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‘Saracens are a team that aren't bothered a bit by playing away from home, some teams are fazed and suffer from travel sickness but on the whole that isn't Saracens' Style.’
Those are the words that started Out On The Full’s Semi-Final preview and they are the perfect introduction to the review yesterday’s knockout match. Over the course of eighty minutes Mark McCall’s side performed the ultimate smash and grab at the Gardens as they ended the Northampton Saints’ hopes of delivering the Aviva Premiership double in customary mercenary style. Saracens' victory was a stark contrast to Bath’s fluidity at The Rec but that doesn’t mean that it wasn’t impressive in its own right.
The intensity of matches between Saracens and Saints is ferocious, every breakdown and every hit makes those of a squeamish disposition wince and even hardened folk have a quiet shudder to themselves. At the heart of Saracens’ steely physicality was a man making his 100th appearance for the club, Jacques Burger. The fact that it has taken 6 years and 9 operations to get there is a mark of the warrior that he is and away from home it was his purpose and relentless work ethic that set the tone for a Saracens side that made 151 tackles to Northampton’s 65.
As has been the case so many times this season Saracens didn’t enjoy the lions share of the possession or territory however they were at their clinical best and made perfect use of the amount that they did have. On home soil you expect the hosts to have things their own way, to be able to play the game in the way in which they want to and to dictate proceedings however that was not the case. Injuries were unfortunate and numerous for the Saints for re-jigging the back line was not part of the plan going into the game nor was losing Alex Corbisiero. On a personal note I hope that Corbs’ injury isn’t too bad for the man has been plagued by issues since his brilliance of the Lions 2013 deserves better from his body. At the end of the day this match was not a drumming and Saints’ season has been filled with tremendous character and output. Jim Mallinder has taken his 2014 Aviva Premiership winning squad all the way through to the Semi-Finals. They have fronted up to character crushing bumps in Europe and almost gained a shot at redeeming their title.
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Mark McCall's men stuck to their strengths and soared, every single Aviva Premiership side knows exactly what Saracens are about and yet so many find themselves powerless to topple them. The kick-chase is Saracens’ forte, it is their trade mark and they executed it with brilliance in an intense and unforgiving environment. This is something Bath Rugby must have the answer to at Twickenham Stadium for if they do not then they’ll make life extremely difficult for themselves and may meet the same fate as the Saints.
Looking ahead to the Final an Owen Farrell versus George Ford stand off will be mesmerising, for at the Gardens Farrell looked back to his gritty and determined best. Farrell and Ford they may have grown up together but rest assured they’ll be no love lost on the Twickenham turf and it will be a fascinating watch for us all and for Stuart Lancaster. The other match ups are belting too Burgess versus Itoje, Vunipola versus Houston and so many more but let’s save them for the Final preview and instead finish by once against commending Saints’ fortitude but delighting in Saracens’ mercenary finishing skills.
Looking ahead to the Final an Owen Farrell versus George Ford stand off will be mesmerising, for at the Gardens Farrell looked back to his gritty and determined best. Farrell and Ford they may have grown up together but rest assured they’ll be no love lost on the Twickenham turf and it will be a fascinating watch for us all and for Stuart Lancaster. The other match ups are belting too Burgess versus Itoje, Vunipola versus Houston and so many more but let’s save them for the Final preview and instead finish by once against commending Saints’ fortitude but delighting in Saracens’ mercenary finishing skills.
