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Mako: Why 'wanting to prove people wrong' hurt Saracens last year

By PA
(Photo by Ben Whitley/PA Images via Getty Images)

Mako Vunipola feels that Saracens have not allowed themselves to be affected by external noise this season ahead of their ninth Gallagher Premiership final appearance. The London club return to Twickenham next week, where Sale will stand between them and a sixth title of the Premiership era.

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Saracens were last crowned English champions in 2019 and they have since spent a season in the Championship after being relegated for persistent salary cap breaches.

They teed up a dream finale to their first campaign back in the top flight last term by contesting domestic silverware with Leicester. But the Tigers bit them, winning 15-12 thanks to a Freddie Burns drop goal during the nerve-shredding closing stages of a gripping final.

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Maro Itoje | All Access | Episode 2 – What is it like playing for Saracens rugby club?

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Maro Itoje | All Access | Episode 2 – What is it like playing for Saracens rugby club?

Jim Hamilton sits down with Vitality ambassador and former teammate Maro Itoje before he jets off to South Africa for the British & Irish Lions Series.
The Saracens lock told us all about Saracens rugby club and the defining effect it has had on his rugby career.

“Last year we probably focused too much on the things outside, worrying about what people were saying and wanting to prove them wrong,” Saracens and England prop Vunipola said.

“It probably got to that we didn’t actually enjoy the occasion. We didn’t throw a punch in the final, and that is credit to Leicester – they didn’t let us throw a punch.

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“This year, we have just been trying to improve game by game, probably a little bit more focused on ourselves and what we can control, rather than worry (about) outside. You get emotion spikes in big games, and we have to be able to control that, make sure we channel it in the right way and put it towards our rugby.

“Last year, we didn’t really fire a shot, and that was down to Leicester being able to dictate the way the game went. We weren’t able to attack because we didn’t work hard enough or we didn’t adjust well enough. Hopefully, we can do that this time.”

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While Saracens have been regular Twickenham visitors over the past dozen seasons, Sale are through to their first Premiership final since 2006 when players like Jason Robinson, Charlie Hodgson and Sebastien Chabal ruled the roost.

A pivotal part of Sale’s resurgence has been rugby director Alex Sanderson, who was previously key to Saracens’ success in a revered coaching team led by Mark McCall.

Vunipola added: “Me and Alex started working together when I was 16 or 17. He was the first one who kind of gave me a shot with the age-group stuff and gave me a bit of confidence that I could play at the highest level.

“To work with him at Saracens for so long was a privilege. He wears his heart on his sleeve, and you see that. We always knew here at the club how special he is as a coach and a person.

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“And we knew if he did the same at Sale then success would come to them as a team, whether that was finishing higher in the league or the players enjoying what they are doing.

“Having been around a lot of them at England camps, they can’t speak highly enough of Al and what he has done. We know that Sale will be pumped for it, we know they will have a plan, and a lot of that will be down to the work he does with the leaders they have there at Sale.”

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AllyOz 28 minutes ago
How the Lions found their roar, and disproved a popular Australian theory

The games so far have been compelling and competitive until the 50th minute. The Lions have been tested to that point, but always, in my mind, looked to be dominant at the ruck and more dangerous out wide. Both the Reds and the Force have hung in there but there has always been a feeling of when not if the Lions will overpower them. I also think that Russell is a huge point of difference. Against him at the Force we had an inexperienced NZ import, and at the Reds, their second best 10 in Harry Mclaughlin-Phillips (paired with their second best 9 in Kalani Thomas). I think the Force would have been better starting Donaldson at 10 and it was a mistake for the Reds (and the Wallabies) not to play McDermott and Lynagh - play someone else against Fiji and give those two some exposure to the Lions (though I understand Lynagh may still be injured so maybe won’t be available for either game).


For me, we don’t have the depth, particularly in the halves and the front rows. You noticed it most against the Force and a little against the Reds.


When we are replacing our players at 50 we are replacing them with players that are not good enough to make the run on team on a team that finished 9th or 5th in Super Rugby. When the Lions make their replacements they are replacing them with run on players from the nations that are 3rd, 4th and 6th ranked in world rugby.


But, looking at your figures Nic, it doesn’t appear that it is a new problem. And I have a solution for future Australian tours. And that is, make future tours to Australia an Oceania tour. In the lead up the Lions wouldn’t play a team like Argentina before they leave but, on the way would play Japan, Fiji, Samoa or Tonga and/or a Pasifika selection - the best of their available test players - with this last game played in Australia (maybe Townsville). We would have less games here - perhaps not all the SR clubs or perhaps not the AUNZ and Pasifika selection (which is only really there because we lost the Melbourne Rebels).


Some of those tests against other Pacific Nations could be played in Australia - they will attract good crowds anyway - much of the crowd is the touring crowd anyway and Australia has large Polynesian communities. A Lions vs Tonga game at Western Sydney Stadium would fill that ground. A Fiji vs Lions game in Brisbane would fill Suncorp. We spread the game a bit wider, we get development opportunities for our lower tier Oceanic playing nations. It might mean that RA take a bit of a haircut on the total revenue but it might not be that big.


I would also suggest that the Lions could maybe tour the Americas in the same/similar way. So Argentina would get the 3 tests at the end but, on the way, the Lions could play Canada, USA, Chile and/or Uruguay (all have played at World Cups) and then three tests against Argentina. I imagine the Provincial sides in Argentina would struggle just as much (if not more) than the Australian ones, but this way, the Lions get international opposition all the way down. And I imagine a Lions Test in New York or Vancouver would draw a decent crowd.


With SA vs NZ touring series coming up - the Lions coming to Oceania and the Americas during those times might be a good way for the two TRC partners Australia and Argentina with a pretty good alternative.

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