European Champions Cup Play off Gloucester v Bordeaux-Begles: As Sir Saw It

Recently, I have started every new challenge, or prospective blog, with an internal monologue, a strange introduction inside my head to get myself ready to what's to come. today, it went a little like this: "Welcome to Sixways, home of Worcester Warriors… and today, Gloucester Rugby. Gloucester have been forced to play this fixture at Sixways, after some pessimistic planning had the Kingsholme pitch occupied by a stage. Gloucester fans turned this into a truly home stage, bringing the enthusiasm to the home of the newly promoted Worcester. Gloucester were forced into a late change. Henry Purdy is on the left wing for England hopeful Jonny May, who’s out because of illness, and McColl takes Purdy’s place on the bench. Had Bordeaux won last weekend, they would have been spared this play off, coming in 6^th place instead of Oyonnax. Could that be playing on their thoughts?" Perhaps that's the performer in me, perhaps I'm just mad. I'll let a psychologist work that out for me in a few years, but for today, we had rugby to watch. 

Gloucester kicked off the first half. An exciting opening five minutes saw sustained pressure from the home side, and Gloucester turned possession into a penalty with an offside by Bordeaux. Twelvetrees pointed to the posts, and Laidlaw lined it up to score the opening points. Gloucester lost the first scrum against the head, but Le Bourhis was penalised for not releasing. Bordeaux appeared to have the stronger scrum, and a huge threat from Metuisela Talebula after a quick penalty was taken quickly. The net gain of the play though leads to a Bordeaux lineout on the half way line.

Billy Meakes impressed early, lining up a tackle, then claiming the ball at the ruck.  The scrum had been good, so our first reset was unfortunate. Jefferson Poirot looked to me to have his elbow down very low and almost took it down first. Next scrum, he’s penalised for taking it down, and Twelvetrees points to posts again. Laidlaw scored the points, 6-0, with just 10 minutes gone.

Handling by Bordeaux looks very loose, as two badly handled passes forced Bordeaux into their own 22. Neither team were particularly threatening the lines, but as soon as I wrote that, Purdy showed his pace, and looks to have set Ross Moriarty for a try, but a tackle on Purdy found he had not released it and referee Hodges says no try, and penalty Bordeaux.

Sharples stared again, gathering a kick that went loose and sprinting along the right wing. The ball was worked to the left and Hook chipped over to Purdy into score. Hodges goes to the TMO, and for my money, Purdy’s left foot hit the chalk. But it was given, and the conversion scored so 13-0 at 16 minutes. Another penalty a minute later gave Laidlaw a chance to kick a long range attempt, but it went wide, despite having the distance. After the kick, Gloucester had a scrum and the backs set up in a diamond, leaving the right wing undefended. A tactic like that could be risky if nothing comes from Gloucester’s scrum, but Laidlaw took it down the blindside against four Frenchmen. Hibbard ended the move after dropping the ball as he was tackled. Ball retention is not a skill for either side today, proven when Bordeaux lost control at the base of a ruck, then gave away a penalty for diving off their feet. Laidlaw looked to make up for his wide attempt earlier and made the score 16-0 after 24 minutes. Blair Connor looked to be in with a chance, after receiving a switch pass and cutting through the Cherry defence. His grubber kick was stopped by a Gloucester wall, and the ball was knocked on by a supporting Bordeaux man. Gloucester’s scrum collapsed under the pressure, something that has plagued them of late, and Bordeaux opted to take the three points on offer. 16-3, as Pierre Bernard put Bordeaux on the board after 28 minutes. Laidlaw nullified the score in the 32^nd minute. Bordeaux want to play a good game, and knowing a free shot was there, Bernard kicked across to Connor, who did very well to keep it in play. The attempt comes to nothing though, as Hodges gave the penalty. Bernard scored the points, narrowing the gap to 13.

Not wanting to be out done for flair, Hook broke through the defensive line, but his pass back inside gets turned over. Gloucester now looked to be playing good attacking rugby, but when the offloads don’t go to plan, Moriarty spilt it to Talebula, who ran from his own 22 to score under the posts. Bernard kicked the extras, making the score 19-13 as we went into half time.

A new tactic was on show from the Bordeaux men, as they opted not to compete at any rucks. Bordeaux were sustaining an attack on Gloucester, but struggled to get past the 22. The back row and Connor were particularly impressive, but a big hit from Hibbard forced the ball into a turn over. The scrum mess hasn’t been sorted out, so Afoa and Poirot were both shown the yellow card just five minutes into the second half. Hodges was rapidly losing patience with the men on the other side of the scrum as well, warning Wood and Gomez Kodela to sort things out. The scrums were sorted long enough for the ball to be ripped out of Laidlaw’s hands by Saili playing at 6, but he knocked it forward, and Gloucester attacked in the confusion, sending Moriarty down field. Purdy supported, but eventually the ball was bundled into touch.

Sharples was once again looking sharp, but a forward pass from him to his support ended yet another attacking move. Bordeaux attempted to run the mini-maul game plan, which worked well, giving a fabulous try for Talebula. The ball worked through the hands, with the offloads from the forwards working well and a long looping pass from putting Talebula over. The conversion from Bernard made the score 19-20.

Both teams seemed desperate for the Champions Cup pooling, set to be drawn on June 16^th and the chances were being spoilt. The frantic midfield action gives way to a blistering run from Sharples, who just failed to gather his own kick. Bordeaux infringe, however, and Laidlaw scored the penalty making it 22 – 20 with six minutes to go.

Bordeaux were having to try things to get out of their own half, kicking over the Gloucester lines, but the defence of Gloucester kept the ball in Cherry and White hands. Gloucester set up for one more attack on the Bordeaux lines, but the defence of the French side eventually turned the ball over.

The scrums have been a right mess, particularly in this second half. Neither team has been particularly dominant, but needless penalties have sealed the fate of the front rows. As Gloucester wear down the clock, and the Bordeaux defence, I wonder why they don’t set up for a drop goal, but the Gloucester faithful roared in their support. Bordeaux did very well to force the Gloucester players back, and eventually force the penalty. From the line out, the ball was won by Bordeaux, and a penalty looming, Bernard lined up a drop goal to seal Gloucester’s fate. The final score 22-23 to Bordeaux-Begals, who will take on the challenge of the European Champions Cup next season. Congratulations to them!

Bath v Saracens - My Review

And so the final has passed us once again. A new champion has been crowned and another team has had to leave Twickenham disappointed but determined. There's been no doubt who the better team has been this season but today, when it mattered, Saracens delivered. All the talk of salary caps floated into the ether as two teams came to play rugby. 

The first half was not Bath's best. Their usually free flowing style, which excites crowds and puts tries on the board, seemed to struggle under the Wolfpack defence. The opening two minutes saw a high challenge from Owen Farrell on Antony Watson, which later saw the Bath fullback removed for a head injury assessment from which he never returned. It was an incident which Mike Ford reckoned warranted a red card, and many supporters around me thought at least a yellow, including the one Saracens fan I could find in the entire west stand. Admittedly, I only looked in the immediate vicinity but still! Having watched it back, the BT camera work could've shown it live, which might have helped! There might be a citing involved for a swinging arm, but I think the call was just. When questioned about it later, Farrell admitted he had apologised to Watson because, even though there was no intent, he still did it. A fair and mature comment, I thought from the man of the match. 

Aside from the moment in the opening minutes, the momentum was purely in the Saracen's favour. Bath's kicking from hand and handling coughed up possession to the Sarries, even though the overall possession turned out to be 50:50. Bath seemed to have a fully attacking side, but the want to put pressure on the Saracens seemed to force Bath into risky decisions. A fumble from Ross Batty opened the door for the new England camp inductee Jamie George to run in from about 30 metres to score the second try, and it seemed that that was something that Bath were not able to come back from. Semesa Rokodunguni tried, and so did Sam Burgess, making 85 and 52 metres respectively, and 12 and 13 carries. Rokodunguni had a great chance down the right wing, but an off the ball incident from Alex Goode meant the try turned into a penalty. There was no chance of a penalty try, but the risk Goode took showed the passion and commitment the Saracens wanted to make. 

A spirited Bath side looked to counter in the second half, and a Jonathon Joseph try, coupled with two George Ford penalties seemed to warm the crowd up for a classic comeback match. But the mean Sarries defence kept the boys in blue out. And so they rose the trophy after the final whistle blew.

I missed the interview with Ford after the match, the bowels of Twickenham are like a labyrinth with no directions, but listening to Mark McCall and Farrell, they sounded fairly humble. McCall emphasised that last year had been painful and it had been used to push them forward this season, whilst trying to emulate the Wasps of old, who were able to time their runs. He also praised Farrell as being exceptional and remarked that England are blessed with two very special flyhalves. Farrell added that the teams has had to struggle this year, and the fight for fourth place and now to beat Bath gave him and his teammates a huge sense of relief.

For me, I’m always looking out for something of the future. McCall pointed out that his pack is still very young, and they are developing, whilst some of the backs are older. I wanted to know if there was anyone that we should look out for, following the wins of the Under 18 finals and the LV cup earlier in the season. Much has been said about Maro Itoje, but Farrell praised the young lads who’d made the U18 side. “They will need to get used to what we do in the first team” he said, as the Premiership has to wait for the World Cup to finish, and the inevitable rest period for the internationals returning. Farrell highlighted Nathan Earle, a young winger who has struggled with an Achilles problem this season, but is of the same generation as Itoje. Farrell thinks that Earle could have shown what he can do this season, but he definitely will next year. Perhaps in the place of David Strettle, as McCall cryptically responded “no comment” to a query if this would be the last game we would see of Strettle and Chris Ashton. Although, he did say “definitely not of Chris,” which suggests an announcement is imminent.

But enough of the future, let’s look to the final, and another incredible epic that we have enjoyed for the Aviva Premiership Final. I think we could see somehting more from Bath. After all, the last few finals, the winners have been the losing finalists from the year before. Tigers lost to Quins before beating Northampton, who in turn beat Saracens last season. Now Saracens have done the same, beating Bath. Join us again next year, where I think we will see a change in the force. But for now, and as much as it pains me to say this, Congratulations Saracens, Aviva Premiership Champions 2015.

Bath v Saracens - Aviva Premiership Final. Second Half As Sir Saw It.

Part two then, and after a chat with some random supporters, the question to ask is “Will Bath overturn the deficit of half time?” Doubt from fans from both camps, but with the announcement of the permanent replacement of Hargreaves, can Bath take advantage having lost Watson in the first half?

Saracens seemed to be showing their power game early, taking advantage of a set maul to march up the field. But the move faltered, with the ball going forward into Bath hands, and a scrum being the result. The first scrum penalty of the half went to Bath, with Du Plessis collapsing the scrum. The tight heads appear to be the ones under most scrutiny in this fixture.

A little later, Farrell was once again penalised for a high tackle, but since Joseph was falling over, Barnes deemed it to be no more than a penalty. Ford kicked the points, making the score 6-25 six minutes into the second half. Immediately after the kick, Bath looked to emulate the Sarries driving maul, but were held up off the ground, turning possession over.

Whilst scrums are being reset, I look over at the flags and notice the Bath flag is the smallest of the three flying over Twickenham. After a free-kick is awarded to Sarries, James and Batty were replaced by Auterac and Webber respectively, and Sarries opted for the scrum. The gamble pays off for Mike Ford, with Barnes awarding the penalty to Bath in the very next scrum.

Saracens and Bath both make substitutions, both switching their tight heads with half an hour to go. Figallo and Thomas replaced Du Plessis and Wilson respectively. Bath looked to want to play smash-and-go with a dance remix, and eventually were awarded a penalty, with Ford kicking into the Sarries 22. The maul goes back, but the backs dance their way through the line, forcing the over-lap. Eastmond was held short, and, although there was space out wide, the ball stayed tight. Bath were losing yards, but a look from Ford to Joseph and the try was certain. Joseph used his footwork to step the Saracens defence and slammed over the line. With the conversion, the score at 14 minutes was Bath 13 – 25 Saracens. Sarries replaced George with Brits before the restart.

Captain Hooper is replaced by Day at the 25^th minute, just before a line out, but a fumble in the midfield turns possession to Saracens. Wigglesworth left the field for De Kock before the scrum, and the whole rotten scrum saga continued with both front rows losing their feet. After nearly 60 minutes of rugby, not one scrum has completed successfully… and nor will it, as Bath infringed with an early push.

A bit of respite with Attwood being replaced by Garvey and Figallo down looking somewhat winded after a hard tackle. Kruis is penalised for contact in the air, and Bath decided to go for the posts. Ford kicks the points, and Bath were clawing their way back in. Ashton replaced Barrett on a blood replacement, and Fearns replaced Huston for a permanent stay with 18 minutes left to go. 16-25. Tense moments! Bath were then penalised for a side entry at the ruck, giving Farrell an opportunity to kick the points. Farrell scored, making it 16-18, and 17 left to go. A true battle of the 10’s this afternoon.

After some midfield play, Barrett returns to the field, but Strettle left, making the Ashton replacement permanent. (26 minutes) Bath turned over from a Saracens lineout and Rokodunguni looked to be in, but a cover tackle from Wyles pushed him into touch. The lineout was won by Bath, and they were pushed back further until a penalty for a side entry by Figallo took Bath back up field. An exciting attack by Bath, and a fumble from Saracens brought up the tempo and excitement until a forward pass ended the drive. Meanwhile, subs were made, Itoje off and Hamilton on, Stringer in his last Bath game was removed for Cook. Just 11 minutes left, the score still 16-28. Would Bath be able to win this game? Would we see a completed scrum? The answer to the latter is no, with a penalty given to Saracens for driving at the angle. Barrett left the field again, this time being replaced by Hodgson. As we watched the game go, I thought there would need to be a drastic change in the Bath game plan to overcome the two try deficit. As I said that, Saracens mistimed a pass, and gifted Bath a scrum. A later penalty failed to find touch, as Wyles kept it in play. He cleared, but only as far as his own 10m line. A worrying commentary on the game in the form of a Mexican wave broke out, always failing to get past the posts. An unnecessary distraction, as Bath conceded another penalty. Seven minutes left.

It all looked to be going horribly wrong for Bath, as a midfield ruck was turned over to Saracens. Hodgson saw the space out wide, and kicked ahead for Ashton, who showed great composure to hurl the ball back in field to his teammate before a desperate tackle forced a knock on, and a scrum five metres from the Bath goal line. 5 minutes remaining.

Once again, the scrum resulted in a penalty for Bath, but it looks to be too little, too late for the boys in blue. 80589 supporters of rugby were present, and they saw another Bath penalty at the line out for contact in the air. A minute after a panicked scrum, and Bath were in the Sarries half, though poor handling at the line out turned the ball over to Saracens. The Saracens bench looked to be ready to get a party started, as Mako Vunipola is replaced by Barrington. Ford wanted to get away from danger, but his cross-field kick failed to find Banahan’s hands cleanly. Just four minutes left and the multitude of Bath supporters seemed to have accepted the inevitable. The Man of the Match was chosen to be Owen Farrell, which prompted a series of boos from the Bath faithful.

 The clock appeared to have been stuck on 4 minutes and suddenly went to 0. Both teams were oblivious, and Saracens kept marching forward, though a drop goal attempt by Farrell went wide. Just time for the restart and another scrum. Can this one be finished cleanly? Yes, but the game is over. Saracens have won. 16-28. Congratulations to Saracens, the 2015 Premiership Champions.

Stay tuned for my review of the match. 

Bath v Saracens - Aviva Premiership Final. First Half As Sir Saw It

So it’s here at last: the Aviva Premiership final. Twenty two rounds, interrupted by international, Anglo-Welsh and European competitions, have finally brought us to Twickenham where two of the best teams will face each other in one final battle. Saracens have returned after avenging their extra time defeat against Northampton last year, whereas Bath have made it to Twickenham after a eleven year drought away. Today is our last offering of Premiership rugby until October, what with the World Cup taking centre stage (rightfully) after the summer. And with it comes a mouth-watering selection of potential international all competing for the right to return here in September 18^th.

But back to today. The current head to head standings between these two sides are 12 Bath wins, 22 Saracens wins and 2 draws. This season, both teams won their respective home ties, and Bath come off the back of seven successive wins in the Premiership. Saracens have won the last two games they’ve played, and have finished fourth in the table. To my knowledge, no team has ever lifted the trophy having come fourth in the league, but Saracens will be hoping to be the first. Twickenham has been turned pretty blue, sat here in the commentary bench, so the noises will be huge if Bath can lift the silverware at the end of the day.

But that was before the game kicked off. Hindsight says I should’ve done this sooner, but hey ho. The roar at Twickenham was immense. A fumble by Saracens and a kick through by Rokodunguni forced Sarries to defend their lines early. A clearing kick, and Bath opted for the quick line out. A high tackle by Farrell though stopped Watson’s run, and puts him to the deck. Ford pushed it towards the corner and the Bath forwards stepped up for the lineout. From my seat, it’s clear to see the diamond formation that Bath like to run, but the typical Saracens defence has forced them back and a turn over made Banahan dart back into the 22. Saracens needed no other invitation to attack but a chip through by Farrell and a kick to touch by Stringer ended the play, giving respite after a frantic first five minutes. Strettle is soon invited to chance his arm, and makes a good 30 metres on the right wing. Bath on the back foot, and suddenly, TRY for Owen Farrell, as the ball worked its way across the field. Farrell spied a gap and darted through after a clever dummy to split the defence. Converting his own try, Farrell has had a good start, though knocking off the soundman’s headphones isn’t always helpful. 8 minutes gone, and Bath 0 – 7 Saracens. Watson is also replaced by Devoto for a HIA.

Both teams displayed their kicking abilities and defensive prowess, with Saracens eventually taking advantage of a penalty to give a line out. Referee Barnes was clearly setting his stall early. Big hits are common in a game of big players, and both teams were showing their strength early. Strettle fumbled a chance to make a second score, as Farrell kicked across to space, and Strettle lost the aerial battle with Banahan, knocking it on in the process. Our first scrum came on the Bath 5 metre line, and predictably, ended with a free kick for Bath, with Du Plessis going early. Still, 12 minutes without a scrum is good going!

TRY – Saracens! Bath looked to be flowing, but a fumble by Batty knocked the ball loose, only to be picked up by the newly England selected Jamie George, who ran 40m, outpacing Ford and Eastmond, to score the second try. Bath 0 – 12 Saracens, as Farrell pushes the kick to the outside post. 14 minutes gone and this is very exciting!

Our second scrum gave a penalty to Saracens, I thought for James driving across at the angle, but apparently it was given against Wilson. (Check later). Saracens looked to attack from the line out, and were met by a solid Bath defence, resulting in a choke tackle and a turn over for the boys in blue. And on the 20^th minute mark, the announcement of the substitution made permanent made the bath supporters call for Farrell’s head. Scrum number 3 was also a penalty to Saracens, who opted for a kick to the posts, hoping to widen the gap to 15, and he did, successfully. Mind you, I was getting a little sick of Stand Up For The Saracens by this point.

24 minutes, and Bath were getting exciting. Rokodunguni started a good move to press downfield, but some unimaginative box kicking by Stringer ended up with a deficit of 30m. Another run from Rokodunguni and as he kicked ahead, he looked to be checked off the ball. The flag from JP Doyle came out, so Barnes went to the TMO. It looked nasty, but “Penalty Only” was the call. Ford slotted the kick, making the score Bath 3 – 15 Saracens with 27 minutes gone. The chat I had with some supporters agreed that it wouldn’t be a penalty try, but there were debates over if a yellow card should be issued.

Bath were forced to defend their lines heavily, with the kicking battle between Devoto and Goode resulting in a lineout 5m from the Bath goal line. Bath cleared, but mutterings of concern were starting to break out around me. And rightfully so, as it turned out, as a turn over to Saracens saw Strettle receive an offload from his boots and target the line. Bath were forced to go narrow as the Saracens pack pushed the line. But the turn came as the ball went wide, and Wyles dotted down at 33 minutes. Farrell converted Bath 3 – Saracens 22, and Hargreaves is replaced for a HIA with Wray taking his place.

Bath were penalised for Wilson pulling the jersey of Itoje, and Farrell lined up to take the kick at goal. The score of Bath 3 – 25 Saracens seemed to be rather gloomy and the noise present in the first quarter has all but died away by the 38^th minute.

Part 2 available here!

Sir Sits with Strettle to talk Saints, Saracens and Sevens in the City

Last weekend’s first semi-final came down to a matter of a single try. Northampton fell to Saracens at Franklins Gardens in a highly contested game between two of the very best in English rugby. I caught up with Saracen’s winger David Strettle post-match for a bit of a chat…

We, of course, had to discuss the game. David was knackered but he gave full credit to his forwards. “They fronted up. You’re not going to beat Northampton unless your packs on form and they really were today, and Owen’s (Farrell) kicking was brilliant.” He also thought that Saracens brought the energy the team is known for, something that some of the eagle-eyed viewers would have seen lacking in recent weeks.

Next week’s game against Bath will be a cracker, with two form sides clashing at Twickenham, but David empathises with Northampton. The two final defeats Saracens suffered last season were “very touch to accept. But that’s sport for you. Northampton will be feeling that now. They’ve had an amazing season and for it to end like that, it’s a tough pill to swallow.”

I had to ask about his inclusion to the expanded England squad, and how he felt about it. “It’s always nice to get recognition” he mused, but he conceded that there are a number of good lads who weren’t included.

Rugby usually takes a break during the summer, with teams jetting off on holiday on mass and having some down time. With the World Cup coming, a lot of players don’t have the same length of time off, and the Seven’s circuit is always there to bubble under the surface. For the second year running, “Seven’s and the City” is returning to Allianz Park, the mind child of Matt Stevens and my lovely guest. Whilst some may smile at the idea of a tighthead prop playing sevens, hearing David talk about his experiences playing with England in the 2005/06 series is inspiring.

“The key to a good seven’s competition is a good social competition,” citing Hong Kong and Dubai as decent reference points. Allianz Park has the capacity to host 200 teams, and it’s certainly an ambition to expand the tournament to that size. Netball and CrossFit are also joining the festivities, with over forty netball and 30 CrossFit teams storming Allianz Park, with over 60 Seven’s teams taking to the rugby field. Last year was a single day event, and this time around sees the expansion to a two day extravaganza.
Running the tournament alone would be hard work, what with Matt being across in South Africa, but David credits the staff at Allianz Park who are supporting him all the way. “You can put on the best festival going, but if the sports not run well then it’s always something to whinge about. Its paramount we get that right and then make sure the entertainment is good as well.” Kimberly Wyatt and Seb Fontaine are among the other entertainment, and I’m certainly looking forward to wondering about. It definitely is not something you want to miss, if you’re a rugby junkie needing a fix, a netball star who wants to have a go, or just a family who wants a great camping atmosphere.

And it doesn’t matter what level you want to play at. The Men’s Open is the top level if you want to test your team against the best, but the Party Competition is also an options for those who want to party off the pitch before running it off on it. Registration, tickets and any information that you need for the weekend is at sevensandthecity.com, so there’s no excuse for not coming along! It will be the place to be this summer.

And as they say at Saracens – “It’s all about making memories.”

Have a listen to the whole interview here.

Semi final 1 - Northampton v Saracens. Squad predictions

So here it is. The pinnacle of the English Premiership is almost upon us. We've seen some great fixtures, and we've seen a mountain of tries scored over the twenty two weeks. But we aren't done yet. We have the semi finals to approach before we march to Twickenham en mass. And I want to broach the first one. A replay of last years final, Saracens visit the home of the Champions, Northampton Saints. No doubts can be cast that these two teams are the form sides going into this weekend. Despite Northampton losing to Leicester on Saturday, no one has written off the hosts. Saracens had it easier, running 68 points to London Welsh's 17, but former Saint Chris Ashton has already called Northampton the favourites. Inevitably true, what with Saints being in the position to throw a game away last weekend. What with the Saints doing the double over Saracens, including the epic at Stadium MK, the home crowd advantage and the prospect of Twickenham calling should put the Saints home. 

Likely line ups. Or at least, my selections

Northampton and Saracens have big packs and will want to assert dominance over the other. After watching Salesi Ma'afu suffer at the hands of Logovi Munipola and then Marcos Ayerza, Mako Vunipola must be licking his lips. However, Jim Mallinder may opt to switch the in form Garath Denman to partner with Dylan Hartley and Alex Corbisiero. Mike Haywood had a blinder of a game, but the impact the captain will have on the squad will probably weigh heavily on Mallinder's thoughts. Schalk Brits will oppose Hartley, and Jamie George will be looking to add an impact from the bench. The last front row player will be Petrus Du Plessis, continuing to make the short his own.

The second rows are an interesting battle. The current England top choice and the old line out master will go head-to-head with the young challengers. Maro Itoje and George Kruis will be fighting to prove their point to Stuart Lancaster after their likely selection to England's squad. (At the time of writing, the squad hasn't been announced.) Courtney Lawes will be wanting to smash, as he always does, and Christian Day will be quietly going about his business. 

Back row will see two of the best number 8's in the country fight it out. Samu Manoa and Billy Vunipola are both top class players, and the contest between these two rumblers will set sparks blazing on the field. Coming back from his injury caused against the same opponents might slow Vunipola down though, and the big American will be wanting to say goodbye to the Gardens in style. On the sides, Calum Clark, the Players Player, Supporters Player and Supporters Club Player of the year, and Tom Wood will be hoping to keep Jackson Wray and Kelly Brown away from the breakdown ball. Likewise, the young Englishman and the Scottish Eyebrows will want to fight back and keep possession.

The half backs will almost certainly be Richard Wigglesworth and Charlie Hodgson against Kahn Fotuali'i and Stephen Myler, assuming the later has recovered from his leg injury. If he hasn't, James Wilson will line up in his place. Owen Farrell will be taking bench duty, I think. His form hasn't reached the peak yet, and Hodgson has been too good to leave behind. Fotuali'i and Wigglesworth have both played well, and are likely to be part of their respective teams rotation policies, as both sat on the bench last week. Myler's dead leg in the London Welsh game should have recovered by now, but don't be surprised if he isn't lined up.

The centres should be the stunning Chris Wyles and cannon foot Marcelo Bosch against the heavy impact Luther Burrell and grinning menace George Pisi. Wyles has been fabulous all year, and his footwork could be key. Similarly, Pisi and Burrell will be devastating in the midfield, a powerhouse combination which has worked all year. Meanwhile Bosch means the Saints will have to remain honest, even in the Saracens half. 

And finally, the back three. David Strettle, Alex Goode, and Chris Ashton (expect boos at the Gardens,) against Jamie Elliot, Ahsee Tuala and Ken Pisi. Saracens always use this back three combination for their big games when they can. Goode's boot and defence skill, combined with Ashton and Strettle's finishing abilities makes them lethal. On the other side, Elliot has stepped into the gap left by George North and has terrorised defences with his nimble footwork and terrier mentality make him a real threat in his own right. Samoan threats with the known Ken Pisi's speed and strength and the newly discovered Tuala talent could throw the Saracens into some confusion, so expect the game to be a mixture of expansive play and forward prowess. So basically, a right royal game of rugby. 

Fun Facts.

Both times that Northampton have reached the finals, they beat the defending champions, Saracens in 2013, and Leicester in 2014. 

Saracens most recent win at Franklins Gardens came in the LV Cup final over Exeter. 

My prediction.

Saints will take advantage of the home crowd and will take a very narrow lead to take themselves through to a third consecutive final. Northampton 24 - 20 Saracens

Predicted squads

Northampton - Tuala, K. Pisi, G. Pisi, Burrell, Elliot, Myler, Fotuali'i; Corbisiero, Hartley, Denman, Lawes, Day, Clark, Wood, Manoa. 

Bench - Haywood, Waller, Ma'afu, Dickinson, Fisher; Dickson, Wilson, North/Stephenson.

Saracens - Goode, Ashton, Bosch, Wyles, Strettle, Hodgson, Wigglesworth; M. Vunipola, Brits, Du Plessis, Itoje, Kruis, Wray, Brown, B. Vunipola.

Bench - George, Gill, Johnston, Hargreaves, Joubert, De Kock, Farrell, Tomkins.

Sir Chats With Kahn Fotuali'i

Rugby players on the whole are really nice guys. I’ve written before on reasons we should love rugby. The link is here, if you’re interested. One of my favourites to talk to is Kahn Fotuali’i. His honesty, his manner, and his ever present smile make him one of the most approachable. So when I had the chance to chat with him, I looked forward to it. He rocked up on his bike, noticeable from a distance as he rolled down the edge of the pitch. Sat in the soon to be demolished members bar at Franklins Gardens, we had a chance to catch up.

You see, a year ago, at a Northampton charity event where they took over the local Cineworld, I was sat around, waiting for the film to start. It was The Amazing Spiderman 2, a great film to see with rugby players, who have a surprising childish side at times. Anyway, I was busily munching on a hot dog, when a voice asked “is anyone sitting there?” I looked up to see Kahn looking down at me and I gestured for him to join me. We got to chatting about his move to the Gardens, his family, and the local walking spots, and it was a very nice chat. We’ve bumped into each other over the season, as is often likely when you go to as many games as I do, even an evening with the Polynesian players where he laid out his reasons for not going to France, but this was a chance to catch up a little. By the way, much as I’d like to, I can’t publish his reasons for not going to France. It’s just not repeatable, but it supports something we’ve all suspected about France.

(Image copyright Getty Images)

Our first topic was the upcoming World Cup. As one of four Samoan Saints to have been selected in the training squad, we discussed the return to Stadium MK against Japan. I wanted to know if the familiar ground for him, the Pisi’s and the newly resigned Ahsee Talua would give them a sense of leadership.

“No, not so much. I think the supporters that go to that game will be closer, because of the Saints. For us, it’ll just be nice if we get selected for that game. It really comes down to the team, and the leadership of the actual game.”

I then brought up our first meeting, and asked him how the relationship with the fans has developed, now he’s been here a second season.

“It’s been awesome, right from the start when I first got here. It’s a smaller town, but the fans are really into their rugby and the Saints. But they’re not too full on, you can walk down the street and they’ll say “hi” or “good morning.” They don’t push you. I know some players, not amongst the Saints, but in other clubs around the world, some fans will just do a nice thing by asking for this and that, but players do get a little annoyed by it. But it’s been amazing here, it’s been cool, people let you go about your business. It’s enjoyable. I can’t speak highly enough of them.”

We did broach the topic of the Leicester game coming up this weekend, and his thoughts were that the preparations get more intense because of the rivalry, and he’s heard the Saints record against Leicester isn’t great, but it would be awesome to change the record. “We can get on top of them. “We know that we can beat them.” And he rejects the idea that the Saints had the hoodoo when he arrived, saying the chat was there that it was their time to push on. Clearly, that attitude worked for the Saints with last year’s semi-final. He does offer praise though, for Ahsee Talua, or Ace as he’s know, for coming across without his family, but now the contract is sorted out, his family will be joining him, and Kahn fully expects the Ace to get better with the club.

 (Image copyright Getty Images)

Is Bigger Better? And Will We Welcome Worcester

There are talks occurring. There always are, but these have some fair significance for our viewing pleasure. The Aviva Premiership is looking to get bigger, as early as the 2016/17 season, as a new world rugby Callander is announced. We've been hearing these notions for a while, but they seem to have some more weight behind them in recent weeks. Two clubs would join the Premiership from the Championship, but who would they be? Even more debate is thrown in when you add the proposed ring fencing of the Premiership. Do you seal the relegated team in and bring up the top two teams of the Championship? Or does it come down to the money each team could bring to the Premiership? 

Before we get into that, there are other side discussions occurring in the Pro12. The Italians are in danger of being dropped from the Pro12, and the proposed replacements are exiles of the two least successful nations of the Pro12: London Scottish and London Welsh. The business opportunity is very exciting if it pulls off, but it does raise questions over what might happen in the European competition. This isn't the purpose of this post, though. 

No, the purpose is to consider the effects of the proposals. Now, at this point, I should stress nothing has officially been said, and from here on in, it is purely opinions, with some facts and stats thrown in. If we are to expand the Premiership, we have to take care of the players. Christian Day, the Players Association chairman, has called for mandatory rest periods. Players who play an international season will have to have weeks off mid season to rest. The 2016/17 season is a particularly strange time to bring in an expanded Premiership. With a Lions tour coming up, you will have some absolutely exhausted players. Further, there's been a gap between the Championship and the Premiership which only a few clubs have been able to bridge in recent years. Exeter and Newcastle are the two best examples of non-yoyo clubs, and London Welsh are perhaps the most obvious team to show the gap. With a points difference of -747, 21 games lost with an average 35.57 points, it's utterly staggering. Aside from this, who would be brought in? Bristol and Worcester are the obvious choice, and Rotherham, who ended the season in fourth place, were also confirmed as being eligible to promote. But for some reason, Yorkshire Carnegie, who finished sixth, ten points below London Scottish in 3rd, and 43 behind Worcester in second, are being raised as an option. Sorry, Geech, but there are teams above you who should benefit from the expansion and sealing. 

But if you ring fence the Premiership, where's the incentive for the Championship sides? Exeter are the model to replicate, having gone from a relatively small club to a real contender for several trophies and a World Cup host. The Welsh Exiles, who rotated a ludicrous 51 players before the season began, set the example of how not to do it, but at least they gave it a go. Expansion may be a good idea, but the proposed five year embargo is far too long for the clubs below the top tier. The business appeal would stagnate, and I suspect we would eventually see the Championship running out of money before the five years are over. 

Bristol and Worcester have stated their intent to push into the Premiership, and this year, I fully expect the Warriors to disappoint the Bristolians. More than that, I actually want Worcester to be promoted. Aside from the British sense of amusement for a challenger who never quite makes it, despite the money thrown in, I like watching Worcester play and the blunt honesty of Dean Ryan. I didn't like him as a pundit on Sky, but as a DoR, I respect what he's managed to do with his squad. He's brought in some new players to help contest next year, but no one with the same pay check as you'd expect from the Bristol signings. And to keep hold of a player with the quality of Chris Pennell, who would stroll into any Premiership side, and keep him in England contention is just remarkable. And unless Rotherham beat Bristol today (Sunday) and beat them well, we will see the two heavyweights contesting for the next two weeks. 

Play Off Positions - Sir's Opinion

We have quite a fight on our hands. A top six as congested as the M25 at rush hour, and only one team guaranteed to play in the play offs. That team is our champions, Northampton Saints, and they will most likely be the first guaranteed home side for the play offs. First place is yet to be assured, but top two will do. Two points are needed from the remaining two fixtures and with London Welsh this weekend's visitors, you wouldn't expect anything else.

From the pinnacle, we look down the length of the Premiership. Though only half way. For the first time in years, we could have a set of play offs featuring Wasps and, more interestingly, no Leicester. How times have changed! As things stand, Northampton and Bath will host Leicester and Saracens, but we have two rounds left, and Wasps and Exeter aren't far away at all. Theoretically, this time on Sunday, we will be saying "So! Booked your tickets for Northampton vs Wasps or Bath v Exeter?" Why am I so certain Northampton and Bath will be the home sides? Well, I've explained the Saints path. They could afford to rotate the squad and let players rest for the run in against Leicester next week, and if they lost against Welsh, people would explode. Meanwhile, Bath have Harlequins this week, the team which eliminated Bath from the play offs last year, and next week, Gloucester. A relatively comfortable run in should see Bath come close to topping the table at seasons end. 

Sale and Harlequins can make the top six, but only if an extraordinary turn of events utterly decimates Wasps and Exeter. Quins will want to say good bye to two of their favourite sons, Monye and Robson, but the opposition of Bath and Newcastle will give a challenge to London's jokers. Sale, meanwhile, have Newcastle and Exeter in their last two weeks, and the common game for both teams is a likely win. Sadly, the teams currently in the top six will shut the door on the hopes of those looking to enter European Champions Cup contention. 

And on that note, I'm looking at the Chiefs and Wasps. Exeter will be looking to take on the LV Cup winners who beat them at the Gardens for their first play off fixture in Premiership history. I wouldn't like to bet against Exeter at Allianz Park on Sunday, if the dominance the Chiefs showed over Northampton is brought up the motorway. 

Meanwhile, on Saturday in Coventry, Wasps host a sell out Stinger against the new East Midlands rivals, Leicester. In recent times, Leicester have set themselves around certain players, such as Manu Tuilagi, who has been injured for most of the season. Austin Healy has suggested the Leicester culture is faltering as players are leaving for rivals, such as Exeter and Northampton. Against Wasps, I can't see Leicester pulling out a victory. Wasps have the huge feel good factor in the Ricoh, having lost once in their new home, whereas Leicester have had a terrible try scoring season (35, to rival London Welsh's 27!) 

Here's the thing. This weekend will be setting the scene for the knock outs. Bath, Saracens, Exeter and Wasps have relatively easy games in round 22, and it would be fair to expect four points from every game. Possibly five from Saracens against Welsh. The only rough game is Leicester vs Northampton, but with the Saints almost guaranteed top 2, Leicester will have it all to play for. Oh, bring on the ultimate kick off next weekend, tense to the last. But for what it's worth, here is my top four.

1st Northampton 

2nd Bath

3rd Exeter 

4th Wasps

We shall see, won't we? 

Pick of the Polls - DoR of the year

A general election is coming. We all knew that. Everyone is full of opinions, but rugby has a different sort of election. We have twelve parties, all vying for the same prize. Like the elections, there are some unrealistic candidates, there are some who bloody the nose of the bigger parties and steal their members, and there are the party leaders.

There are often two for all of the clubs: the captain and the Director of Rugby. Perhaps another day, I will talk about the captains, but today, I want to think about the DoR’s and elect my DoR of the season. I think to be fair, I have to include the head coaches here, as some clubs still haven’t selected a DoR, and instead stick to the old ways.

The nominations for DoR of the year 2015 are:

From Northampton’s Saintly Party – Jim Mallinder.

The ever passive faced DoR is the original. The first man to be given the title. Jim always has a way with the fans, keeping everything neutral and encouraging his men. Some of his mid-match talks clearly motivate his men into a frenzy, a trait demonstrated in the last round against Saracens. Blunt and honest with the media, Jim doesn’t shy away from his responsibilities and encourages his team to do likewise. His only black mark this season, to my mind, is suggesting that George North could play the week after his brutal knock-out blow from Nathan Hughes, which technically could have been true, but unwise.

From Exeter’s Tomahawk Party – Rob Baxter.

The Chief’s DoR is a very special individual. He’s brought a club from the Championship, and in five years, taken them to two top tier European competitions, two LV cup finals, winning one of them, and now having his team within sniffing distance of a debut play-off place. But what wins him respect in the rugby community is his loyalty. As many as seven of his original players who were promoted still start on a weekend, and the youth mixed in with the experience has produced some wonderful gems. Slade, Nowell, Hill. Three fabulous English qualified stars, and he clearly has the respect of the players with the quality of the signings he has managed to bring in for the new season, and what he has done to revitalise a play who never quite reached his potential.

 

From The London Joker Party – Conor O’Shea.

A nominee who proves that success isn’t necessarily the best indicator of a great DoR. O’Shea is a really lovely bloke, blunt and honest, and willing to actually share with the supporters. He has taken to writing articles, and something that shines through to me is his genuine care of his players. Mike Brown is a true talent on his day, but he has been told he will not play again this season and so he stays on the bench. O’Shea relies heavily on his youthful players, and sometimes isn’t rewarded for it, but given time to mature, I think we can see the Quins of old return.

From Coventry’s Stinger Party – Dai Young.

Wasps as a club has been on the up all season. Having finally found a home, the Black and Yellow boys have settled in fantastically, and I think, having spent time at the ground with my grandfather, integrated themselves into the Coventry way of life. It will be incredible to see the ground full on Sunday at the Stinger against Leicester, and that is in no small part down to the dedication of Young, and his coaching staff. It’s all very well and good having fabulous rugby, but with no one to see it, it felt rather pointless. Now though, boasting crowds to match the Saints and Leicester, Dai and his men can show off their impressive talents.

The votes have been tallied, and the parties are ready for the announcement. Mr Speaker? The envelope, please.

So the winner is….

The Tomahawk Party, led by Mr Baxter. Congratulations!
Do you agree? Who would you vote for?