Saracens have given Alex reason to believe
ALEX Lewington believes his exceptional first season at Saracens can hit new heights as he thrives among the club’s galaxy of international stars.
Signed from relegated London Irish last summer, Lewington might have struggled to compete for a place against established Test veterans Sean Maitland, Liam Williams and Dave Strettle.
Instead, the former Leicester academy wing has been one of the club’s stand-out performers, scoring seven tries in ten Premiership appearances and featuring in every Champions Cup Pool match as Saracens roared unbeaten into the quarter-finals.
“I’ve played a lot and it’s been really good,” Lewington, 27, told The Rugby
Paper. “We’re doing well in all competitions and in a weird season when you lose half your team twice a year to internationals, it’s been a real squad effort and really exciting.
“Whenever you move clubs, you’re a bit unsure what’s going to happen. You go in full of expectation for yourself but it’s not until you get stuck into training and form bonds and relationships with players and coaches that you really know how you’ll go.
“It’s actually been awesome to be alongside guys like Liam Williams, Sean Maitland and Dave Strettle and I’ve learned so much from them.
“I played with Sean before at Irish so we already had a friendship there, but Stretts has been really good with giving me little pointers and guys like Alex Goode and Liam have given me great direction as well.”
Lewington added: “I feel like my game’s improving, certainly positioning-wise and aerially, and tasting Champions Cup rugby for the first time has been a big step up. It’s a phenomenal competition so it’s going to be fascinating going into the knock-outs.”
With the business end of the season approaching, Lewington explained: “The big difference coming from London Irish to Saracens has been expectation. At Irish you were almost hoping to win rather than expecting it, whereas here it’s the opposite.
“We go into games as favourites pretty much every week, even when we lose our England players, but the expectation comes from within as well. We expect to win, expect to play well and achieve high standards and these Test periods make us tighter.
“I enjoy seeing a lot of the young lads who have to step up and play at this level. They bring a lot of enthusiasm to the group, which is exciting to see, and they’re getting better and better. We’re going to have a good crack at all four competitions.”