Let’s be honest, it’s always a bit of a comedown going back
to domestic rugby after the thrills and spills of the Six Nations – especially when
we’ve had a tournament with the one just gone, stuffed full of tries, drama,
and comically-late shoulder charges.
Domestic rugby lacks the capacity crowds, the anthems, and the
over-the-top pyrotechnics that are on constant show during Europe’s premier
international tournament – or it would, if Saracens didn’t have anything to do
with it.
Say what you like about Sarries, but they know how to throw a
big party and get the focus back on the breeding ground of international talent
– the Aviva Premiership. With that in
mind, it should come as no surprise that they’ve displayed all the subtlety of
Jamie Robert’s chin when arranging their “Welcome back, internationals” fixture
with Harlequins, booking out Wembley Stadium, declaring they’re aiming for a
world record club attendance and arranging a £1 million pound competition for
the half time entertainment. Showy? Sure, even by Sarries' standards. But great for the game? Absolutely.
New fans are drawn by the spectacle, and current fans are pulled back
into the addictive highs and lows of the domestic game by the chance of seeing
their teams perform on one of the biggest stages.
And the biggest stage, the Premiership Final, would appear
to be exactly where Saracens are headed this season. Sitting comfortably in second place, they
have a home semi-final all but sewn up already this season and have looked
almost indestructible at times. With a
ferociously physical pack, they rely on making big yards around the fringes to
get sides backpeddling, before pulling the trigger out wide where
now-ex-England wingers, Chris Ashton and Dave Strettle are the greediest and
most lethal finishers in the league. And
with Mako Vunipola and Owen Farrell returning from impressive Six Nations
campaigns, the ball carrying capacity and precision out wide will only get
better.
Ominous for Harlequins, you might say, as the West London outfit have had a fairly up and down season, sitting in 5th place at the moment. But if there’s one team in the league who can tear any side to shreds, it’s Quins. Despite having the likes of Mike Brown, Danny Care and Captain Chris Robshaw rested after England duty – where they were as key to their country’s game as they are to their club side’s – Conor O’Shea can still trust his side to pay the fast-paced, offloading game that can have even the most organised defence in utter chaos. That said, I am surprised that O’Shea has rested 3 of his best players for this fixture when they are 4 points behind that crucial 4th place – whilst I applaud the need to put players’ welfare first, the England regulars have actually only played in 3 of the last 5 weeks...
Regardless of the absence of certain stars from the Quins
side, you can bet your bottom dollar that Wembley won’t be short of star
quality on Saturday afternoon. That’s
just Saracens way – glitz, glamour, and – more often than not – a win.
Saracens Team News
England pair Mako Vunipola and Owen Farrell return for
Saracens as they look to set a world-record attendance for a rugby union club
game. Sarries start prop Vunipola and
fly-half Farrell alongside England internationals Chris Ashton on the wing and
Brad Barritt at centre.
Starting Line
up: Goode; Ashton, Bosch, Barritt,
Strettle; Farrell, Wigglesworth; Vunipola, Brits, Johnston; Borthwick (c),
Kruis; Wray, Burger, Joubert.
Subs: George,
Barrington, Stevens, Botha, Brown, De Kock, Hodgson, Taylor.
Key Player
Mako Vunipola. Fresh
off an impressive display with England in Rome, the man with the world’s
longest earlobes will be a key ball carrier for the men in black (as he was in the same fixture last year), especially
with the absence of his brother. So much
of Sarries’ game revolves around building momentum through powerful carries
close to the contact zone, and his work rate will need to be at the highest it’s
been if Saracens are to benefit from his explosive work with the ball in
hand. In the set-piece, too, he will be
aware that he’s up against Kyle Sinckler – a highly rated but inexperienced
young prop. Vunipola isn’t renowned for
his scrummaging but, as an international, he must be looking to test out the
young Quins man and get on top early.
Harlequins Team
News
Only Joe Marler, at prop, features for Harlequins from their
quartet of England Six Nations representatives.
Danny Care, Mike Brown and Chris Robshaw have all been rested, however
there are six changes from the Quins side that beat Worcester three weeks ago. Marler missed England's final Six Nations
game against Italy to attend the birth of his child, but comes into the Quins
starting XV alongside Luke Wallace, Tom Williams, Matt Hopper, Tom Casson and
Nick Evans.
Starting Line up: Lindsay-Hague,
Williams, Hopper, Casson, Monye; Evans, Dickson; Marler, Gray, Sinckler;
Kennedy, Robson; Fa'asavalu, Wallace, Easter (c).
Subs: Ward,
Lambert, Doran Jones, Trayfoot, Guest, Stuart, Botica, Smith.
Key Player
Nick Kennedy. Remember
him? The forgotten man of English rugby,
the second row had a brief stint in the international side before being cast
away and then gallivanted off to France for a couple of seasons with Top 14
giants, Toulon, before returning to the motherland this season with the
Londoners. He’s renowned for being a
beanpole and strong lineout presence and, although any work he can do to secure
Quins’ ball/disrupt Sarries’ in the set piece will be important, the physical
presence he can offer will be absolutely crucial. He surprised many when Toulon beat Saracens last
year, in the Heineken Cup semi final, with his physicality in defence and at
the breakdown, and Quins will need more of the same if they are to deal with
their opponents’ power game.
Key Battle
Owen Farrell v Nick Evans.
Farrell was a revelation for England in the Six Nations, attacking far
flatter and making better decisions on the gainline. Coupled with his already excellent kicking
game, he began to look like the real deal in England colours and started to
repay the faith that Stuart Lancaster has showed in him over the last 2
years. But he’s up against one of the
best attacking fly-halves in the business on Saturday in Nick Evans, the man
who has spearheaded one of the most attractive and penetrative attacks in the
Premiership over the last few years. With
both sides battling for go-forward ball in their own way – Sarries through
their big ball carriers and Quins through their quick offloading game – the ability
of both fly halves to pull the trigger and make the right calls at the right
time will be key. Execution will be
crucial to the outcome of this one.
Prediction
With Conor O’Shea opting to rest three of his most important
players, Sarries go from being slight favourites to overwhelming
favourites. For the reasons I gave
above, I’m not sure I fully understand the reasons for resting them, but what I
do understand is that Robshaw gives them leadership, Care gives them tempo and
Brown gives them penetration, and the players in their shirts will need to have
huge games to challenge this Sarries side.
Karl Dickson, in particular, needs to improve his service and decision
making if he is to step in for Care adequately.
Sarries, though, have so much power and finishing prowess that it’s hard
to see any other result than a Saracens win at a packed out Wembley stadium. Sarries
by 8.
What else is happening in the Aviva Premiership this
weekend?
Worcester Warriors v
London Wasps: Worcester have been
putting in ‘brave’ and ‘improved’ displays of late, but they seem incapable of
turning them into wins. I don’t think
they’ll start tonight, either. Wasps by 3.
Sale Sharks v
Northampton Saints: Salford is a
difficult place to travel and the Sharks are a renewed force this season, with
the top 6 firmly in sight. That said,
Saints look irresistible in the league at the moment and I think they’ll take a
hard-fought win. Saints by 6.
Gloucester v
Newcastle Falcons: The Cherry and
Whites may have had a pants season compared to expectations, but luckily for
them the Falcons on their own wretched run of form. Expect the Shed to get something to cheer
about on Saturday afternoon. Gloucester by 11.
London Irish v
Bath: Irish have surprised many this
season with their displays – particularly at home – and the pre-season
relegation candidates are more than capable of giving the top sides a scare,
especially on the brilliant St Paddy’s Day fixture. Unfortunately, expect Bath to be the party
poopers (if anyone is still conscious to notice the results, of course) in this
one. Bath by 5.
Leicester Tigers v
Exeter Chiefs: Leicester have been
struggling to find top gear all season but this is the time of year when they
invariably find some form. They’ll need
it when facing a Chiefs side on a high after winning their first major piece of
silverware, but I think they’ll have enough in front of a vocal home
crowd. Tigers by 9.
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