By The Saracens
September 15 2021

It’s nearly here. After 18 long months it’s nearly here. After a Championship Season largely behind closed doors it’s nearly here.

Our sentence is served

We have been appropriately penitent

It seems we have almost been forgiven

The predictions of those who said we were finished, our team would disintegrate, our players would desert a sinking ship were wide of the mark

Almost to a man they stayed and played

Like Mary Tudor, Saracens is engraved on their hearts

And fittingly on Friday night we open the new campaign away to Bristol Bears at Ashton Gate

There is something of the old and the new about this meeting - Sarries, the old Premiership giants face Brizz who have their sights on being the new ones

The fact that Max Malins and Ben Earl spent a season in the West Country sun refining their trade but choosing to come home to London again is another twist (although I doubt we’ll see Max for a few weeks yet sadly)

And we will be there too!

The success of our fabulous vaccines means that once again the game can be played in front of a full stadium - wouldn’t it be wonderful if that were to be the case even if 90% are cheering for The Bears.

Little DG and I will be there - Ashton Gate is the last stop in our odyssey around the Premiership Stadia of England (well until Irish threw Brentford Community Stadium into the mix) and I know many others of you will be going West on Friday

What will we see?

For a start the rules have changed – it might take us a while to get our heads round the changes but in summary this is what we will see:-

1.        50:22 (no not the time we change our scrum halves) - basically if you can hoof the ball indirectly (ie it has to bounce) into touch in your opponents 22 from your own half you get the put in at the line out. (It’s meant to encourage the defending team to keep more players in the back field)
2.        Goal line drop outs (as opposed to crossbar challenge) – so if you don’t ground the ball over the try line, you lose the advantage and the defending team get a drop out on their try line. (It’s meant to reduce the number of scrums and reward good defence)
3.        Pre-bound Pods will be outlawed –  3 or more players will no longer be able to bind together prior to receiving the ball. The sanction will be a penalty.
4.        Tightening the law on latching. A one-player latch will be allowed but the latching player will have the same responsibilities as the first arriving player (ie stay on his feet, enter through the gate and not fall to the floor). The sanction will be a penalty.
5.        Some protection for a Jackler (a Jackler being a defender who enters a ruck legally, supports his own body weight and attempts to lift the ball to get a turnover – so says Wayne Barnes and incidentally Barnesy will have the whistle on Friday night). Players who target/drop their weight on the lower limbs of a Jackler will now be sanctioned with a penalty against them.

So let us be gentle with referees and players alike as the new laws bed in.

The first game of the season is always a hard one to call and with our enforced absence last year, even harder. Both teams are missing key players: for Sarries: Faz, Jamie George, Mako, Maro and Daly are resting. Vincent and de Haas are with the Boks, Max is injured (and Maitland and Goodey are also rumoured to be absent) and Van Zyl is on the naughty step. Brizz are, I believe, without Radrada and Sinkler but have gained Tom Whitely so any inside knowledge shared by Max & Ben will be countered by Tom !

Never the less the Bears have a talented settled squad who did them proud last season and will provide a baptism of fire for the returning Men in Black.

The HAC game showed us not to be complacent. Without Jamie we are vulnerable at Hooker and the absence of his 2 regular props, Mako & Vincent as well could really stretch us in the forward department. Last week lineouts were also a challenge with too few options other than Isiekwe for Woolfie’s wayward throwing. A huge improvement will be needed if Brizz are to be held at bay.

There are options in the 2nd and back rows - relative riches with Earl back.

There are choices in the backs too but if Goodey and Maitland are absent things look a bit thin. Manu or Loz at 10? Interesting dilemma.

So how will Mark McCall call this one? We’ll find out on Thursday. Given all the ifs buts and maybes I’m not even going to attempt it!

It’ll be a very tough ask but let’s hope the boys rise to the challenge. With a week off next week there’s no excuse for holding anything back!

IT'S ALMOST HERE......

Discussion started by TheSaracens.com , 15/09/2021 18:04

TheSaracens.com
15/09/2021 18:04

What do you think? You can have your say by posting below.
If you do not already have an account Click here to Register.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2021:10:07:22:44:26 by Darraghgirl.

Reply Quote Report

OldMarovian
15/09/2021 18:56

That has certainly whetted the appetite DG. Thanks especially for clarifying the new Laws/interpretation.

It's great to have rugby back and I'm dead jealous of the travelling support being able to watch Saracens against a very good Bristol team in a great venue. Please shout a little for me too as I'm not sure the team will hear it through my TV.

Reply Quote Report

OldMarovian
16/09/2021 07:51

Just over 4 hours till the team is named ...

Reply Quote Report

jonnybrowne
16/09/2021 18:50

Definitely whetted the appetite for tomorrow night, DG - thank you! I’d love to think that we’ll swagger out at Ashton Gate and give us a “statement” performance but I think a bit of patience may be necessary.

Reply Quote Report

Goto: Forum List•Message List•Search• Log In

Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.

We record all IP addresses on the Sportnetwork message boards which may be required by the authorities in case of defamatory or abusive comment. We seek to monitor the Message Boards at regular intervals. We do not associate Sportnetwork with any of the comments and do not take responsibility for any statements or opinions expressed on the Message Boards. If you have any cause for concern over any material posted here please let us know as soon as possible by e-mailing abuse@sportnetwork.net