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Saracens forced to evolve in response to leaking of coaching talent - Sanderson
By Chris Jones
Paul Gustard’s arrival as Harlequins head of rugby is the latest example of Saracens impact on coaching around the rugby world and the English Premiership champions are actively spreading their title winning gospel.
The ethos that Brendan Venter helped create at Saracens has been carried on by Mark McCall, the current director of rugby, who has seen Andy Farrell, Gustard, Ian Vass, Rory Teague and Rob Cain leave to take up key roles at home and abroad, with former player Mouritz Botha now the forwards coach with Germany. Just like their first team squad, the English champions are concentrating on homegrown talent in their successful Academy where the next group of coaches are being groomed.
In May last year Mike Hynard replaced Don Barrell as Saracens Academy Manager with Barrell joining the Rugby Football Union as Head of Regional Academies. Currently part of the Saracens Academy are Kelly Brown, the former Scotland captain who has coached breakdowns for Scotland and also helped Canada and the Royal Navy and Adam Powell, the former Saracens and Newcastle centre.
The Saracens coaching production line has delivered;
- Brendan Venter, former technical director London Irish, ex-defence consultant South Africa and Italy.
- Andy Farrell, British and Irish Lions coach, defence coach of Ireland.
- Paul Gustard, former England defence coach and newly appointed Harlequins head of rugby.
- Ian Vass, former England U20 Grand Slam winning coach now with Montpellier.
- Rory Teague, former skills coach with England now head coach at Bordeaux Begles
- Rob Cain first full-time USA women's head coach after his role with Saracens title winning women’s team
- Mouritz Botha, forwards coach with Germany
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For Saracens, there must be a real danger that by allowing key coaches to join rival organisations, their position at the top of the game could be seriously undermined. Owner Nigel Wray dismisses this notion insisting that like his players, the coaches are encouraged to make the very best of their talents
Alex Sanderson, the Saracens forwards and defence coach, whose name has been linked to the England defence role that Gustard left this summer, agrees with Wray and rather than fearing the club’s secrets will be lost, he believes it only pushes the English champions to keep evolving and getting even better.
Sanderson is relishing going up against Gustard when the clubs meet at the Stoop on October 6 in a game that will be streamed live to the USA by NBC. He said: ”It is going to be even more interesting to have Guzzy there because there is no love lost between Sarries and Quins. Maybe they needed an environmental or cultural shift because they certainly have the players, tradition and pedigree to be a really good team. They are not far off it and to be honest, I am going to be really pleased to see more of him because I didn’t when he was with England as Eddie kept him very busy.
“There are similarities in terms of what teams do in defence and by having him, Quins will know our principles and policies but there is so much more to defence than just the system. It is always evolving as it did starting with Brendan (Venter) and then Guzzy and there are constant changes every season, especially when people leave the club. While the ethos continues you are always looking to move things forward regardless who is in charge.
“ We want to win all of the competitions and the European Champions Cup is massive. We let ourselves down in the Cup last season and if anything to home defeat in the pool stage against Clermont was the turning point for us. When we looked at what needed to be addressed it was a case of recognising the slide had started weeks earlier and while we didn’t have a big stand up meeting we had a lot of difficult small conversations and got everyone back onto the same page.
“To win the Premiership title again at Twickenham was sweet for the reasons I have mentioned, having turned a corner and found a way to get back on top again. I don’t look too far ahead. It is about getting through the first three games of the new season and see where we are and as always, it is about enjoying the journey – simple as that.”
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Latest Comments
Ireland have every right to back themselves for a win. But the key variable has little to do with recent record etc.
The reality is that Ireland are a settled team with tons of continuity, an established style, and a good depth chart, whereas NZ are fundamentally rebuilding. The questions are all about what Razor is doing and how far along he is in that program.
NZ are very close to really clicking. Against England all of the chatter is about how England could have closed out a win, but failed to do so. This has obscured the observation that NZ were by far the more creative and effective in attack, beyond the 3-1 try differential and disallowed tries. They gave away a lot of unnecessary penalties, and made many simple errors (including knock-ons and loose kicks). Those things are very fixable, and when they do so we are once again going to be staring at a formidable NZ team.
Last week we heard the England fans talking confidently about their chances against NZ, but England did not end up looking like the better team on the field or the scoreboard. The England defense was impressive enough, but still could not stop the tries.
Ireland certainly has a better chance, of course, but NZ is improving fast, and I would not be surprised at a convincing All Black win this week. It may turn on whether NZ can cut out the simple mistakes.
Go to commentsFair to say that NZ have come to respect Ireland, as have all teams. But it's a bit click-baitey to say that the game is the premier show-down for NZ.
SA has beaten NZ four times in a row, including in the RWC final.
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