David Strettle backs Sarries pair to bolster Eddie Jones’ staff
As new Red Rose boss Eddie Jones considers his backroom options before officially taking up his post on Tuesday, forwards coach Sanderson and defensive guru Gustard are among those being linked with a place in the Australian’s set-up.
Strettle, who worked with the pair at Sarries for five years before decamping to Clermont Auvergne during the summer, told The Rugby Paper: “Alex and Paul are brilliant coaches and as soon as I joined Saracens in 2010 I found them inspirational.
“They’re definitely up there with the best coaches I’ve worked under and their knowledge of the game is incredible. But it’s not just that, it’s how you implement it and you need to have a fun coaching and working environment.
“People always play better and learn more when they’re enjoying it and want to be there, and at Saracens all the coaches got their point across, but they did it in a way that made you want to play for them without the fear of messing up.
“You don’t want to play for them just because they’re your coach, they’re your mates as well, people who speak to you like a mate, and if there’s anything wrong or they want to pick you up on something, they treat you like a professional.
“It shows how strong the Saracens coaching set-up is that they’re having guys like Alex and Paul looked at by international teams and although it would be a blow for the club to lose them, I wouldn’t be surprised if Eddie chose them.”
Strettle believes sacked England boss Stuart Lancaster paid the price for failing to settle on his best team before the World Cup and urges Jones not to chop and change, particularly in midfield where he believes there has to be more dynamism.
Strettle said: “The World Cup was bitterly disappointing and I think Stuart Lancaster took too long to get his team together. If he could have done it earlier, that would have vastly increased their chances.
“Lancaster said he wanted to have more caps and experience but then kept changing the side. Having said that, about 70 per cent of the guys he eventually chose can be around for the next one, so there’s the basis of a good side.
“I hope Eddie Jones doesn’t chop and change. He’ll have opinions on who should be in, but once he’s made those decisions he needs to develop continuity, because players need to know they can make a mistake and not be dropped straight away.
“You need a pack that can achieve dominance, half-backs who are good enough game managers to know when to play, and then, when the ball is available, Eddie needs a back-line which has the X-factor to use space and execute well.
“I don’t think England’s wings are an issue, although god knows how many of those Lancaster went through, it’s more about the midfield and if you look at guys like Henry Slade and Elliot Daly, they are at a different level.
“You need physicality in defence and both those guys have that.”
Saracens lock Maro Itoje is among the new breed Jones is sure to look at as he mulls his Six Nations selection and, after watching him impress in Europe against Toulouse and Ulster, Strettle believes the 21-year-old is ready for the step-up.
“Any situation I’ve seen Maro Itoje put in, he’s handled easily,” Strettle explained. “But if you stick him in the England side and he didn’t have a good game, you’ve got to stand by him and give him a proper opportunity.”
Strettle, meanwhile, has adapted seamlessly into life at Clermont, where he has notched six tries in nine matches for the Top 14 pacesetters.
He said: “Language-wise it’s been in at the deep end but we’ve been doing French lessons every couple of days and I’m starting to pick it up.
“The club is very similar to Saracens in that it’s very professional, which is not always what you hear about France, and there’s a good culture.
“There are probably a few more open games in France, which is ideal for a back three player, and after 10 years in the Premiership it’s great to be playing against teams I haven’t played before in stadiums that I’ve never been to in my life.
“The fans here are so passionate, especially in Clermont where rugby is king and, win or lose, it does affect the mood of the city.”
French clubs have dominated the Champions Cup in recent years, but Strettle is wary of facing Exeter next month.
“Exeter have gone from strength-to-strength and hearing boys over here talk about them, you can tell they’re a very well respected team,” Strettle, 32, said.
“They’ll be two hard games for us and if you look at the Premiership as a whole, teams like Wasps and Saracens are really finding their feet in Europe.
“Success breeds success and once you start winning confidence increases, so there’s every chance of a strong English contingent in the knock-out stages.”
NEALE HARVEY
