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'Haters gonna hate, hate, hate, players gotta play' - Saracens' coach's 'Taylor Swift' attitude after Gloucester win

Saracens gather during the Gallagher Premiership Rugby match between Gloucester Rugby. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

Saracens responded in the first game since Premiership Rugby handed down punishments for salary cap infringements by dispatching Gloucester 21-12 at the Kingsholm in the rain.

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After Manu Vunipola slotted an early penalty goal, Saracens never surrendered the lead on the way to a convincing win minus their high profile England stars.

Following the match, assistant coach Alex Sanderson pointed to the scoreboard while Gloucester fans shared their thoughts from the stands.

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“To quote the immortal words of Taylor Swift…” he told BT Sport in the post-match interview when asked about the incident.

“Haters gonna hate, hate, hate, players gotta play.”

“Not to belittle the scenario, that’s just our mentality. We have got to accept the hate that we are going to receive and we are just going to crack on and play.”

When asked whether he could understand the contempt of the fans Sanderson said he doesn’t think it is justified.

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“I don’t think it is justified, I think it is misplaced. That’s my opinion. From the information some people have, they are allowed to have their opinions and they are welcome to them.

“We have used the anger this week to fuel us, but we can’t use that for a full season because it’s negative energy.

Gloucester fans were seen waving £50 notes and wearing hats with -26 emblazoned on it in protest of Saracens’ bending of the salary cap rules that led to a £5m fine and the loss of 35 competition points by PRL, while chants of ‘Same old Sarries always cheating’ rang loud through the air.

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“I haven’t read too much in the papers and we can’t control what people are saying, but today I think it’s one of our best wins as I can’t believe how switched on the players were,” Director of Rugby Mark McCall said after the match.

McCall felt his side “took toughness to a whole new level” as he described the Kingsholm crowd as “quite quiet”.

Jim Hamilton discusses Saracens’ salary cap scandal:

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MA 3 hours ago
How the four-team format will help the Wallabies defeat the Lions

In regards to Mack Hansen, Tuipoloto and others who talent wasnt 'seen'..

If we look at acting, soccer and cricket as examples, Hugh Jackman, the Heminsworths in acting; Keith Urban in Nashville, Mike Hussey and various cricketers who played in UK and made the Australian team; and many soccer players playing overseas.


My opinion is that perhaps the ' 'potential' or latent talent is there, but it's just below the surface.


ANd that decision, as made by Tane Edmed, Noah, Will Skelton to go overseas is the catalyst to activate the latent and bring it to the surface.


Based on my personal experience of leaving Oz and spending 14 months o/s, I was fully away from home and all usual support systems and past memories that reminded me of the past.


Ooverseas, they weren't there. I had t o survive, I could invent myself as who I wanted, and there was no one to blame but me.


It bought me alive, focused my efforts towards what I wanted and people largely accepted me for who I was and how I turned up.


So my suggestion is to make overseas scholarships for younger players and older too so they can benefit from the value offered by overseas coaching acumen, established systems, higher intensity competition which like the pressure that turns coal into diamonds, can produce more Skeltons, Arnold's, Kellaways and the like.


After the Lion's tour say, create 20 x $10,000 scholarships for players to travel and play overseas.


Set up a HECS style arrangement if necessary to recycle these funds ongoingly.


Ooverseas travel, like parenthood or difficult life situations brings out people's physical and emotional strengths in my own experiences, let's use it in rugby.

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