Saracens
Random thoughts....
By TheSaracens
May 20 2022
Unfortunately, due to extremely heavy work commitments over the past week (cue violins), and despite it being my turn, I jsut haven’t had the time to sit down and write a full blow-by-blow report on Saturday’s game at Stade Payol but with the hindsight of a nearly a week I thought I’d share some (very) random thoughts. Following Sarries’ knock-out rugby masterclass at Kingsholm on 6th May Toulon’s star-studded lineup, which Darraghgirl talked about in her excellent match preview, presented a very different challenge to a Gloucester side that while pulling up a few trees in the Premiership this season is, in European terms at least, nowhere near the level of the continent’s acknowledged “heavyweights”, the likes Leinster, Toulon,Toulouse and our own Sarries. No disrespect is meant by that statement. Leading up to the Toulon game, many pointed to the spine of European experience in our squad, with the likes of Owen, Maro, Jamie, Mako, Billy, Jackson and Goodey all three-time Champions Cup winners and it was felt that even with a young and at this level untested squad around them there would enough nous in the side to see us through the severest test that the draw could have thrown at us - the view that a Toulon-Sarries game would have graced the Champions Cup was not without substance, and indeed less than a decade ago some of today’s squad were contesting a semi-final and a year later the final with the same opposition.
To an extent I subscribed to that view myself, and going into the game - watched at home on TV with pizza and beer rather than experiencing the atmosphere and local cuisine down in the South of France - I felt that while, with the mixture of experience and younger talent in the squad, Sarries were, on top form, capable of coming away with a positive result it would nonetheless, and to use an annoying but appropriate phrase, be a big ask; Toulon had over the past three months been in stunning form and to go to Stade Mayol at any time was not an easy ride.
And so it proved.
The game itself, with Toulon roared on by their noisy and passionate home support, began predictably with a fast start by the home side and even in the early stages Sarries had looked tense.
The first half was punctuated by Villiere’s twin “Ash Splash” tries, both of which resulted from the Sarries defence leaving an uncharacteristic amount of space, being pulled one way then the other for the first.
Notwithstanding a good period for Sarries later in the half when they seemed to get going and of course Ben Earl’s alertness for his try was something to behold, there was almost a sense of ring-rustiness about Sarries and it did occur that almost two years away from this level of rugby – the last such game being Brad Barritt’s heart breaking finale in Paris – and with a lot of players new to this type of match, may have taken something of a toll.
In the second half, despite a mighty effort we never really looked like coming away with a result.
The above shouldn’t of course detract from Toulon’s performance through most of the game and especially in the second half; I’m not sure that any Premiership side would have coped with them over 80 minutes (more on that below), and the “pure rugby” moment of the match had to be Wainiqolo dancing his way through Sarries’ defence, again with space having opened up for him.
Concerningly, and having this season seemingly mellowed into his role as a club captain, Owen had begun arguing with Andrew Brace, who was heard in the first half to ask Owen to let the match officials do their job, and later talked about changing the captain (you’ll recall that Jackson Wray suffered that fate again Quins at the Stoop two years ago).
Mako had also been warned about “backchat”.
I’m painting a gloomy picture here as despite some errors no-one had a disastrous performance, and there were some plusses including another fine display by the unique talent that is Theo McFarland, and Roti I sense will pick up much from this game - while a personal highlight was seeing messrs. Itoje and Etzebeth plying their frightening trade on the same pitch.
So what are the take-outs from the game?
Without wishing to sound like I’m damning our domestic league, it feels like there is something of a gulf developing between the Premiership and the upper echelons of the European game (even if this was what some have described as the “runners-up Cup”, it was high-level stuff on Saturday and Toulon are by some way the best side I’ve seen this season) and our clubs maybe aren’t now as prepared for that step up in class when we do meet French and Irish opposition.
Whether the above is due to fewer truly competitive games in a “no relegation” Premiership over the last three seasons (I say three, as 2019-20 was relegation-free for 11 clubs) – as exemplified by the absolute hammerings Bath have taken this season - or we’re seeing the early stages of the reduced salary cap biting into English clubs’ squads I don’t know: perhaps it’s a little of both.
Some say that dominance by certain countries goes in cycles, but I think it may be a bit more than that this time, and it’s arguable that in trying to make itself sustainable and creating a level financial playing field, the Premiership is putting itself in danger of becoming a backwater in terms of the European game; maybe I’m being harsh as Covid was a big factor in the initial plan to reduce the salary cap, but even if it’s raised in a couple of seasons’ time it won’t be to a level that will help our clubs to take on Europe’s finest.
In terms of our beloved Sarries, the message is that notwithstanding the above issues we have a little way to go to get back to somewhere closer our continent-conquering best, and the Toulon game will have provided a valuable insight for our youngster into how club rugby is played at the highest level, and what we need to get to in terms of challenging in Europe, particularly as we’ll be re-joining Leinster and the other big beasts next season – Sarries do have an enduring ability to learn from setbacks and I’m very hopeful that this game will be no exception.
So where are we as a club?
The answer in my view is in terms of this season’s overall performance, we’re where we could hope to be at present.
Despite the hubristic pre-season talk from some of Sarries “walking” the Premiership title, my aspiration for this season was a solid top six place with top four a realistic prospect if we got back to something approaching our best – clearly and thus far, we’ve done better than that.
In Europe, I was hoping for a decent run in the Challenge Cup, meaning at least getting into the knock-out stages; as I suggest above, the two years away from the European summit and a bit of inexperience did show last Saturday but nonetheless we got far enough to satisfy the criterion for a decent run.
If the now very low salary cap allows us to keep our young stars beyond their current contracts, the future is very bright indeed.
I told you these were random thoughts…
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022:06:02:07:18:19 by Darraghgirl.
Reintroducing a largely yo yo system with all the financial damage it causes will not make us stronger in Europe. Introducing an A and B Premiership with even more jeopardy in the middle of the table and planned, supported expansion to areas like Yorkshire (as opposed to yet another team in West London) so making the league richer and stronger? Now you are talking.
Quote:Duncan96
We’ll said. Just one comment on whether the lack of relegation has made English teams soft. Since about last November it has been pretty clear that there are only two candidates for relegation in France. That is the two promoted teams of Biarritz and Perpignan. None of the Irish teams face relegation.
Reintroducing a largely yo yo system with all the financial damage it causes will not make us stronger in Europe. Introducing an A and B Premiership with even more jeopardy in the middle of the table and planned, supported expansion to areas like Yorkshire (as opposed
to yet another team in West London) so making the league richer and stronger? Now you are talking.
Quite see what you’re saying but I really do think we’re seeing a downside to a “closed shop” league with many games being played with little if nothing at stake. The multi-nation URC is a different beast altogether.
In an ideal world I’d wish to see us adopt the French system, along the lines of what you’re talking about and with an opportunity for clubs in “expansion regions” to take part although hiw we’d ensure that happened and that critically the clubs could attract enough support to sustain themselves I don’t know.
Quote:jonnybrowne
Quite see what you’re saying but I really do think we’re seeing a downside to a “closed shop” league with many games being played with little if nothing at stake. The multi-nation URC is a different beast altogether.
In an ideal world I’d wish to see us adopt the French system, along the lines of what you’re talking about and with an opportunity for clubs in “expansion regions” to take part although hiw we’d ensure that happened and that critically the clubs could attract enough support to sustain themselves I don’t know.
I do think it's an article of faith that relegation is the answer to dead rubber games and that a closed shop is the problem. If Ealing were promoted and given just one year to hang on they would be beaten every week. Like in France this season, you'd have dead rubber games from about November on because relegation would be sorted by then.
BTW two up/two down promotion and relegation works in France because the 2nd division gets more money in local government subsidy than the entire Premiership BT TV deal is worth. The Pro D2 is therefore a strong, fully professional, 16 team league with plenty of good teams like Oyanax playing in first class stadiums which don't have to be built when they are promoted. Compare that with the Championship which has part time teams like Nottingham playing in parks (no disrespect but that is what they are and there are plenty of others like them such as Richmond.) The idea that teams from the Premiership should be relegated to a part time park league is not a viable way to grow the game. It is, in fact, long term a bit of a joke.
There would be far less dead rubber games and conversely far more competitive ones with a 14 team premiership divided into a top 7 A and bottom 7 B. The A teams would play each other home and away (i.e. twice) and the B teams once (total 19 games compared to this seasons 24). For the B teams its vice versa. There would be promotion and relegation between A and B possibly involving play offs. With effectively 7 team leagues it will be quite late in the season before any team is free of the prospect or promotion or relegation. Far more competitive games than even the previous 12 team league with relegation.
There would be fewer games but the league could be augmented by a cup competition which includes any teams from the Championship who are actually trying to be in the Premiership (i.e. currently Doncaster, Cornwall and Ealing). There could also be more teams involved in play offs if they are incorporated into the promotion/relegation and with 19 league games the integrity of the competition could be better insulated from the international windows when the cup competition could take place.
This 14 team league doesn't have to be frozen for ever with no other team ever being able to join the party. It could be expanded later by the supported addition of clubs who have a viable business plan and who will add to the growth of the game and not just canibalise other teams support.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022:05:22:09:08:42 by Duncan96.
1. 2 x 10 club leagues , 2 up and 2 down. Only those remaining not relegated get into Europe
2. the 18 games can be played outside the international windows.
3. The lower league can play their games at the same time
4. During the international windows - a proper cup competition for all 20 teams, 4 pools of 5
The significant impact should be around the Salary Cap - a contract only for the 18 regular season games and the 4 European pool games to count towards it
1. The Cup games should have a separate contract at maximum 30% of the main contract
2. All knock-out games for all competitions should be paid directly to the players from the organisers of the competition - basically from the TV money and not be included in the salary cap
This solves a number of issues - no proper games in international windows - salary cap to reflect the actual Premiership games - players get a real bonus if they win things
Quote:JO'G
Personally I would shake it all up ... players get a real bonus if they win things
I really like all of that JO'G. Is the second division (Championship) still basically amateur or does it become professional and maybe have midweek televised games like the Pro D2? If so does it share some of the Premierships revenue to make that feasible?
The huge issue is you need 3 of the existing clubs to be ok with going down a League and you'd need a vote which is never going to happen but what you have come up with is brilliant.
If there were three slots available I'm sure you could find 3 rich individuals who would get reasonable exposure. I think Coley from Lancashire are ambitious, Bedford are capable and if the bottom few clubs in pro division 2 were only semi-pro that would work with one dropping down into / up from a reworked ordinary club top division each year
Quote:Do you mean Caldy from nee Cheshire, now Met Borough of Wirral?JO'G
I think Coley from Lancashire
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