SARACENS READY FOR THE FIRST HURDLE ON THEIR LONG ROAD TO REDEMPTION
SARACENS launch a redemption mission in Cornwall today with a desire to approach their Championship promotion campaign with humility — and respect for unfamiliar foes. In the aftermath of relegation for past salary cap offences, followed by the Covid disruption which left them in limbo, they begin their quest for a swift return to the Premiership by taking on Cornish Pirates at the Mennaye Field in Penzance. An abbreviated, 10-match schedule in English rugby’s second tier is likely to culminate in qualification for a two-leg play-off final but Saracens won’t make the mistake of taking that for granted. There are still scars from what they have endured since Sportsmail exposed their breaches of spending limits in the top division, but director of rugby Mark McCall explained that this is another phase in the protracted healing process. ‘It’s been, what, 15 months since the salary cap decision and it feels like a decade,’ he said. ‘Some of the healing did happen in the months after that. The team stuck together very well in that previous season. When we managed to get to the semi-final of the Champions Cup, that was part of the process. ‘This is a new part of the process and it is different. We all started in clubs like these (in the Championship). None of our squad were born as professional rugby players or as Saracens players — they all started at clubs like these and there are a lot of brilliant people at these clubs. We are not above going to play at these clubs and that is the attitude we will take.’ After today, Saracens face Jersey, Richmond, Bedford, Doncaster, Ealing Trailfinders — their primary challengers — Nottingham, Ampthill, Coventry and Hartpury University. They aim to integrate their senior England contingent — Owen Farrell, Maro Itoje, Billy and Mako Vunipola, Jamie George and Elliot Daly — after the Six Nations and they expect those galacticos to commit to the cause. ‘Whether all six of those
England internationals come back and play in the same game, I’m not sure,’ said McCall. ‘It might be in twos and threes. They won’t play in every game but they will play at least four of the eight league games that we’ll have left, plus hopefully two competitive final games if we can get ourselves into the top two. I think they’ll arrive on a Lions tour ready to go. ‘There have been some really encouraging noises from them about how keen they are, once the Six Nations is over, to come back, roll their sleeves up and
get stuck in. Billy played in the first warm-up game against Ealing and was due to play at Doncaster the week after. ‘We had a Covid problem that week so we weren’t able to play the fixture but Jamie George and Maro wanted to play.’ Saracens are aware of the scenario they face. Every game will be a cup final for their rivals. They know that they have to be mentally right every week and alert to the danger of complacency, due to their status as recent league and European champions. ‘I think having expectations is probably the most dangerous thing in sport,’ said McCall. ‘We have lost two of the five friendlies we’ve played and we are aware we need to be emotionally ready for all these games. Every opposition will bring their very best game. They are all going to be highly motivated.’ Due to Covid restrictions, Saracens must make the long trip to Cornwall and back today. It’s a taste of what lies ahead — an uncomfortable journey which, they hope, will lead back to where the club belong.