Saracens-plus is needed for England to rule the world
SATURDAY was a great day for English rugby — and for England’s World Cup challenge.
A third of this Saracens team will now go to Eddie Jones’ squad as European champions and bring a much- needed winning mentality, especially after the Six Nations.
Aside from the obvious stars, the two players I highlighted before the game, Liam Williams and Alex Lozowski, played really well. And Brad Barritt just seems to play in teams who win. There was a nice moment when Owen Farrell kicked Saracens level on half-time and Barritt waited to congratulate him while everyone else went down the tunnel. That said a lot about Barritt and the respect those two clearly have for each other.
Alex Goode, who after the game was crowned European Player of the Year, was exceptional again. He is in the same bracket as Danny Cipriani in that at any other time, with any other coach, he would be in the England starting team. Selection is an art not a science and unfortunately for Goode he just does not fit Eddie’s thinking.
Would you pick him over Anthony Watson or Elliot Daly? If I’m honest, I wouldn’t. Would I pick Farrell and George Ford above Cipriani? Definitely.
When the Sarries players join up with England again they will bring a relentless, brutal style of play into the set-up. But the big question is — is that good enough to win a World Cup?
Can you beat France and Argentina with massive ballcarriers and an aggressive defence? Can you beat South Africa, Australia or New Zealand like that? The answer might be yes, but I think England need to come up with a plan to be ‘Saracens-plus’.
They can build on the foundations of this Sarries team and add yet more power. Bring in Manu Tuilagi and Joe Cokanasiga and it goes up another level in terms of physicality in the back division. Meanwhile, the likes of Jonny May, Daly and Henry Slade bring a new level of speed and playmaking ability.
Everyone has to buy into it, like Saracens do. It might not be pretty but crikey it is effective. Look at the way England beat Ireland in February. That was ‘Saracens-plus’ for sure.
What this style is doing to rugby as a sport, though, heaven only knows. At times it is like a professional version of British bulldog!
I watched the game on French television, and when you don’t listen to the commentary there is a lot else you seem to notice. The ruck has almost become a non-event now. So few people are involved in rucks that the teams just spread across the field and it really does become like rugby league.
When you then see that Barritt made 28 tackles at centre it is further proof that the game has changed. I don’t think I made 28 tackles in a year!
Defensive coaches are becoming heroes but the superstar coach will be the attack coach who figures out a way through these brick walls. For me this starts and finishes at the ruck.
Saracens do have a ‘plan B’ but they are never going to play like the All Blacks.
In 2003 we were the fittest and strongest team but did not solely play a power game. Our aim was to play 15-man rugby, and we won a World Cup with it.
We had a call — ‘killer’ — where we would attack straight through the middle of the ruck. The aim was to draw players in to make the space out wide. If they did not come in we just went route one and through the ruck. It got us attacking, offloading and it negated rush-defences. That can be a way to get through the defensive walls across the field in the modern game. You have to do something different.
When England get to quarterfinals or semi-finals they need to be ‘Saracens-plus’. To me the ‘plus’ element is having the ability to do everything that bit faster and having that extra flexibility, not to change the game- plan, but to adapt it when needed.
Well done to Saracens on lifting another trophy. To win three European Cups in four years is a remarkable feat.
I hope their feats can inspire England to glory later in the year.