Ruthless Sarries are back

Saracens’ 71-17 away victory at Bath in the Premiership yesterday was really quite remarkable.

We really should not be seeing results of this nature in this league. Bath, admittedly, were poor and Danny Cipriani has a game to forget, but Sarries were utterly ruthless. 45-0 up at half time, having spent a significant time defending in their own 22 during the half, told us all we needed to know about this Saracens team.

In 2013 I penned a post in which I declared that, as far as club rugby was concerned, I was more or less the equivalent of Switzerland i.e. neutral.

In that post I described Saracens as being “a difficult team to love” – and as a club they have hardly covered themselves in glory in recent years, almost certainly reinforcing that view as a far as fans of other Premiership teams are concerned.

But, having since coached youth rugby in a region that is heavily supported by Saracens and having witnessed what the club do in the community, I think it’s fair to say that my stance has shifted and that, whilst I am by no means a committed Fez-head, if I support any professional team then that team would be Sarries.

Anyway, love them or loathe them, Sunday’s utter demolition of Bath would suggest that Saracens will be there or thereabouts come the business end of the season.

Total Flanker – the older I get, the better I was