Premiership Preview: Saracens - Ruck
LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 30: Alistair Hargreaves the Saracens captain and Brad Barritt raise the trophy after their victory during the Aviva Premiership Final between Bath and Saracens at Twickenham Stadium on May 30, 2015 in London, England. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
Aviva Premiership

Premiership Preview: Saracens

15 October 2015
Rugby Rucker
Last Season: 4th, Champions
Top Tryscorer: Chris Ashton and Chris Wyles (13)
Top Pointscorer: Charlie Hodgson (152)
‘Strange’ would probably be an appropriate word for Saracens’ 2014/15 campaign. Despite finishing the league season three places and a massive 19 points lower than last year, they took home two more trophies than the previous campaign, ending the year as Grand Final and LV=Cup winners.
Before March, the season was unraveling and fans were turning, but the Anglo-Welsh success, a 23-20 win over Exeter, sparked a crucial improvement.

Despite the Men in Black finishing in their lowest league standing since 2009, their play-off campaign was nothing short of outstanding as they shocked Northampton on their own patch before dismantling Bath in the Twickenham final.

The Coach: Mark McCall
LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 30: Mark McCall the Saracens head coach celebrates his team's 28-16 victory during the Aviva Premiership Final between Bath Rugby and Saracens at Twickenham Stadium on May 30, 2015 in London, England (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
(Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
McCall joined Saracens at the start of the 2009/10 season and helped guide the club to their first Premiership final in his first year at the club. The former Ireland international, who had previously spent time as a coach with Castres, became Director of Rugby in January 2011. That year became Sarries’ first title-winning season before two near misses ahead of last year’s major success.

Th 48-year-old in one of the division’s most secure coaches and is a widely-regarded advocate of attacking rugby, a fact epitomised as they became the Premiership’s highest scorers in a season for ten years, outdone by a point by Leicester’s 665-point haul in 2004/05, last season.

Key Man: Owen Farrell
during the Aviva Premiership Final between Bath and Saracens at Twickenham Stadium on May 30, 2015 in London, England.
during the Aviva Premiership Final between Bath and Saracens at Twickenham Stadium on May 30, 2015 in London, England.
Having been brought up on Rugby League, Farrell followed in his father, Andy’s footsteps in becoming a Union player, switching to the sport at the age of 14. It has proven to be a stellar cocktail as the sprightly 24-year-old has put his mark firmly on the International and Club stage in Union.

The fly half has racked up 343 points from just 35 England caps while rattling up a monstrous 1,112 points in just 113 games for his north London club. Though, kicking talents have never been in doubt, criticism has come his way due to his lack of consistency. But he came of age last year, scoring a try and ten crucial points in the 28-16 Premiership Grand Final win over Bath, subsequently picking up the Man of the Match award for his efforts. Can he find a new level in 2014/15? England expects.

Prediction: 2nd, finalists

The star quality which runs through the core of this Sarries clear to see and it looks likely that, whoever beats them, will become Champions. Despite the loss of record scorer David Strettle, a small player turnover, just three new arrivals and four permanent departures, sets a solid platform for a good start to the year which will set them apart from their top four rivals. Champions’ Cup qualification will be comfortably achieved, but the Bath bandwagon will clinch the all-important silverware in a reverse of this year’s showpiece. Odds for Title: 11/4.

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