2. Saracens – 2018/19 Premiership & Champions Cup Double
We now enter a period of time that was dominated by Saracens, as the trophy cabinet in North London required constant expansion throughout the 2010s. During this era of StoneX success, Saracens lifted five Premiership titles, three Champions Cups and the 2014/15 Anglo-Welsh Cup. We may be on the cusp of a new era of Saracens silverware, after the North Londoners yo-yoed back up from the Championship and claimed last season’s Premiership title over Sale Sharks.
The 2018/19 Champions Cup saw Saracens take on the top Celtic clubs, as they felled Cardiff Blues, Glasgow Warriors, Munster and Leinster on the road to the trophy. The bane of the British and Irish Isles, Saracens pulled no punches on their journey, with the final seeing England and Ireland talismen Owen Farrell and Johnny Sexton go tee-to-tee for their clubs. Saracens handed Leinster a 20-10 defeat in Newcastle’s St James’ Park, and pressed on for the Premiership title just three weeks later.
Saracens then met Exeter Chiefs in the 2018/19 Premiership Final, as the beating Twickenham sunshine set the stage for a fast-flowing finale to the season’s league campaign. The nine-try thriller was split 34-37 in favour of Saracens, with the try-scoring commencing from the get-go. Nic White crossed over for Exeter after just one minute, with a try that ignited the high octane try scoring at the home of English rugby. Saracens prevailed through tries from Ben Spencer, Liam Williams, Sean Maitland and a Jamie George brace, before Owen Farrell added 12 points over from the tee.
3. Saracens – 2015/16 Premiership & Champions Cup Double
Saracen’s first Premiership and Champions Cup double triumph came a year earlier in the 2015/16 season, in what stands as a historic accomplishment in the halls of the North London club. Sarries took the Premiership by storm that season, to retain the domestic league title from the previous campaign of capital success. Just four defeats all season saw Saracens top the table, as they then cruised past Leicester Tigers 44-17, in the home semi-final.
A run in with the Chiefs followed at Twickenham, who would return to become first time Premiership champions the following season. Saracens and Exeter battled it out in front of a packed house, with the Londoners prevailing 28-20. Sarries crossed the whitewash through tries from Duncan Taylor, Chris Wyles and Alex Goode, with the metronomic kicking of Owen Farrell adding the essential extras over Exeter’s efforts. In Europe, Saracens claimed their first Champions Cup title, after a ruthless run against the best of the Northern Hemisphere’s clubs.
Pulling no punches in the pool stage, Saracens were the first team to progress to the knockout rounds with home and away wins against Ulster, Oyonnax and European rugby heavyweights Toulouse. The five-time European champions were sent packing from the pool stages, following a humbling outing against the Premiership heavy-hitters. Two Premiership powerhouses followed in the quarter and semi-finals, and Saracens battled past Northampton Saints (29-20) and Wasps (29-17) for a finale with Parisian giants Racing 92. Ever the bridesmaids of the Champions Cup, Racing lost their first of three finals that year in the 21-9 final.