By Leipziger
March 8 2007

The Watford All-Stars visit Kingston Park on Friday night as we look to extend our run of home wins to seven. Former Falcon Hugh Vyvyan’s side boast a squad packed with quality and international experience, and this year are actually looking like making an impression at the top of the table. Over the professional era, Nigel Wray’s club have built a team which would be the envy of most sides, with headline names such as France’s Thomas Castaignede, hooker Shane Byrne of Ireland and England World Cup winner Richard Hill who is looking to finally be putting a run of fitness together after an injury list to compare to Jonny Wilkinson’s. As usual, Castaignede is currently injured, poor bloke.

A bruising forward pack can boast the props Kevin Yates and Cobus Visagie around Italian international hooker Fabio Ongaro, ahead of Simon Raiwalui, Pelu Pavihi and Iain Fullarton in the second row. The back row for Saracens is jammed full of talent and experience, our former captain Hugh Vyvyan being joined by Hill, Paul Gustard, David Seymour, Ben Skirving, Ben Russell and the much-underrated Kris Chesney.

In the backs, Springbok Neil de Kock works at the base of the scrum, with goal kicker-extraordinaire fly-half Glen Jackson outside. Underrated centres Ben Johnston, Kevin Sorrell and Rodd Penney are carrying the mantle for England’s Andy Farrell, and a strong combination of power and pace rules in the back 3 with Dan Scarborough behind Tomas de Vedia, Pacificians Tevita Vaikona and Kameli Ratuvou, and the speedster with the big hair, Richard Haughton, who always seems to do well against us.

The Fez Boyz were victorious over Champions Sale at Vicarage Road on Sunday 22-9, with a try from centre Adam Powell and 17 points from Glen Jackson’s boot, and are fifth in the Premiership, one point behind Wasps as they hunt their first trophy since 1998.

Saracens’ away form has been patchy of late however, with two successive draws in Glasgow (Europe) and then Bath two weeks ago. Their only two Premiership wins on the road have come at Northampton and, more narrowly, Harlequins just before Christmas.

In the reverse match in Watford earlier this season, the Falcons were destroyed 44-20. Jackson kicked three penalties and converted all five tries from Kevin Yates, Matt Cairns, Ben Russell, Kevin Sorrell and Shane Byrne, with Tim Visser scoring a consolation try after the 80 minutes were up for the second successive week on his first Falcons start.

We did win on the Red and Blacks’ last trip north in January though, on a dark Saturday afternoon. 6-3 up at half time, the Falcons turned on the style in the second half and Anthony Elliott and Joe Shaw’s tries secured the points 21-16, a late penalty rescuing a bonus point for the visitors.

Shaw makes only his fifth start of the season at full-back due to Matthew Burke’s injury, as our three current England internationals are replaced with Loki Crichton, Mark Mayerhofler and John Rudd. Ben Woods returns for Cory Harris.

15 Joe Shaw
14 Tom May
13 Jamie Noon
12 Mark Mayerhofler
11 John Rudd
10 Loki Crichton
9 Lee Dickson

1 Joe McDonnell (captain)
2 Matt Thompson
3 Micky Ward
4 Mark Sorenson
5 Jason Oakes
6 Geoff Parling
7 Ben Woods
8 Russell Winter

Replacements:

Jon Golding
Andy Long
Andy Buist
Brent Wilson
Tom Dillon
James Grindal
Ollie Phillips


Tickets still available for tomorrow night. Call 0871 226 6060 or go to KP, then get along to the game and shout your nut off for the lads. Thank you.