Saracens
Saracens v Bristol Bears Preview
By Sarrov
October 5 2026
Saracens managed to perform a miracle last Sunday, they got everyone on this message board to agree! We simply weren’t good enough and Sale took a deserved victory. Suddenly this Saturday’s game against Bristol Bears has become hugely important.
We definitely could have asked for easier opponents for what is looking like a must win fixture. Bears are sitting on a perfect 10 points from their two games with an impressive home win against Saints last week following on from a bit more of a laboured win against Sale on the opening weekend.
Bristol look to have adapted their style slightly this season, taking a more pragmatic approach at times rather than looking to play from everywhere. Randall has had a strong start to the season showing more control than is seasons past, whilst still maintaining the sniping threat and high tempo play that saw Eddie Jones nickname him the “zip-zip man”. Rees-Zammit looks far more comfortable and threatening after his move back to the wing, which has allowed the classy Tom Jordan to take over at 15 and provide another playmaking option. Janse van Rensburg took a horrible head knock against Saints so is unlikely to feature which will make it harder for Bears to get on the front foot.
In the pack Elis Genge is also likely to miss out after hurting his wrist against Sale. However, his front row partner Oghre has been going great guns in the two games so far and, for my money, Fitz Harding is the number 1 in form back row in the country right now.
As for Sarries, the big question is how do we respond to Sunday’s farce? Will we follow the pattern of the McCall era when after a poor performance we would 9 times out of 10 pick pretty much the same side the next week to give the players a chance to “right some wrongs? Will Venter follow through on his claim to have already picked the side for the first 8 games? Will we see some wholesale changes in an effort to shake the team up? Frankly, who knows! Personally I think the biggest change needed is in attitude rather than personnel. Let’s show some more ambition in attack, more aggression in the carry and start whacking people in defence!
Some areas I think we can look to gain an advantage:
The Power Game
Unlike against Sale, one area we should be able to find some joy is through sheer grunt. Adding Earl and Martin into the pack will add a great deal to our carrying options and Bristol aren’t the biggest set of forwards in the league. With no Janse van Rensburg they will also be missing one of their main front foot carriers, with the rest of the backline built more for speed and guile than power.
Wolfpack Defence
One area that was a slight positive against Sale was the defence in general (the try just after half time not withstanding). We looked a lot better organised in kick chase and managed to win important turnovers after multiple phases of opposition attack. Bristol love to go through the phases so we need to show a desire to get of the line, knock them back, disrupt the breakdown and hunt for turnovers when the time is right.
Aerial Dominance
This is a tricky one as, kick badly to Bristol’s back three and they have the ability to cut you apart. However, if we can get it right then there is joy to be found as none of them are dominant in the air. I have a sneaking suspicion we will see Noah’s first outing of the season and Jack Bracken claimed a couple of excellent catches off his brother’s box kicks in the second half on Sunday. Not an area to overdo it, but done well it could be key to putting pressure on the Bears.
The weather for Saturday is looking cooler than last Sunday but still dry, so let’s hope for a bit more entertainment than round 2.
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I'll be on the Scilly Isles but hoping for good news on the BBC app!
Had a good chuckle at this:
“ Saracens managed to perform a miracle last Sunday, they got everyone on this message board to agree!”
Let’s hope we all never agree again!
Agree with you highlighting Oghre and Harding, both have been excellent over the ball so our rucking will need to seriously improve.
Can't call this weekend at all. Hopefully we see a reaction from the players and a game plan with a vague hope of success from the coaches.
Anyway, I’d like to see something like the below but accepting there’s a lot of players with not many minutes so very unlikely:
Mawi
George
Street
Itoje
Martin
JMG
Earl
Barbeary
Williams
Burke
Jacken
Va’enuku/Tompkins
Hall
Caluori
Malins
Clarke (Hadfield injured?)
Clarey
Brantingham
Sodeke
Michelow
Bracken
Tompkins/Va’enuku
Segun
Hopefully George and Martin starting would get our attacking maul working. Segun done nothing majorly wrong but our high ball game wasn’t great, Bracken at least got a few off box kicks. 5/3 seems unlikely as always but Bristol are a better team to do against than most. JMG and Earl provide a bit more speed over the ground to try and negate Harding and Oghre getting over the ball. Hall to take over kicking duties.
It’s early doors but we can’t really afford to slip up at home again. Quins away next in the prem and we all know they’ll suddenly decide to turn up.
Quote:PaulHerox
Bears Beyond the Gate podcast feeling confident and with some interesting little interviews with players and Pat Lam.
Can't call this weekend at all. Hopefully we see a reaction from the players and a game plan with a vague hope of success from the coaches.
They should be confident to be fair. They have had two good performances and we looked clueless on Sunday.
If we get the attitude right i think we have the opportunity to bully them upfront and through the centre.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2026:10:06:19:43:17 by Sarrov.
Quote:TommyKentish
I’m hoping a it will light a rocket up their @#$%& but after recent seasons we are the cliche of never knowing what Sarries will turn up. Bristol really efficiently blunted Saints attack so it’s hard to see ours winning the match. I hope I’m wrong but I could see us starting to take any easy 3 points when on offer- if we’d scored 12 points off pens from the constant Sale infringing in the first half we may well have pinched it.
Anyway, I’d like to see something like the below but accepting there’s a lot of players with not many minutes so very unlikely:
Mawi
George
Street
Itoje
Martin
JMG
Earl
Barbeary
Williams
Burke
Jacken
Va’enuku/Tompkins
Hall
Caluori
Malins
Clarke (Hadfield injured?)
Clarey
Brantingham
Sodeke
Michelow
Bracken
Tompkins/Va’enuku
Segun
Hopefully George and Martin starting would get our attacking maul working. Segun done nothing majorly wrong but our high ball game wasn’t great, Bracken at least got a few off box kicks. 5/3 seems unlikely as always but Bristol are a better team to do against than most. JMG and Earl provide a bit more speed over the ground to try and negate Harding and Oghre getting over the ball. Hall to take over kicking duties.
It’s early doors but we can’t really afford to slip up at home again. Quins away next in the prem and we all know they’ll suddenly decide to turn up.
That would be pretty much my side except i would keep Sione and Nick with Hall on the bench.
As I may have mentioned before, not a huge fan of Nick at 12 and I think Charlie's try was an indication of what Sione can offer if we use him properly
Quote:TommyKentish
I’m hoping a it will light a rocket up their @#$%& but after recent seasons we are the cliche of never knowing what Sarries will turn up. Bristol really efficiently blunted Saints attack so it’s hard to see ours winning the match. I hope I’m wrong but I could see us starting to take any easy 3 points when on offer- if we’d scored 12 points off pens from the constant Sale infringing in the first half we may well have pinched it.
Anyway, I’d like to see something like the below but accepting there’s a lot of players with not many minutes so very unlikely:
Mawi
George
Street
Itoje
Martin
JMG
Earl
Barbeary
Williams
Burke
Jacken
Va’enuku/Tompkins
Hall
Caluori
Malins
Clarke (Hadfield injured?)
Clarey
Brantingham
Sodeke
Michelow
Bracken
Tompkins/Va’enuku
Segun
Hopefully George and Martin starting would get our attacking maul working. Segun done nothing majorly wrong but our high ball game wasn’t great, Bracken at least got a few off box kicks. 5/3 seems unlikely as always but Bristol are a better team to do against than most. JMG and Earl provide a bit more speed over the ground to try and negate Harding and Oghre getting over the ball. Hall to take over kicking duties.
It’s early doors but we can’t really afford to slip up at home again. Quins away next in the prem and we all know they’ll suddenly decide to turn up.
This team makes a ton of sense. Might consider starting Sodeke, just to bully them upfront in the first half, then unleash JMG in the second, but apart from that this is spot on.
Could put Bracken at FB, so Noah and Roti could stay on the wings?
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2026:10:06:19:52:33 by TommyKentish.
Quote:jimfitz12Quote:TommyKentish
I’m hoping a it will light a rocket up their @#$%& but after recent seasons we are the cliche of never knowing what Sarries will turn up. Bristol really efficiently blunted Saints attack so it’s hard to see ours winning the match. I hope I’m wrong but I could see us starting to take any easy 3 points when on offer- if we’d scored 12 points off pens from the constant Sale infringing in the first half we may well have pinched it.
Anyway, I’d like to see something like the below but accepting there’s a lot of players with not many minutes so very unlikely:
Mawi
George
Street
Itoje
Martin
JMG
Earl
Barbeary
Williams
Burke
Jacken
Va’enuku/Tompkins
Hall
Caluori
Malins
Clarke (Hadfield injured?)
Clarey
Brantingham
Sodeke
Michelow
Bracken
Tompkins/Va’enuku
Segun
Hopefully George and Martin starting would get our attacking maul working. Segun done nothing majorly wrong but our high ball game wasn’t great, Bracken at least got a few off box kicks. 5/3 seems unlikely as always but Bristol are a better team to do against than most. JMG and Earl provide a bit more speed over the ground to try and negate Harding and Oghre getting over the ball. Hall to take over kicking duties.
It’s early doors but we can’t really afford to slip up at home again. Quins away next in the prem and we all know they’ll suddenly decide to turn up.
This team makes a ton of sense. Might consider starting Sodeke, just to bully them upfront in the first half, then unleash JMG in the second, but apart from that this is spot on.
Could put Bracken at FB, so Noah and Roti could stay on the wings?
Yeah good shout on Bracken, if we’re not going to use a playmaking 15 may as well go all out gas.
I like Sodeke off the bench personally, really good impact v Tigers but would be very happy if he started too.
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