Saracens v Leicester was probably always going to be my selected game for this weekend, but I have to admit I have picked it with a certain amount of trepidation. They’ve played some classics, sure, such as the 2010 Final, or the last-gasp win a few years ago when Geordan Murphy banged over one of the worst drop goals ever seen. But they also have the ability to lob a complete turd into the mixer – see their draw at Wembley Stadium a couple of seasons back, or indeed their draw at Welford Road earlier this season. It almost (note almost) made that 50 Shades of Grey film, which I was forced to sit through, seem reasonable by comparison. Or, the other option is, Saracens win – by a lot.
That’s what happened infamously at Welford Road in 2011 when
a depleted Tigers side were put to the sword by a rampant Saracens outfit, and
it’s what happened when Leicester travelled to Allianz Park last season, as
they were smashed 49 – 10. The truth is
that if you don’t go to Saracens at 100%, you will be taken apart – there is no
side more ruthless in the league. I say
ruthless because the truth is – looking down their side – there aren’t too many
magicians who can create something out of nothing, perhaps with the exception
of Billy Vunipola. Instead, they have a
side that is packed with power, intelligence, and reliability – now that might
sound like I’m being harsh, or implying that they’re boring, but they really
aren’t. Sure, they have a good kicking
game, but once they are in the right areas they create opportunities and finish
with astonishing precision – they score more tries when they get given credit
for, and when they get moving forward they are almost impossible to stop.
Speaking of impossible to stop, that is usually the feeling
about Leicester when it comes to this time of the season, and looking at the
results only, you would argue that the Tigers are pulling their usual trick of
coming good when it matters. But the
truth is that, even when winning, Leicester keep stuttering along without being
able to really put together anything resembling a coherent game plan, in stark
contrast to Sarries. It’s the end effect
of not replacing Matt O’Connor when the Aussie moved over to Leicester, and it’s
meant that the Tigers have, more often than not, relied on two things to get
them wins – set piece dominance, and individual moments of magic. There’s no doubt that the Tigers have some
outrageously gifted players, in Niki Goneva, Ben Youngs and Freddie Burns to
name just three, but without everyone being on the same page, they’ve struggled
for fluency. But they’re still winning
despite all of that, and with their internationals and several absentees
returning, the Tigers do smell blood – and it is not too late for them to find
their fourth and fifth gears.
England centre Brad Barritt returns to the Saracens side,
with Chris Wyles on the wing in place of David Strettle. Alistair Hargreaves replaces Jim Hamilton in
the second row and Kelly Brown comes into the side for the suspended Jacques
Burger at flanker.
Starting Line
up: Goode; Ashton, Bosch, Barritt,
Wyles; Hodgson, Wigglesworth; Vunipola, George, Du Plessis, Kruis, Hargreaves
(capt), Wray, Brown, Vunipola.
Subs: Spurling,
Barrington, Johnston, Itoje, Joubert, de Kock, Taylor, Strettle.
Key Player
Billy Vunipola. I
have to admit I never really rated big Billy.
In his Wasps – and early England days – he was too much of a 60 minute
man, making a big play and then waddling around doing nothing apart from
looking knackered for the next 10 minutes.
A bit like me, apart from the ‘big play’ bit. But his conditioning has improved beyond
recognition and he showed for England that he can not only go the full 80, but
he can keep looking for work and smashing people too. Sarries aren’t really an off-the-cuff, ‘flair’
side, but what they do have his ruthless precision and execution based on
attaining front foot ball – and they will be looking to Billy to deliver that
all afternoon.
Leicester Team
News
Wingers Niall Morris and Vereniki Goneva start for Leicester
in place of Miles Benjamin (knee) and Adam Thompstone, who is on the bench. Lock Graham Kitchener among the Tigers'
replacements after a foot injury.
Starting Line up: Tait; Morris, Smith, Bai, Goneva; F. Burns, B. Youngs (capt); Ayerza, T. Youngs, Cole, De Chaves, Parling, Gibson, Salvi, Crane.
Subs: Ghiraldini, Rizzo, Mulipola, Kitchener, Pearce, Harrison, Bell, Thompstone.
Key Player
Tom Youngs. Leicester
have been as sharp in attack as a bag of pillows this season, but what they can
always rely on is some serious punch and power in the forwards, and Tom Youngs
is key in that regard. He’s a similar
source of front foot ball as Billy Vunipola – despite being half the height and
weight; he’s got an awkwardly low centre of gravity and he’s probably one of
the most aggressive runners in England, the way he hurls himself through
people, like a human bowling bowl. I can
also vouch for this first hand as I had the displeasure of playing him once,
and he compounded my misery by helping me up and sincerely congratulating me on
a ‘brave effort’ every time he creamed me.
Of course, one of Leicester’s chief attacking weapons will be the set
piece and throwing in is, of course, Youngs’ most high profile (and arguably
only) weakness. Burns has been kicking
really well from hand so, if Youngs can get his lineout in order as well as
leading from the front with his carries, then the Tigers may just be able to
build some pressure.
Key Battle
Mako Vunipola v Dan Cole.
The sight of two England colleagues going head to head is always a
mouth-watering one, but especially so when the battleground is as defined as it
is in the scrum. Vunipola and Cole are
two different kind of props, with the former a superb carrier and the latter a
destructive scrummager – although both have made big strides at improving their
performance in the other area, too.
Vunipola is a decent scrummager but he will be all too aware that one of
the few areas Leicester may be able to get a foothold in is the scrum – he will
need to hold his ground to avoid giving the Tigers hope, or penalties for that
matter. Cole, on the other hand, must
continue is superb return to fitness – not just in terms of scrummaging well,
but also in terms of offering himself as a genuinely effective carrier...as he
demonstrated by headbutting Cian Healy out of his way.
These are two sides which have plenty of talent but arguably
(certainly in Leicester’s case) have been too rigid for large parts of the
season. What Sarries do have, however,
is a ruthlessly effective gameplan which earns them victories – which is more
than can be said for Leicester, who seem to have stuttered their way into top 4
contention. The Tigers will know that
they are underdogs but they will also spy a window of opportunity to attack the
set piece – if they get on top there, who knows what could happen. But Sarries are at home, they have the power
and the nous to hold off any threat from the visitors – Saracens by 8.
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