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Michael Rhodes re-signs for Saracens

Saracens' Michael Rhodes reacts during the Gallagher Premiership Rugby match against Bath last weekend (Photo by Harry Trump/Getty Images)

Saracens have confirmed that back row Michael Rhodes has become the latest player to extend his contract at the club. The South African, who arrived in north London in 2015, has put pen to paper on a one-year deal.

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Rhodes, who featured for the Barbarians, is the latest Saracens star to ink a new deal. Despite being automatically relegated to the RFU Championship the club have managed to hang on to a majority of their biggest names including Maro Itoje, Owen Farrell, Jamie George, Elliot Daly and the Vunipolas, amongst others.

The 6’5, 114kg forward featured 27 times in his debut season at Sarries, helping Mark McCall’s side to an historic European and domestic double.

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Jamie Cudmore talks to RugbyPass

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Jamie Cudmore talks to RugbyPass

The following season Rhodes starred in the Men in Black’s successful Champions Cup defence and his efforts were recognised by his teammates as he was crowned Players’ Player of the Year.

A popular figure within the squad and with supporters, the 32-year-old is just seven games away from joining the Saracens 100 Club and is looking forward to getting back out on the field after a long-term back injury.

“I feel very privileged to have added another year to my contract here,” he said.

“It’s a place my family and I have really come to love over the past six years. We’ve obviously had some really good seasons; I’ve made a lot of good friends and I’ve just really enjoyed the way things are at the club.

“I want to put emphasis on actually enjoying my rugby. This season has been a long one; I’ve only been able to play one game so far and hopefully I get a couple more under my belt.”

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Director of Rugby Mark McCall said: “We are thrilled that Rhodesy has agreed to extend his stay at the club.

“He has played an invaluable role in our progression over the last five years and his experience and competitive spirit will be crucial for the challenge ahead.

“Mike has shown great dedication to return from a serious injury and we are looking forward to see him back doing what he does best.”

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H
Hellhound 16 minutes ago
South Africa player ratings | 2024 Autumn Nations Series

There is this thing going around against Siya Kolisi where they don't want him to be known as the best national captain ever, so they strike him down in ratings permanently whenever they can. They want McCaw and reckons he is the best captain ever. I disagree.


Just like they refuse to see SA as the best team and some have even said that should the Boks win a third WC in a row, they will still not be the best team ever. Even if they win every game between now and the WC. That is some serious hate coming SA's way.


Everyone forget how the McCaw AB's intimidated refs, was always on the wrong side, played on the ground etc. Things they would never have gotten away with today. They may have a better win ratio, but SA build depth, not caring about rank inbetween WC's until this year.


They weren't as bad inbetween as people claim, because non e of their losses was big ones and they almost never faced the strongest Bok team outside of the WC, allowing countries like France and Ireland to rise to the top unopposed.


Rassie is still at it, building more depth, getting more young stars into the fold. By the time he leaves (I hope never) he will leave a very strong Bok side for the next 15- 20 years. Not everyone will play for 20 years, but each year Rassie acknowledge the young stars and get them involved and ready for international rugby.


Not everyone will make it to the WC, but those 51/52 players will compete for those spots for the WC. They will deliver their best. The future of the Boks is in very safe hands. The only thing that bothers me is Rassie's health. If he can overcome it, rugby looks dark for the rest of the rugby world. He is already the greatest coach in WR history. By the time he retires, he will be the biggest legend any sport has ever seen

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J
JW 30 minutes ago
'They smelt it': Scott Robertson says Italy sensed All Blacks' vulnerability

No where to be seen OB!


The crosses for me for the year where (from memory);


This was a really hard one to nail down as the first sign of a problem, now that I've asked myself to think about it. I'd say it all started with his decision to not back form and fit players after all the injuries, and/or him picking players for the future, rather ones that could play right now.


First he doesn't replace Perofeta straight away (goes on for months in the team) after injury against England, second he falls back to Beauden Barrett to cover at fullback against Fiji, then he drops Narawa the obvious choice to have started, then he brings in Jordan too soon. That Barret selection (and to a lesser extent Bell's) set the tone for the year.


Then he didn't get the side up for Argentina. They were blown away and didn't look like they expected a fight and were well beaten despite the scoreline in my opinion. Worst performance of the year in the forth game and..


Basically the same problems were persistent, or even exaggerated, after that with the players he did select not given much of an opportunity, with this year having the most number of unused subs I can remember since the amateur days.


What I think I started to realise early on was that he didn't back himself and his team. I think he prepared the players well, don't get me wrong, but I'll credit him with making a conscious choice in tempering his ambition and instead choosing cohesion and to respect (the idea of it being important in himself and his players) experience first and foremost (after two tight games and that 4th game loss). I think he chose wrong in deciding not to be, and back, himself. Hard criticism.


And it played out by preferring Beauden to Dmac on the EOYT (though that may have been a planned move).


I hope I'm right, because going through all the little things of the season and coming up with these bullets, I've got to wonder when I say his last fault is one we have seen at the Crusaders, playing his best players into the ground. What I'm really scared of now is that not wanting a bit of freshness in this last game could be linked with all these other crosses that I want to put down to simple confidence issues. But are they really a sign that he just lacks vision?


Now, that's not to say I haven't seen a lot of positives as well, I just think that for the ABs to go where they want to go he has to fix these crosses. Just have difficult that will be is the question.

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