Saracens v Newcastle Red Bulls Premiership Preview

I do like the small ironies in life. Christian Wade needs one try to own the Premiership try-scoring record outright, and this is the game where he gets his chance. He drew level with a former Saracen himself Chris Ashton the other week and he gets the chance to make history at the ground Ashton used to play at. I’d like him break the record somewhere else if at all possible. After 2 shambolic performances in league (v Quins) and Europe (v Connacht), we are back at the StoneX for a pretty vital game against Newcastle. Lose this, and you feel our season really has gone to pot before it’s even got properly going.

Saracens are 2-2 league wise and sitting on 11 points in 5th. We beat Leicester 40-38 in a messy yet thrilling encounter and comfortably swatted a weakened Bristol side 30-7. Losing 21-17 to a shoddy Sale side was very poor at a stretch, but yesterdays 33-15 defeat at Harlequins was the worst of the lot. We conceded four tries in the first 36 minutes, gave away 13 penalties by the 50th minute and had two yellow cards. What happened to the Wolfpack defence? What happened to any form of structured attack? Who knows.

Newcastle are 1-3, with their only win coming against Sale. They lost at home to Leicester 24-19 in a very exciting encounter, lost again at Exeter 34-28 before beating Sale 17-3 at Kingston Park, scoring all their points in the second half. Dan McFarland’s side have picked up four bonus points from their games thus far this season so it’s fair to say they have been competitive in most of them.

Tactical Analysis

Newcastle seem to have become more physical this season than. Their emphasis has always been on tight, forward focused rugby and winning those key collisions and they really seem to have found their mojo at various points so far. They have a lot of fight in them, and we must be careful not to underestimate them in any regard.
Our scrum was the one clear positive at the Stoop and we’ve got a maul try in each of our last two league games. Sure we can’t defend mauls to save our lives but we can at least try and make the most of our own one. Red Bulls have had trouble in this area this season, so I’d expect us to lean on it and try make the most of it. It’s rather tricky to try and describe Saracens’ style of play this season – clunky attack which has never stepped out of 3^rd gear, a confused set of backs who seem to be all on varying wavelengths, a scrum that can dominate one day and capitulate the next, and a fly half who has the wobbles off the tee. Hmm….

Against Quins, a run of penalties inside our own 22 gave away easy field position and they got a penalty try out of it. Newcastle are a team that stays in games and a Hodge kick from the tee will punish anything silly. Fewer penalties would help us more than any tactical tweak I feel. Newcastle are good at keeping the scoreboard ticking over and a string of penalties in kickable areas can quickly turn into 9, 12 points unanswered.

Key Player Matchups

Roti Segun vs Christian Wade
Two very similar style players and yet they have their own unique aspects. Wade has been absolutely prolific thus far in the season, he has scored six tries in six league games and the way we’ve been defending you would bet that he’ll get a few more. He scored from a simple finish in the corner against Sale so we can’t let Newcastle get him one-on-one with our defenders in space. Whoever is on our left wing will have to deal with him all afternoon.

Alfie Barbeary vs Hoskins Sotutu
Two absolute tanks of back rowers, all power and aggression. I confess I haven’t seen a huge amount of Alfie Barbeary but I don’t think his true ability has really come through just yet. Hoskins being an all black will mean he adds a level of flair as well as physicality to the RB’s back row, so we will have to keep a watchful eye on him as the game proceeds.

Jamie George vs George McGuigan
Two classical hookers. Both with excellent darts and rather partial to a maul try. This will be a great matchup and no doubt whoever gives away those free kicks for wonky throws or breakfoot offences at the scrum will cost their team in the long run.

Team Prediction

I am not going to try and predict a matchday 23 for next weekend due to the rotation that seems to be happening amongst the squad from week to week. No doubt I’ll only get it drastically wrong.
What is known is that Olamide Sodeke broke his hand v Connacht so he won’t be involved, Fergus is concussed so Farrell will be stepping back into the position of 10. Let’s hope he plays better than he did in Ireland. Olly H and Sione I believe are injured still so expect to see Nick T, Lucio or maybe Angus in at centre. I can’t make anymore predictions than that I’m afraid folks!

Conclusion and Final Word

Must win game this, simples. Both for the league and our own team morale. As ever, come on you sarries.