Northern Edition

Select Edition

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

'You're getting a perfect storm... a quite shocking outcome'

(Photo by PA)

Alex Sanderson is for sure incredibly busy trying to get the best from Sale in his first full season as their director of rugby, but that demanding schedule doesn’t stop him from keeping an eye on Saracens, the club where he played and coached as an assistant for the majority of his career. Whereas the Sharks have been coping with injuries and some inconsistent performances this season, the newly promoted Saracens have blazed a trail. 

ADVERTISEMENT

Having spent last season in the Championship following their automatic relegation for repeated breaches of the salary cap, the London club arrived back into the top-flight as the favourites by the bookies to clinch the title at the end of the 2021/22 season. 

They were controversially defeated at Leicester by a penalty try after the officials missed a penalty offence by Tigers’ Dan Kelly in the lead-up to that endgame, Kelly subsequently getting cited and banned for his collision with Aled Davies. 

Video Spacer

Dan Biggar on why the Autumn Nations Series is the most brutal of all

Video Spacer

Dan Biggar on why the Autumn Nations Series is the most brutal of all

But Saracens have won their four other matches and the last two by a chasm – Bath getting hammered 71-17 at home and then Wasps were stung 56-15 last weekend at the StoneX. Just twelve months ago, those sides were contesting the playoffs in the delayed 2019/20 season but they look far from title challengers when steamrollered by Mark McCall’s side.   

With defending champions Harlequins next on the list for Saracens this Sunday, Sanderson has enjoyed what he has seen from afar. “My initial thought was brilliant, chuffed for them, well done and then you look at the whole game in context and the teams they were playing and the form they were in,” he told RugbyPass.

“Saracens are flying in terms of their form. They have got all their players back, they are highly motivated, particularly some of their big players because they want to get back into that England set-up against one team that was injury-stricken, had 16 injuries last week, and Bath, who were struggling to find their identity and still haven’t won a game. 

“You are getting a perfect storm with two teams at the opposite end of the table, one who is flying and the other two teams that are struggling to find themselves and as a result, you get an outcome that is quite shocking and surprising. I don’t think Saracens will expect that form to continue over the course of the season, they certainly won’t when we play them (at the StoneX on November 28).

ADVERTISEMENT

“It was just a circumstance of where they and those other two teams were at this particular point of time and it led to some particular high scoring games. Max Malins scored six tries, four of them in his leggings. I have been really impressed watching Saracens, they have found their own again.”

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

O
Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
TRENDING
TRENDING 'World-class finisher' offers All Blacks selection solution Mark Tele'a scores a double at Allianz Stadium
Search