T looks forward to the visit to Kingsholm.

Home-field advantage
By T
November 2 2006

Saturday evening and Sarries should have some idea of where the season is going. A win at ‘Glassdoor’ and we should be looking at pushing for a top four finish and an automatic Heineken cup place...

... Lose, and while the top four and an automatic HC is certainly not out of reach, we might be concentrating on the EEC as our best chance of silver-ware and qualification to the HC.

Sarries have not been firing on all cylinders as yet which, when you consider that they have been running in an average 30 points a game, is quite an exciting thought! Saracens have won three games on the bounce and will be full of confidence for the visit to Kingsholm. With Gloucester still unbeaten in the league and Saracens having only won once in the past 16 visits (the pre-season game doesn’t count!) it certainly won’t be easy.

The Saracens forwards seem to have shaken off the early season malaise and have contributed hugely to the past few games, and credit should go to the gaffer and Adrian Kennedy for making a formidable pack… well, formidable pack again! The backs have been led by the outstanding Glen Jackson, who looks even better now he has the extra fraction of a second to dictate play, courtesy of De Kock’s pass. The whole team is improving with every game, and with TC and HRHRH making there {You are Woodford Dave and I claim my £5, Ed!} comeback from injury, the Sarries squad has a depth that has never been seen before.

Gloucester are stripped of one of their many bright young things, with starlet Anthony Allen joining older heads Peter Richards and Ian Balshaw in the England Squad against NZ on Sunday. Stuart Barnes favorite, James Forrester, yet again is injured when a run in the England side looked on the cards, and joins other England squad member, Ollie Morgan (shoulder), in watching from the warmth of the stand.

With Brown, Tindall, Foster, JSD & Hazell all back from injury Gloucester are not exactly suffering by their England call ups or injuries. With the exciting Lamb ready to show the kind of talent that has had several pundits already talk of him as a future England 10, you can see why SKY have decided that this is the game to broadcast as the main event after the Wales vs Australia ‘undercard’ game!

There is plenty of real quality on show on Saturday and, in this previewer’s eyes, plenty that should be pulling on the white shirt on the Sunday instead. Hazell and Seymour will be desperate to remind the England set up of what a genuine openside does in a game. Brown and Skirving will have points to prove coming back from injury, while the likes of Tindall, JSD, Johnston, Cairns, Farrell, Haughton & Foster will be keen to put a stake in the ground for the next England coach after Robinson stands down sometime on Sunday evening!

A real humdinger looks on the cards, I’ll be settling down in the Harpenden Arms to watch the game. Well done to those making the trek down to the West Country for the 5.45 kick off, if we win you can race back and I’ll buy you a pint - providing you get back by closing time!