6/19/2023 0 Comments Tables for saleSaracens have only lost two matches that Farrell has started this season, against London Irish and La Rochelle. Daly, who has nine assists and four tries in 12 Premiership appearances this term, is on the bench to support a settled backline as Goode starts a 45th consecutive knockout game for Saracens.Īggression and accuracy at the defensive breakdown are vital for Northampton as well. They will also take the space out wide and stretch the front line if Saints hang too many players deep. That will start with sound back-field coverage. He knows that Northampton will have to defend robustly, or at least robustly enough for them to score more points than their hosts, to reach the final. Phil Dowson, the Saints director of rugby, respects Saracens' attack enough to have stated that it remains an underrated aspect of their game. Only five players – two Gloucester scrum-halves, two Leicester Tigers scrum-halves and George Ford – are above that. Their kicking metres have gone up from 838 to 926.Īlex Mitchell, their livewire scrum-half, averages just over 409 kicking metres per 80 minutes he is on the field. Interestingly, on the latter measure, Northampton Saints have gone the other way. Saracens' average carrying return per match has increased from 676 metres in 2021-22 to 778 this season, while their tally of kicking metres has dropped from 877 to 826. "It was gutsy, and we made a choice there… which probably wasn't the smartest one. "There was a big question mark there because it was a ridiculous sequence of play," he says. Sorrell remembers his fellow coaches digging him in the ribs out of nervousness. Several opportunities to kick the ball are spurned before Owen Farrell, Alex Lozowski and Elliot Daly combine to free Alex Lewington: Take this long-range try against Leicester back in October. There are numerous examples across the season. In practice, trust – in skills and one another – has been the key element for Saracens, whether that has meant staying patient in possession further towards their own goal-line or going all in to take the space. "If that means there is opportunity from our third, we want to be open to that and recognising that and trying to take advantage." Depending on how many men they have on the floor, or where they are on the pitch, we are looking for opportunity. "There are only 15 men marking the whole space. "There's opportunity all over the pitch," he said. Whenever – and wherever – they have seen space, Saracens have endeavoured to move the ball.Ī week ago, Kevin Sorrell hailed a collectively "positive mentality". Frustrated by what they perceived as meek performances at the sharp end of last season, particularly in the Premiership final against Leicester Tigers, Mark McCall's men have responded impressively. Just as plain as Saracens' dominance this term has been their intrepid attitude. Here's how our experts see the games playing out. The Gallagher Premiership reaches its knockout stages this weekend with first-placed Saracens earning a home tie against fourth-placed Northampton Saints and Sale Sharks, who finished second in the table, playing Leicester Tigers.
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