The curious 'too up and down' verdict by nearly champions Saracens
Mark McCall has curiously labelled Saracens’ 2021/22 return to the Gallagher Premiership as inconsistent even though they just lost six of their 24 regular season games and were level with Leicester in the final minute of the Twickenham final before losing to a last-gasp drop goal. The Londoners returned to the top flight last September after spending the previous year in the Championship where they were crowned champions following their automatic relegation from the Premiership for repeated salary cap breaches.
They spent the majority of last season locked into second place behind leaders Leicester, enough to secure them home-field advantage for the semi-finals and they comfortably defeated London rivals Harlequins in that playoff game.
However, ahead of his club’s round two start to the new 2022/23 Premiership season away to Quins this Saturday (they had a round one bye last weekend), Saracens boss McCall has outlined his disappointment with how his team generally performed last season, an inconsistency that he claims he hasn’t fully identified why it happened.
“We felt last year we were too up and down,” he said despite a regular season record of W17 D1 L6. “Not just too up and down from match to match but even during matches to be honest. That was the disappointing thing and obviously we have addressed that and talked about it as a group.
“We have got a very open group who want to be better than they were last year and we have got international players who have got the World Cup in twelve months’ time, that will spur them on and motivate them to really push their own games forward.
"But we have got this young group underneath them, all of whom had real breakthrough seasons last year to be honest and you guys know all their names and equally they are keen to push their individual game on and that will help our team game.”
Asked why Saracens were too inconsistent in the eyes of McCall, he added: “We never really put our fingers on the reason why. It usually comes down to preparation and what you see during the week you will see on a weekend, but it’s hard to say. There were glimpses all the way through last year of what we were capable of and we played well for periods in some matches.
“I’m not saying we didn’t play well. We did but the up and down nature of it we didn’t enjoy and we want to have a more consistent approach. We want consistency in attitude and effort and it is a really, really competitive Premiership this year. You saw that last weekend. It might take us a bit of time to be playing our best rugby and we know that, but hopefully we get to the end of the season feeling better about our rugby.”
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The way Ratima has been treated he needs to look OS. Same with Perofeta and Love, Hothem too. Razor is a token coach. Gives debuts but very few mins. Also DM too. Just go earn millions elsewhere DM as all you get in NZ is bagging.
BB is coaches favourite and I say let him have BB right thru to the next 2 or maybe even 3 World cups.😁😁 Have JB outside him at 12...That just works so well.
Go to commentsIt certainly needs to be cherished. Despite Nick (and you) highlighting their usefulness for teams like Australia (and obviously those in France they find form with) I (mention it general in those articles) say that I fear the game is just not setup in Aus and NZ to appreciate nor maximise their strengths. The French game should continue to be the destination of the biggest and most gifted athletes but it might improve elsewhere too.
I just have an idea it needs a whole team focus to make work. I also have an idea what the opposite applies with players in general. I feel like French backs and halves can be very small and quick, were as here everyone is made to fit in a model physique. Louis was some 10 and 20 kg smaller that his opposition and we just do not have that time of player in our game anymore. I'm dying out for a fast wing to appear on the All Blacks radar.
But I, and my thoughts on body size in particular, could be part of the same indoctrination that goes on with player physiques by the establishment in my parts (country).
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