The Glaws - Tigers Axis

By Big H
November 10 2006

As a result of my astonishingly poor short-term memory and striking lack of awareness, instead of getting a Gloucester Match Report and Leicester Preview this week in what I believe is a thesaracens.co.uk first - both, in one!

The visit over to Kingsholm was not a happy one for Saracens. The international call ups for Gloucester coupled with Sarries recent good form lead many to see this game as a opportunity to get one over on one of the early-season pace setters.

Unfortunately Sarries found themselves without any quality ball in the early exchanges, getting on the wrong side of referee David Rose almost from the kick-off. A harsh early penalty against Cobus Visagie summing up the first half for the Men in Black.

No matter what Sarries tried the aggressive midfield defence of the home side kept the visitors at bay, most notably Rudi Keil who despite spending 10 minutes in the cooler put in some great hits and deserved his Ryan Lamb inspired brace of tries. Sarries simply couldn’t string enough quality possession together to threaten the Gloucester line.

Gloucester even held the 15 men of Sarries out when they were down to 13 men with two in the sin-bin.

Glen Jackson’s boot kept Sarries in the game providing the 3 penalties in the first half – Half time Gloucester 18 Saracens 9.

The second half provided little entertainment for the crowd other than Richard Haughton having a bit of a mare to the delight of the Shed. A penalty for each side were the only points to trouble the score-board for the rest of the game.

So what of Sarries? Well, the forwards were beaten at the breakdown and they had no answer for Buxton and Balding when they popped up in the wider channels. The lineout functioned pretty well with Fabio Ongaro and Shane Byrne having a half each, Ongaro suffering a shoulder injury just before half time and not re-appearing for the second period.

Sarries will have left Gloucester on Saturday night knowing that they had been beaten by the better side and the final score 21-12 reflected the respective sides attacking ability not the grunt and grind so fondly spoken of down Kingsholm way.

Gloucester: Walker; Bailey, Adams, Keil, Simpson-Daniel; Lamb, Lawson; Wood, Davies, Nieto; Eustace, Bortolami (capt); Buxton, Narraway, Balding.
Replacements: Collazo, Azam, Pendlebury, James, Thomas, Mercier, Thirlby.

Saracens: Scarbrough; Haughton, Sorrell, Johnston, Ratuvou; Jackson, De Kock; Yates, Ongaro, Visagie; Fullarton, Raiwalui (capt); Vyvyan, Seymour, Skirving.
Replacements: Byrne, Liffchak, Ryder, Chesney, Dickens, Farrell, Penney.

Onto Tigers –
The official site at the moment is promoting ‘Close Encounters of a Rugby Kind’ and yes, we have seen some close games in the last few years at Vicarage Road but Sarries will have to pick up their game significantly for the visit of the former European Champions.

Most clubs are now waking up to the importance of having strength in depth throughout their squads. Tigers, without Moody, Kay, White, Corry, Chuter et al still managed to wipe the floor with early-season blunderers Worcester Warrior 40-21, running in 6 tries in the process.

Yes they will be without Martin Castrogiovanni and Marcos Ayerza this weekend but they will still be formidable opponents with a pack containing Alex Moreno, Leo Cullen, the Deacon brothers, tear-away open-side Shane Jennings and young England prospect Jordon Crane all starting on Sunday.

In the backs Andy Farrell will be under-go a stiff examination in his first XV start at 12 by opposite number Daryl Gibson. Inside him Tigers will start with Scott Bemand and Paul Burke at half-back in preference to Goode and Ellis who both take up places on the bench.

Sarries are forced into changes of their own – Tom Ryder and Tevita Vaikona coming in for Pacific Island Representatives Simon Raiwalui and Kameli Ratavou also Shane Byrne comes in for Italian hooker Fabio Ongaro.

Hugh Vyvyan moves to the bench, Kris Chesney slotting into blind-side with ex-Tigger Paul Gustard taking over from rested Dave Seymour at open-side.

Sarries have picked a powerful pack and will be looking to get into the Tigers early; if they can get in the lead early then they’ll be in with a chance.

The other big influence will be referee Roy Maybank. The surprise exclusion of Seymour from Sarries starting line-up may have something to do with Maybank’s excessive penalising of young Cec earlier this season at the breakdown.

Fingers crossed that Roy can let the game flow on Sunday; unlikely I know but here’s hoping!

Saracens: Scarbrough; Haughton, Sorrell, Farrell, Vaikona; Jackson, De Kock; Yates, Byrne, Visagie, Fullarton, Ryder, Chesney, Gustard, Skirving.
Replacements: Cairns, Liffchak, Vyvyan, Russell, Dickens, Penney, Castaignede.

Leicester Vesty, Murphy, Hipkiss, Gibson, Varndell, Burke, Bemand, Holford, Buckland, Moreno, Cullen, L Deacon, B Deacon, Jennings, Crane.
Replacements: Young, Hickie, Croft, Abraham Ellis, Goode, Lloyd.