Wray: We’ll defy injuries and make Sarries great
SARACENS’ bid to create a Premiership and Champions Cupwinning dynasty will not be derailed by the absence of key players, insists back row star Jackson Wray.
The north London outfit head into crucial Champions Cup matches against Scarlets and Toulon shorthanded after injuries to England’s Billy and Mako Vunipola (both knee) and George Kruis (cheekbone) – the trio having been at the heart of last year’s ‘double’.
However, Wray, who has shouldered the No.8 burden admirably in the absence of Billy Vunipola, reckons Saracens remain on track to match, and even surpass, the previous achievements of Wasps and Leicester by winning multiple European and domestic titles.
He told The Rugby Paper: “That’s a massive target, and for us it’s about sustained success and not to rest on what we’ve done in the past, regardless of our injuries.
“We want to make as many good memories as possible and winning Europe last year was the high of our careers. To have done that once is brilliant, but to do it again and again and beat what great sides of the past have done is something we really want to do.
“We’ve got that hunger and the age profile of our squad means that a lot of our players still see ourselves as works in progress. I don’t think we can ever be comfortable because we want to be winning as many Premiership and European titles as we can.
“We’ve had injuries but everyone in our squad is on the same page of what this team’s about, so it’s just about manipulating things to get the job done. Our game is not where we want it to be in all areas, but it’s about building towards the end of the season.” Wray, who has been on the England fringes for some time, has again missed out on squad selection but is determined to enhance his claims whilst covering Vunipola, left. He said: “I’ve spoken to the England coaches and improved things like defence, so I feel I’m making good strides. It’s difficult getting into the England set-up with all the success they’ve had, but I’ll keep on doing good things and impose myself where I can.
“Now’s a real opportunity to play at No.8 and get some good form going there, so I’m just aiming to capitalise on that and, hopefully, I’ll one day get an England chance. I don’t feel far away so I’ll just try to remain an influential member of the Saracens team.”
Wray, 26, added: “It’s very important to keep our momentum going now and there’s added responsibility on me at the base of our scrum. That’s something I relish, though, and there’s a big period ahead in Europe now where we need to be flying.”