By The Saracens
December 14 2023

After their South African adventures, the team are back home for Saturday’s encounter with Connacht. If we learnt anything on Saturday, it was that this pool is going to be a tough one. Arguably Connacht are the weakest of the 4 teams Sarries face which in itself presents a selection dilemma. With a visit to Sale next weekend in the Premiership, Mark McCall might be tempted to rest a couple of players for Saturday but Sarries HAVE to take 5 points from this home tie and ideally rack up a few tries if they are to have any hope of going deep into this competition.

Connacht struggled in round 1, home to Bordeaux Begles, losing 41-5 so they will be looking to try and kick-start their European journey against Sarries. (And here I digress – I remember very fondly our trip to Galway back in 2013. Sarries were lucky to snatch a 23-17 victory and we spent a very happy day wandering around the Gaeltacht, trying to find Alcock and Brown’s landing site, going down a silver mine, going to a sheep auction and eating an amazing seafood lunch in Clifden. The bizarre structure of this competition means we are denied a repeat).

Connacht have always been the “poor man” of Irish rugby. Only 8% of the population live in the catchment area which significantly reduces their player base. In the past, the other provinces were favoured over Connacht (until 2004 Connacht were entered into the Challenge Cup regardless of where they finished in the championship!). Connacht qualified for the Heineken Cup for 3 seasons between 2011 and 2014 (due to Leinster winning the title and thus freeing up another Irish place). It wasn’t until 2016 that Connacht qualified in their own right.

This season Connacht sit 8^th in the URC – but are the lowest placed of the 4 Irish provinces. They have, however, won 4 of their 7 games: against Ospreys (H) Glasgow (H) Ulster (H) &  Hollywoodbet Sharks (A) but lost to Edinburgh (A) Bulls (A) Leinster (h): Bulls and Leinster their last 2 URC games.

Connacht also have injury problems and will be without  Mack Hansen, Tiernan O’Halloran, Oisin Dowling, Santiago Cordero, Oisin McCormack & Colm Reilly. That being said, Connacht still have some pretty decent players in their squad most notably Bundee Aki but also half backs JJ Hanrahan & Caolin Blade. However many of their players have come through their development system.

The recent Injury update from Sarries wasn’t especially encouraging with news that Loz, Mawi, Hunter-Hill, Riccioni, Adams-Hale and Willis are all out for 3 or more months although Segun is fit to return as is Ollie Hoskins and Nick Isiekwe isn’t too far away and Ben Earl should be back “within the next month”. A further boost was the over-turning of Billy’s red card which does at least ease the potential back row problems a bit.

Mark McCall said “We’ve got a playing group who don’t want to make any excuses. I genuinely think we’re going to see a different team on Saturday. You can’t just hope that improvement is going to happen, you have to make it happen and prepare accordingly. There’s a feeling around the group that there will be a huge improvement this weekend.” If he’s speaking literally that could mean some new faces: I wouldn’t be surprised to see Segun given a run out to add a bit of pace to our back line. Poor old Tompkins has been “advertising” the game so I guess that means he’ll start again. I would like to see Ollie Hartley get a start alongside him with Daly moving to fullback and Lewi and Parton on the wings & Segun on the bench. Faz and Van Zyl should continue at half backs. I’d be tempted to give Theo Dan a start maybe alongside Mulipola and Clarey with Itoje and McFarland at lock (not that they’ve really gelled yet) and Christie, Gonzales and Billy in the back row.

It's a 1pm start – not ideal in the lead-up to Christmas but TV is god. The actual “god” (aka as the referee) is Luc Ramos from France assisted by an all French team: Jeremy Rozier and Thomas Chereque on the lines and Patrick Dellac in the TMO box. Let’s hope we fare better than we did last week!. 5 points is the absolute minimum we need but it would also be good to see the team play well. The forecast is good – dry, sunny spells, light winds. Not quite Pretoria but not bad for the 3^rd weekend in December. Let’s all get behind the team and roar them home.

SARACENS v CONNACHT: please post match-related comments here

Discussion started by TheSaracens.com , 14/12/2023 14:04

TheSaracens.com
14/12/2023 14:04

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2023:12:27:19:31:43 by Darraghgirl.

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OldMarovian
14/12/2023 15:42

Good summary.

I'm looking forward to whatever team is put out and hoping for no injuries and a good result (in that order)
Tompkins looks like he's operating on fumes but as you say being in promos is normally a fair indicator of likely appearance.

I have a bit of a soft spot for Connacht mainly based on watching them quite a lot when Lam was in charge. I still don't quite get how he managed to get the lowest budgeted (by a margin) Irish team to win the ProMany and yet with Lansdowns cash has failed at Bears?
Looking forward to a good performance as they have literally nothing to lose but hope we can get the result.


*Clarey*

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Darraghgirl
14/12/2023 16:28

Quote:

OldMarovian
*Clarey*

Apologies and now amended
I will give myself 100 lines: Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey, Clarey,

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OldMarovian
14/12/2023 16:41

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The Bard
14/12/2023 18:43

As much as I love seeing Theo McFarland playing, I think we currently look better with Tizard adding his considerable heft in the second row.
I’d like to see Cinti get a start at centre and have Daly either wing or fullback.
Given that Mark is known for his conservative selections in big games I wouldn’t be surprised to see Goodey at 15 again, but he has barely had a rest all season so this could be the week.
I’d be very surprised to see Logo this week. Apparently he was only signed on the Friday, then on a plane to South Africa on the Sunday for a week. He’d done a spell at Montpellier back under Cockers again!

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OldMarovian
15/12/2023 09:42

Cinti (edit!!) this weekends cover-star so at least Tompkins won't be playing at 12 and 13!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2023:12:15:14:16:25 by OldMarovian.

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tpr's headmistress
15/12/2023 10:42

Quote:

OldMarovian
Cinit this weekends cover-star so at least Tompkins won't be playing at 12 and 13!

Really OM, not spell checking yourself? Cinit - Cinti innit?

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tpr's headmistress
15/12/2023 12:11

Saracens Men team to play Connacht:

1 Mako Vunipola

2 Jamie George

3 Alec Clarey

4 Maro Itoje

5 Theo McFarland

6 Juan Martin Gonzalez

7 Andy Christie

8 Billy Vunipola

9 Aled Davies

10 Owen Farrell (c)

11 Sean Maitland

12 Olly Hartley

13 Nick Tompkins

14 Lucio Cinti

15 Alex Goode

Replacements:

16 Theo Dan

17 Tom West

18 Logovi’i Mulipola

19 Hugh Tizard

20 Toby Knight

21 Ivan van Zyl

22 Tom Parton

23 Alex Lewington

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The Bard
15/12/2023 12:23

No Daly, that’s worrying as he can’t be needing another rest week

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TommyKentish
15/12/2023 12:34

Hartley up against Aki, big test for the youngster!

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Strangelove
15/12/2023 13:15

Not sure why Lewi not starting. Out of the back 3 he looks most likely to score. Concerned re no Daly, too.

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OldMarovian
15/12/2023 14:23

Quote:

tpr's headmistress

Quote:

OldMarovian
Cinit this weekends cover-star so at least Tompkins won't be playing at 12 and 13!

Really OM, not spell checking yourself? Cinit - Cinti innit?

Hoist on my own petard!

Like the look of the team. Much prefer McFarland at 6 but appreciate we're trying to get a balance in the team. Some good pace on the bench and Clarey gets to continue to show his improvement at TH. Really pleased for him. Interesting to see Mulipola on the bench and hope to see a bit more of West.
Looking forward to seeing Hartley and Tompkins again after their cameo together. Aki a big test but it will be as much the backrows responsibility to stop him at source as our centres.
Think I'll start calling Nick Tompkins, James Brown (The hardest working man in show business) instead. Really uncomfortable with how much he's being played.

It certainly looks like a team that should do the job at home and the camp have identified some of the issues in mindset and application from last week so hopefully a good performance is coming.

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The Bard
15/12/2023 17:15

Just looking at the lineups for the other games. Bristol sending the under 9s to Bordeaux. Bulls have virtually no one from last week playing at Lyon, who are barely half strength.
Elsewhere Sale and Leicester sent weak squads to Leinster and Stade.
Begs the question as to why we invested so much into last week when the odds were stacked against us.
Full strength Quins v full strength Toulouse should be an absolute belter, and La Rochelle have gone in full noise away to a strong Stormers team

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StanWilks
16/12/2023 14:35

Talk about perfect timing from Olly Hartley.

He scores just as I start making a tribute of the bloke. What a player he's proving to be!

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Sarriebone
16/12/2023 14:54

How was that not a yellow for blocking? Goode got done for one much less obvious that that last week! Have to say the level of Ref'ing today was pretty abysmal

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flavman 35
16/12/2023 16:27

Sarriebone we were having the same conversation today about the standard of reffing we have experienced so far in ghe tournament this year

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flavman 35
16/12/2023 16:29

At what point will someone take the kicking duties away from faz when he is having a bad day off tue tee. Costing us quite a few points lately

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OldMarovian
16/12/2023 17:33

Quite an enjoyable game but another disjointed performance.
Lots of excellent moments though and I think Sarries really need to go all-out to keep JMG. What an option and with likes of he, Earl, Christie, McFarland, Willis working in permutation we have one of the most exciting backrows anywhere.
Good to hear Stan is doing one of his great videos on Hartley although maybe leave the last two minutes of the game out.
Im sure Sarries and Farrell will manage his situation the best way possible but its hard to escape the feeling he should be either the captain OR kicker right now but not both. My preference would be to give him a break from kicking and hand that role to Goode.
No single player is bigger than the club and when stats are regularly 50% a change needs to be made.
In open play he was brilliant today as were many of the team. Let's play to our current strengths and bolster our weaknesses.
Sale seem to have rested half there squad in anticipation of next week so we will need to be fully on it.

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maynas
16/12/2023 18:02

Anyone know why there was no clock in the first half?

Good game and great to see tries for our newer players. Gonzalez looks a massive acquisition. However the team will have to step up a gear for Bordeaux , Penaud especially looks brilliant and their attacking game is sparkling vs Bristol. I guess if we beat Lyon at home with 4 tries we’ll get through but not as a top end seed and maybe not a home tie?

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#wolfpack1
16/12/2023 18:05

Pretty ropey performance. Without a maul we’d have struggled to score. Our breakdown work is poor - which was our issue in this comp last year. We need to be more aggressive. Much to work on still.

What deal is Gonzalez on? Best player on the pitch by a long long way.

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The Bard
16/12/2023 18:15

Gonzalez and Cinti only signed for one year

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Darraghgirl
16/12/2023 18:18

The clock was working on the East side - just we in the east stand couldn't see it! (I think they use a different clock for European games). In the 2nd half they fired up the usual clock - presumably the "Euro" one wasn't working

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Barty II
16/12/2023 18:38

Quote:

Sarriebone
How was that not a yellow for blocking? Goode got done for one much less obvious that that last week! Have to say the level of Ref'ing today was pretty abysmal

Can't say I agree to be honest (and I was probably the closest person in the crowd to the Lewington block). Far more inclined to say the Goode one should never have been a yellow. Certainly today the only thing the player could have done was teleport himself away. Stood still and turned his back to avoid head on head contact.

Was the ref bad? Don't think so personally, but some things may have been easier to see on TV than at the ground.

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OldMarovian
16/12/2023 19:02

Agree with Barty. Lewi would have been better off trying to get the ball rather than trying to buy the penalty. Also agree that Goodes last week was nonsense.

Getting a bit worried about next week based on the passion and commitment shown by Sale B v Ireland B currently.

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#wolfpack1
16/12/2023 21:05

Quote:

The Bard
Gonzalez and Cinti only signed for one year

Surely re-signing them both is a priority.

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TOKS
17/12/2023 06:21

Quote:

Barty II

Quote:

Sarriebone
How was that not a yellow for blocking? Goode got done for one much less obvious that that last week! Have to say the level of Ref'ing today was pretty abysmal

Can't say I agree to be honest (and I was probably the closest person in the crowd to the Lewington block). Far more inclined to say the Goode one should never have been a yellow. Certainly today the only thing the player could have done was teleport himself away. Stood still and turned his back to avoid head on head contact.

Was the ref bad? Don't think so personally, but some things may have been easier to see on TV than at the ground.

The most influential person today was whoever taught the referee the breakdown laws at half-time. He only remembered them for about 20 minutes in the second half but that period was pivotal for the outcome of the game.

I must say that whenever a referee is out of his depth (and yesterday's was to a massive degree) we always seem to be the slower of the two teams to spot it and adapt accordingly. Mind you, losing half your own line-outs and spilling the ball anytime you go anywhere near contact is not going to help either.

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ComeOnSarries
17/12/2023 06:39

Whilst definitely not a statement win with a dominant performance, the game was pretty entertaining with some attractive scores by both teams. Thus I left the game with some good memories of some very skilful touches (was it Tomkins who did that beautiful kick through for Hartley to touch down?) 5 points was what we needed and what we got, The coaches also got some things to work on.
Whilst we have a good selection of skilful back 5 forwards I am concerned that in recent weeks we have lacked a bit of power when up against some of the stronger teams as we quite often lose the contest for the ball. I think Tizard or Isiekwe edges it over McFarland for me in the 2nd row. I guess in our gun team Ben Earl goes 7 which probably leaves JMG at 6 and possibly Tom W at 8?
We definitely missed Daly yesterday but I was impressed by both Hartley’s and Cinti’s contributions as relative newcomers.
Tough outing next week away to Sale. Hope we turn up and fight for a win.

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OldMarovian
17/12/2023 07:52

Both Tompkins and Goode put beautifully judged kicks through for Hartley CoS.

I said before the game that I understood the selection as I think we're trying to get the "best" team on the field at the same time but agree about the power in the engine room. Right now Billy to the bench doesn't feel like a hard call to make allowing Tizard/Isiekwe (when fit) back at 5 and having McFarland at 6, Christie 7 and JMG at 8 maybe? Given how little direct carrying we're doing from 8 the argument for playing that type of player there is reduced.

I sort of agree about the backs but also think we saw several incidents from Maitland where the value of experience was shown. Who'd be coach?! Sale love chipping the ball over and going cross-field so I think speed of thought and deed will be useful in our backs Friday coming.

A quick word for Davies who sometimes gets a bit of a tough time here. I thought he dealt well with an awful "ride" at 9 for most of his time on the field. Sarries seemed to have tidied up and secured things by the time IVZ cam on but early doors it was both a bit sloppy from Sarries and allowed to be an absolute bun fight from Sir. Comms said that Connacht are the best in the (URC?) business at the breakdown? based on that performance where you're allowed to do anything you can see why!

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The Bard
17/12/2023 08:20

Think we lost a couple of lineouts but no more. I’d like to see how JMG goes at 8 with Tizard at 5. It was clear we were losing the physical battle against a bigger team for the first 30 minutes and I did worry how we get around that.

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darktagnan
17/12/2023 08:54

it seems odd to feel frustrated when we score 8 tries, but some of our defending particularly out wide on the left was really not good. The group is really tight with bonus points & points difference likely to be significant, so missing several kicks & conceding soft tries is a concern (and why we were faffing around after the Big Ben chime instead of kicking the ball either upfield or out I will never understand). We were also out competed around the tackle a bit too often with or without the ref's assistance.
On the plus side - Gonzales again fantastic. Some nicely worked tries. Faz managed the game very well. Aled returning to form. Maitland looking more lively & looking for work. Hartley continuing to develop. Scrum going OK.

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AlanE2
17/12/2023 09:08

Quote:

ComeOnSarries
...(was it Tomkins who did that beautiful kick through for Hartley to touch down?) .

It depends which you were talking about. Nick did the little chip over the top of the defence for Ollie to gather on the bounce while Alex did the ground level chip through the legs for Ollie (who got it) and Nick both to chase through on their own. Both were delightful.

A little side note on the Goode one which I spotted from watching back on TV when I got home: Alex's kick through fooled the whole of the Connaught defence, who were left flat-footed, to leave the two centres on ther own - apart from one; Bundi Aki showed his class by spotting the move as soon as Alex started to drop the ball on to his foot and he turned immediately and started chasing back and across, but he was too far away to make a difference unless they had messed things up.

Second side note: could Alex help Owen with how to disguise and aim his ground level kick throughs, please? I lost count of the number he tried which just hit defence legs. Alex doesn't try so many but never seems to miss them - Lewi has benefitted from a couple in recent weeks.

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OldMarovian
17/12/2023 09:17

AlanE2 the difference on the kick through maybe the difference between taking it as an option when it's on (ie space to kick through) rather than just keeping trying it and hoping one makes it through? Tompkins kick was similarly well judged.

Didn't spot that re Aki but he is a class player.

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#wolfpack1
17/12/2023 09:29

The nudges through are a bit odd.

On the one hand it seems to be our default play - even JMG tried one yesterday -and it seems extremely wasteful.
On the other we do score from them, so why stop. Coughing up the ball 3 times for every try scored is probably ok.

I’d quite like us to put them in the back pocket for a while and do something else now. An attacking game based upon a driving maul and grubber kicks won’t be enough.

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RobB
18/12/2023 15:42

Is their Kit man Paddington Bear?

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