Saracens
END OF SEASON POLL 2019-20
By TheSaracens.com
November 12 2020
We debated whether we should do the EOS Poll this year given everything that has gone on but have decided that, with a few tweaks, we will! Below are a number of categories. Please feel free to vote for some or all of them Please don't post your votes in the thread below but email them to: unofish at hotmail dot co dot uk (please replace words with appropriate punctuation - it helps with the spam!) or PM Darraghgirl Apologies that it's a bit of a fad doing it this way but the on-line "polls" aren't really flexible enough for our needs or are too short! Hopefully you're all pretty bored during lockdown so you will have lots of time to vote! Closing date is 2nd December (doesn't something else end then?) Results will be used to fill the acres of rugby-less space in the weeks to come!
1. SARACENS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Unlike many “awards ceremonies” the Big One comes first! Last year your choice was the remarkable Alex Goode. Could Alex be your man again? There are plenty of choices: Captain Fantastic Brad Barritt, Jamie George, Maro Itoje, Ben Earl, Manu, Mako or Billy Vunipola, Big Will Skelton, Sean Maitland, Richard Wigglesworth, Ben Spencer, Elliot Daly; you could name almost any of our lads so who is your choice as Saracens player of this longest ever season?
2. SARACENS YOUNG PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Our tradition of bringing through young players remains the envy of many. Last year you chose Max Malins. Sadly we didn’t see much of Max last season due to injury but there was plenty of other young talent on show. Maku Vunipola, Ben Earl, Rotimi Segun, Ali Crossdale, Dom Morris, Joel Kpoku, Sean Reffell, Callum Hunter-Hill to name a few. Maybe you would like to vote for someone else
3. SARACENS OLD PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Last year you chose David Strettle as your favourite “oldie”. Who will succeed him this year? Brad Barritt has to be up there plus Richard Wigglesworth, Calum Clark, Mike Rhodes, Vincent Koch, Jackson Wray, Alex Goode or anyone else you might like to nominate,
4. SARACENS UNSUNG HERO
This award typically goes to the selfless one. The guy who plays in a different position every week to help the team. The guy who works hard but gets no reward. Last year Nick Tompkins was your choice. This year who will you chose? Jackson Wray, Duncan Taylor, Tom Woolstencroft, Dom Morris, Baz Barrington, Calum Clark or maybe someone else
5. SARACENS FIND OF THE SEASON
This award is for the player who perhaps made an unexpected impression last season. In 2019 the winner was Christian Judge. Some of our newer recruits might qualify here – Juan-Pablo Socino, Tim Swinson or Alex Clarey maybe? Tom Woolstencroft made quite an impression or what about Manu Vunipola? Who do you think?
6. FAVOURITE SARACENS PLAYER
This one has to be down to personal choice. Who is your favourite Saracen? Who do you sit through the wind and rain to watch? Last year it was Alex Goode. Will he win again this season or will you choose someone else? Brad Barritt, Owen Farrell, Jamie George, Maro Itoje, Ben Earl, Ben Spencer – the list goes on and on…….
7. BEST LOANEE
A new category this year. A number of our squad are out on loan until sept 2021 and most of them are tearing up trees. Who is making the biggest name for himself? Max Malins & Ben Earl have set Bristol on fire. Nick Tompkins is doing well in Wales. How about Nick Isiekwe, Rhys Carre, Jack Singleton, Alex Lozowski. Who is going to return with the biggest tag on his head?
8. AVIVA PREMIERSHIP PLAYER OF THE SEASON
Last year you chose Faf de Klerk, so which non-Sarries player has been this season’s star turn? How about Wasp’s Jack Willis who won the England player of the season. Exeter’s Sam Simmonds scooped the European version or maybe his brother Joe? Sale’s Tom Curry has done well or maybe we could consider our own Ben Spencer who is setting Bath alight (are you blind Eddie?) Or maybe you have another suggestion
9. INTERNATIONAL PLAYER OF THE YEAR (outside Premiership)
Welsh captain Alun Wynn Jones was last year’s choice. This year has seen a French resurgence so we must consider their young half backs Antoine Dupont and Romain Ntamack. We haven’t seen too much from the world champions due to COVID but Pieter-Steph Du Toit was named world player of the year last autumn. Teammates Cheslin Kolbe & Handre Pollard have to be worth a mention along with All Blacks Ardie Savea & Richie Mo’unga, But who would be your choice for the best international rugby player ?
10. BEST INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE BY A SARACENS PLAYER
I would cite Alex Goode against Leinster – played as if he was born to be a fly half (well he was wasn’t he?) Tom Woolstencroft’s hat-trick against Gloucester maybe? Will Skelton away to Saints? Max Malins home to his future employers Brizz? Elliot Daly home to Ospreys? Manu coming of age against irish? There must be many more, which is your choice?
11. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN OPPOSITION PLAYER AGAINST SARACENS
Nick White for Chiefs at Sandy Park (described by Innings as “horrible”)? Finn Russell’s magic for Racing in the semi final? Jimmy Gopperth against Wasps (take your pick he’s class) which one stands out for you?
12. SARACENS TRY OF THE SEASON
Which try sticks in your mind as one to relive again and again? How about Maro’s try against Racing (“Brad’s cross-kick falls to Sean, who transfers the ball to Ben, in very close attendance. He, in turn, delivers a perfect off-load under pressure and over a Racing head, to Maro, who simply brushes past the Racing defence to score”.) Alex Goode against Leinster (“ Sarries have a rare foray into the Leinster half, when good movement and a great off load by Duncan Taylor, puts the ever youthful Goode through a gap in the line to sprint through to score the try, after throwing a classic dummy pass.“) Duncan Taylor’s effort in the try-fest against Wuss (“Following a lovely exhibition of handling that would have pleased even the Haarlem Globetrotters, a Faz kick found Segun who dummied then set off down the wing, off-loading to Taylor as he was tackled and the Scot scored try number 8”) . Or can you think of another effort which brightened your day?
13. MARTIN JOHNSON AWARD FOR LEAST FAVOURITE OPPOSITION PLAYER
Last year’s winner Danny Care has to be in with a chance again this year! Jonny (Oscar-nominated) Sexton didn’t win a lot of friends. Who is the player you least like to see?
14. The Albanese Award for the Worst Performance by an Opposition Player Against Saracens.
Danny Cipriani won this last year but not this time methinks. Sexton’s non performance in the European game has to be a runner. Taqele Naiyaravoro did himself no favours in Saints home defeat. Replacement Tigers’ fly half Tom Hardwick had a day to forget in the last game we saw live. Who else do you remember having a day to forget?
15. The Player you would most like to join Saracens in 2021
Last year you voted for Tadgh Furlong (who’d have guessed his name would be up there in the poll for “word of the year”). Well I’ve tweaked this one a bit – let’s just think of this time next year (hopefully). Excluding our loanees, which player do you think would be the biggest asset to Sarries if he were to join the club? Some back-up to Jamie George maybe – Malcolm Marx could be useful! Reinforcement at scrum half? I wouldn’t mind getting Spenno back! Some real pace on the wing? What about young Louis Rees-Zammit? I am sure you can think of plenty of others
16. Best Performance by a Saracens Team
There were some pretty good performances out there all things considered! The win over Leinster in Dublin has to be up there. The win over Ospreys with just 14 men for most of the game was special. There were hefty wins over Wuss & Bristol and a gutsy win, once again with 14 for half the match, at home to Racing to keep the European dream alive. And then there was the game against Irish on a miserable day that was turned round in the last few minutes. Or you might think differently. Which one will stay in your mind through lockdown?
17. Worst Performance by a Saracens Team
Let’s stick to on-field performances shall we! 2 games against Wasps come to mind, the 60-10 hiding up at the Ricoh and the capitulation to Wasps 3rd team at home in September come to mind. The home defeat by Saints right at the start of the season (that really was a different world) was also pretty bad. What is your memory of the worst performance?
18. Venue you are most looking forward to visiting this season
Another new category. Assuming we get to play some rugby, where are you most looking forward to going? Maybe exotic Jersey? Or a visit to Penzance? I’ve always enjoyed Goldington Road but Ampthill sounds even nicer. Where are you hoping to go ?
19. Favourite Away Venue
No Newcastle this year (you chose St James’ Park last season). Which was your favourite away trip this season, all things considered (facilities, friendliness, catering, surroundings etc)? Was it Paris maybe (definitely mine!) Or Limerick perhaps? Or maybe closer to home – do you enjoy going to Welford Road or the Rec? Sadly we didn’t get the chance to visit theTottenham Stadium, Ashton Gate, Sixways or Dublin this year but what was your favourite away trip?
20. Least Favourite Away Venue
No HQ of Olympic Park this year and obviously we didn’t get to visit all our opponents’ grounds but where was your least favourite trip? Was it one of our old favourites like Franklins’ Gardens or Welford Road? What about Thomond Park or The Liberty Stadium? Where would you think twice before another visit?
21. Best Referee
Which of our whistle-blowers are you happiest to see? It looks like Wayne Barnes is continuing (although he probably didn’t have his best days reffing us). Craig Maxwell-Keys and Karl Dickson seems to improve with age and I have a lot of time for Christoph Ridley. Last year’s winner Luke Pearce is still in the running along with Matt Carley. Then there is Nigel of course or one of the French guys – Poite or Garces. Who is your favourite man in the middle?
22. J P Doyle Award for the Worst Referee
Sadly (?) this season has seen the end of JP Doyle – we could always rename the award the Tom Foley Award! Who makes your heart sink when he takes the field? Mr Foley has been top of the list for the past couple of seasons, can anyone overtake (should that be undertake?) him. Any of those named above could equally well feature in this section along with Ian Tempest or perhaps one of our “friends” from down under. Who is your choice
23 Will Greenwood Award for the Best Media Performance by a Rugby Celebrity or Broadcaster
Who is the best of the best out there either on TV, radio or podcast? Last year’s choice David Flatman remains excellent and I have enjoyed Chris Ashton’s addition to Rugby Union Weekly. Alex Corbisiero has been amazing talking about rugby and cancer. There are so many to choose from but who is your choice?
24 Stuart Barnes Award for the Worst Media Performance by a Rugby Celebrity or Broadcaster
I think the perennial winner Stuart Barnes might finally be toppled off his perch this year due to lack of exposure and the loathsome Andy Goode! What do you think?
25. Michael Gentleman Award for the Best Contribution to the Message Board
Many thanks to everyone who has contributed to the message board both with front page articles and comments. It has been a real challenge this season, with all the trolling; and the lack of rugby in the weeks/months to come will also be difficult for us. I would especially like to thank my fellow Ed Tony Taff for his help and support. Just a couple of others I would also like to mention – Johnny Browne & Purfleet Sarrie who have produced some super reports in recent weeks however my vote would go to that voice of wisdom and sanity from far away: tpr’s Headmistress. But you might think differently
For the first time last year we featured Saracens Women in the poll – after all they are Champions in their own right. I don’t follow the women’s game enough to make sensible comments (yes I know I don’t make very sensible comments about the men!) but the categories are set out below along with the 2018-19 winners so please feel free to nominate you winners. (If anyone would like to add a bit of context to the women's awards pleas PM me)
26. Player of the Year: (2019 Bryony Cleall)
27. Young Player of the Year: (2019 Zoe Harrison)
28 "Old" Player of the Year: (2019 Georgie Gulliver)
29. Unsung Hero: (2019 Rosie Galligan)
30. Find of the Season: (2019 Alex Austerberry)
31. Performance of the Season: (2019 Quins at home).
PLEASE DO NOT POST ANSWERS ON THIS THREAD BUT EMAIL THEM TO: unofish at hotmail dot co dot uk (in order to stop spam please insert appropriate punctuation for words) or PM Darraghgirl
Closing date is the 2nd December – isn’t something else due to end then too?
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2020:12:12:20:23:48 by Darraghgirl.
Quote:Darraghgirl
NOT LONG LEFT TO VOTE
PLEASE VOTE FOR YOUR FAVOURITES NOW
I’m doing mine over the weekend - decisions, decisions...like who annoys me the most out of messrs. Healey, Barnes and the hairwoven Goode...
Please get your votes in on time, we don't want any Trumpian issues on here!
It's a long time since Sports network paid anything!
Quote:maynas
Too many categories, just couldnt do it, this is worse than one of those “Did you like our product” surveys
Really? I thought it was great fun...which is doubtless what the recipients will have been having trying to decipher my appalling typing on the email. Sorry DG and TT 🤭
Quote:maynas
Too many categories, just couldnt do it, this is worse than one of those “Did you like our product” surveys
Aren't these the same categories that have been used every year? Just a bit of fun...
Quote:maynas
Too many categories, just couldnt do it, this is worse than one of those “Did you like our product” surveys
What else have you got to do in this rugby desert?
Seriously you didn't have to vote in every category
Polls are being counted and scrutinised as we speak - as we don't want any voter fraud this side of the Atlantic
Watch this space for the results!
Will try and do these over the next few days
Quote:tpr's headmistress
Family first DG, always. Have a rest; it's only words and they can wait. Have a good Christmas (Tier whatever permitting).
Thanks
Happy christmas from tier 4!!!!
Quote:Darraghgirl
sorry, been a bit distracted with work/christmas/COVID
Will try and do these over the next few days
Priorities absolutely right, DG - I only asked in case I’d missed a post somewhere 😊
TIER 3 and used to it.
I am amazed at how many friends I meet when out walking ...
... and we have all brought our own refreshment.
It's a long time since Sports network paid anything!
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