Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Jamie George ready to fight for silverware despite Saracens' punishments

Saracens hooker Jamie George. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

England hooker Jamie George is ready to fight for silverware on multiple fronts as Saracens contend with the points deduction that places their Gallagher Premiership survival in grave peril.

ADVERTISEMENT

The double winners are reeling after being docked 35 points and fined £5.36million for breaching salary cap regulations, plunging them into a desperate battle for survival.

They host the Ospreys at Allianz Park on Saturday and George will arrive off the bench in the hope of lifting their Champions Cup defence.

The Season – Hamilton Boys High School: Episode 2

Video Spacer

“As a five-year-old kid I used to come and watch Sarries play. We are in trouble at the minute and I just want to do as much as I can for that as well,” George said.

“It is a difficult decision that we are going to have to make but – at the same time – I had a conversation with (assistant coach) Alex Sanderson about it and he was saying, ‘We’ve got this, you guys go and do your thing and progress your careers, we will look after it’.

“I think it is four Premiership games we would miss out on, but I have every confidence that the group that wouldn’t be going away, that would be left here, would be ready as ever for that challenge.”

Saracens currently sit at the bottom of Pool 4 in the Champions Cup following their campaign-opening 30-10 defeat to Racing 92 in Paris last week.

ADVERTISEMENT

The reigning English and European champions also lie in last place in the Premiership with -22 points, but have won three of their opening four matches.

– Press Association

In other news:

Video Spacer
ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

M
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.

68 Go to comments
TRENDING
TRENDING Steve Hansen endures worst start to a season despite All Blacks SOS Steve Hansen endures worst start to a season despite All Blacks SOS
Search