Jamie George defiantly insists Saracens can hold on to Champions Cup
Jamie George, like the good hooker he is, puffed out his chest and sounded a defiant note. “I believe we can still win the European Cup. It was always going to be a tough start in Paris and our defeat there puts a lot of emphasis on this weekend but there is a massive sense of excitement around the club.”
Three weeks after the desolation of that World Cup final defeat, the England hooker gets his head down again in his first club game since returning from Japan, as a replacement to Jack Singleton in Saracens’ Champions Cup game at lunchtime on Saturday against the Ospreys at Allianz Park.
This is no ordinary return for the European champions, however. They are engulfed in a crisis unprecedented in the history of English club rugby. Docked 35 Premiership points and fined £5.36m for salary-cap breaches after England returned from the World Cup, they will not retain their domestic title next spring and will only play in Europe’s premier competition next season if they win the trophy for a third consecutive year.
Defending that European title has not been made easier by a 30-10 defeat at Racing 92 last Sunday and, with a trip to Thomond Park to face Munster next on their European agenda, a bonus-point win against the Ospreys is the minimum requirement.
“We heard rumours of the punishment in our final week before the World Cup final,” said George. “But it wasn’t a distraction. I was gutted by the news, of course I was, but I was more gutted for [chairman] Nigel [Wray] and the coaching staff.
“This reminds me of when we went on a bleak run of losses the winter before last. The senior players have to lead by example and drive the standards up. It will be a difficult challenge but in many ways it is quite exciting and this will bring us closer together. We are in trouble at the minute but we are incredibly proud of our achievements.
“It feels like we have grown even tighter and, strange as it may seem, it was good to park the disappointment of the final in Japan and focus on something that we could now influence. I know there has been talk of what this means for the futures of players but we have been open with each other and there will be no whispering in corners here.”
For Saracens’ 100th match in this competition, George is joined in the squad for the first time by Elliot Daly, who makes his debut as a starter at fullback. Mako Vunipola and George Kruis also start and the club captain, Brad Barritt, is back after his injury lay-off to partner Duncan Taylor in the centre. There is no Owen Farrell and Maro Itoje, with the 19-year-old Manu Vunipola, a cousin of Mako and Billy, filling in for the England captain Farrell at fly-half.
Saracens can expect a friendlier reception than on their last game in England when fake banknotes were waved at their players in their win at Gloucester a fortnight ago. The Recreation Ground, where they meet in Bath in a Premiership game next Friday, may be chillier than Barnet as Saracens prepare for the long tunnel of winter fixtures.
Ospreys, heavily beaten at home by Munster last weekend, are not in the best shape themselves. Already without George North, injured in the World Cup semi-final defeat by the Springboks, the visitors will also be missing their captain, Justin Tipuric, and Wales’ captain, Alun Wyn Jones, whose groin injury has ruled him out of Wales’ meeting with the Barbarians next Saturday. The centre Owen Watkin and lock Adam Beard are back in their starting lineup after returning from Japan but, if it has been a long three weeks for Saracens, it could be a long afternoon for the Ospreys.