on, though some of those who remain may be minded to test whether the (similarly more experienced) official will allow such largesse.

 

Will we have ‘Peace in our time’ on this occasion? As Neville Chamberlain’s cousin, and occasional speechwriter, might have written:

 

“Roy, if you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs and blaming it on you, …

 

… you’ll be an IRB ‘A’ panel ref, one day.”

 

Happy New Year