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Alex Goode to become only the 4th player to make 300 Saracens appearances

(Photo by Henry Browne/Getty Images)

Alex Goode will make his 300th Saracens appearance in Saturday’s Allianz Park clash with Wasps. The England full-back made his Saracens debut in 2008 and is set to become only the fourth man to reach the 300 mark at the club. 

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Goode forms part of the unchanged back three which started the victory over London Irish, with Alex Lewington and Sean Maitland again on the wings. Owen Farrell starts at fly-half with Tim Swinson partnering Maro Itoje at lock.

Jimmy Gopperth will captain Wasps on his 100th appearance for the side. Centre Juan de Jongh makes his first appearance since the restart after returning from hand and hamstring injuries.

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Saracens’ Billy Vunipola guested on The Lockdown, the RugbyPass pandemic interview series earlier this year

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Saracens’ Billy Vunipola guested on The Lockdown, the RugbyPass pandemic interview series earlier this year

Hooker TJ Harris is named among the replacements having re-joined the club on a short-term deal this week from Jersey, while academy players Kieran Curran and Will Simmonds could make their Premiership debuts off the bench.

Coach Lee Blackett said: “We’re going to have to be physical. They’re one of the most physical sides in Europe and that is why we have had to make some changes. We can’t have guys that are going around at 70 or 80 per cent when we come up against the current champions.”

SARACENS: 15. Alex Goode; 14. Alex Lewington, 13. Elliot Daly, 12. Brad Barritt, 11. Sean Maitland; 10. Owen Farrell, 9. Aled Davies; 1. Richard Barrington, 2. Jamie George, 3. Vincent Koch, 4. Maro Itoje, 5. Tim Swinson, 6. Mike Rhodes, 7. Jackson Wray, 8. Billy Vunipola. Reps: 16. Kapeli Pifeleti, 17. Sam Crean, 18. Alec Clarey, 19. Callum Hunter-Hill, 20. Sean Reffell, 21. Tom Whiteley, 22. Dom Morris, 23. Elliott Obatoyinbo.

WASPS: 15. Rob Miller; 14. Paolo Odogwu, 13. Juan de Jongh, 12. Michael Le Bourgeois 11. Josh Bassett; 10. Jimmy Gopperth, 9. Ben Vellacott; 1. Ben Harris, 2. Tom Cruse, 3. Biyi Alo, 4. Will Rowlands, 5. Tim Cardall, 6. Tom Willis, 7. Ben Morris, 8. Sione Vailanu. Reps: 16. TJ Harris, 17. Simon McIntyre, 18. Jack Owlett, 19. Theo Vukasinovic, 20. Kieran Curran, 21. Sam Wolstenholme, 22. Charlie Atkinson, 23. Will Simonds.

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TWAS 37 minutes ago
How the Lions will heap pressure upon Australia's million-dollar man

I’m sorry but this just seems like incredibly selective analysis attempting to blame all team failures on JAS.


Looking through the examples:


Example 1 - long place by JAS, all support overruns the ruck. Pilfer also achieved by a player resting his arms on JAS - so should be a penalty for of his feet anyway. No failure by JAS there failing to secure the ball. By his team mates, yes.


Example 2 - a knock on punched out by the first defender who’s tackle he initially beat, from behind. An error by JAS absolutely. But every player makes the odd handling error.


Example 3 - JAS just beaten to the ruck because defender shoots to make a good tackle He passes and immediately follows. Potentially should have been a penalty to Aus because the tackler had not released and swung around into JAS’s path preventing him securing the ball, and had not released when the jackal went for the pilfer. Tackler prevented a clean release by Potter and if there was any failure, it was the ball carrier who got into a horrible position.


I am struggling how you try and blame 1 on JAS and not support, but then blame JAS when the tackler fails to make a good placement.


Example 4 - JAS flies into this ruck out of nowhere, seemingly runs past the 12 to get there. Also did you miss McReight and Williams just jogging and letting JAS run past them? Anyway he busts a get to get there but was beaten to the contest. Any failure here is on the supporting players, McReight and Williams and JAS showed great instinct to charge in to try and secure.


Example 5 - JAS is following the lead of players inside him. How this is his fault I don’t know what you are thinking


Example 6 - Gleeson misses a tackle so JAS has to drift in off his man to take the ball carrier, leaving a larger overlap when he offloads. Failure by Gleeson not JAS


Examples 7 and 8 - Wallabies defensive line isn’t aggressive. But noting to do with JAS. Fisher has actually said he is not coaching a fast line speed. To try and blame JAS is again selective.


Seems like an agenda in this rather than the genuine, quality analysis I’ve come to expect from the author.

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