SARACENS
Director of Rugby: Mark McCall
Captain: Brad Barritt
Ground: Allianz Park
Capacity: 10,000
The reigning European Champions want a hat-trick of titles – and to reclaim the Premiership crown they lost to Exeter — and they signalled that by adding three top international players to a line-up which already boasts multiple Lions and England luminaries.
Saracens have gone for quality by signing Lions and Wales wing/full-back Liam Williams from Scarlets, giant Aussie lock Will Skelton and hooker Christopher Tolofua, 23, capped seven times by France.
Chris Ashton’s departure to Toulon means Saracens have lost one of the sharpest finishers in Europe – but it gives exciting young wing Nathan Earle the opportunity to fill his boots.
The big question is whether Williams – one of the best broken-field runners in the world – and two massive tight-five forwards — Tolofua is over 18 stone and Skelton 22 stone — will give Saracens the turboboost to win more titles?
The danger of a Lions hangover cannot be dismissed. Jamie George, Mako Vunipola, Maro Itoje, George Kruis and Owen Farrell have featured in two hugely demanding back-to-back seasons. The counterpoint is that Mark McCall has proved himself to be one of the most astute coaches in the game, and one of the best at divining when players require rest and recreation.
INS AND OUTS
IN: Christopher Tolofua (Toulouse), Liam Williams (Scarlets), Calum Clark (Northampton Saints), Tom Griffiths (Academy), Hayden Thompson-Stringer (Academy), Tom Whiteley (Academy), Will Skelton (Waratahs), Dominic Day (Melbourne Rebels), Kieran Longbottom (Sale)
OUT: Chris Ashton (Toulon), George Perkins (Bristol), Kelly Brown (retired), Jared Saunders (Jersey Reds), Brian Tuilagi (Dax), Samuela Vunisa (Glasgow Warriors), Petrus du Plessis (London Irish), Neil de Kock, Jim Hamilton (both retired), Fa’atiga Lemalu, Tim Streather (both released)
2017-18 FIXTURES
Sat Sep 2 (h) Northampton
Sat Sep 9 (a) Bath
Sat Sep 16 (a) Newcastle
Sat Sep 23 (h) Sale
Fri Sep 29 (a) Worcester
Sun Oct 8 (h) Wasps
Sat Oct 28 (h) London Irish
Fri Nov 17 (a) Gloucester
Sun Nov 26 (h) Exeter
Sun Dec 3 (a) Harlequins
Dec 22/23/24 (a) Leicester
Dec 29/30/31 (h) Worcester
Jan 5/6/7 (a) Wasps
Feb 9/10/11 (h) Newcastle
Feb 16/17/18 (a) Sale
Feb 23/24/25 (h) Leicester
Mar 2/3/4 (a) Exeter
Mar 23/24/25 (h) Harlequins
Apr 6/7/8 (a) Northampton
Apr 13/14/15 (h) Bath
Apr 27/28/29 (a) London Irish
Sat May 5 (h) Gloucester
PLAYER TO WATCH
LIAM WILLIAMS – FULL-BACK
The Lions wing/full-back rivals NZ’s Ben Smith as the most creative back-three runner in the game, and should bring an even sharper cutting edge to the Saracens attack. The first trick is for the Welshman and incumbent full-back Alex Goode to get on the same counter-attacking wavelength.
2017-18 SQUAD
Schalk Brits, Jamie George, Scott Spurling, Christopher Tolofua, Richard Barrington, Juan Figallo, Vincent Koch, Titi Lamositele, Kieran Longbottom, Hayden Thompson-Stringer, Mako Vunipola, Dominic Day, Mark Flanagan, Maro Itoje, George Kruis, Will Skelton, Schalk Burger, Calum Clark, Joel Conlon, Will Fraser, Matt Hankin, Michael Rhodes, Billy Vunipola, Jackson Wray,Ben Spencer, Henry Taylor, Tom Whiteley, Richard Wigglesworth, Owen Farrell, Alex Lozowski, Brad Barritt (c), Marcelo Bosch, Tom Griffiths, Duncan Taylor, Nick Tompkins, Nathan Earle, Mike Ellery, Sean Maitland, Liam Williams, Chris Wyles, Matt Gallagher, Alex Goode
VERDICT: 1st (LAST SEASON: 3rd – SF)
