Saracens vs Lyon
Saracens | Official Matchday Programme | Issue 7 Saracens vs Lyon | EPCR Investec Champions Cup Saturday 20th January, 2024 | KO 8pm | StoneX Stadium
Saracens | Official Matchday Programme | Issue 7
Saracens vs Lyon | EPCR Investec Champions Cup
Saturday 20th January, 2024 | KO 8pm | StoneX Stadium
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SARACENS<br />
VS<br />
VS LYON<br />
OFFICIAL MATCHDAY PROGRAMME<br />
ISSUE 07 | £4<br />
BILLY VUNIPOLA<br />
SAT 20 JAN | KO 20:00 | STONEX STADIUM
Enjoy Heineken ® responsibly<br />
CHEERS TO ALL FANS<br />
Heineken ® 0.0. contains no more than 0.05% alcohol
3<br />
THE LINE-UP V<br />
09 NEIL GOLDING<br />
12 CAPTAIN’S COLUMN<br />
SARACENS LTD<br />
Stonex Stadium<br />
Greenlands Lane, Hendon NW4 1RL<br />
0203 675 7200<br />
www.saracens.com<br />
@<strong>Saracens</strong><br />
@<strong>Saracens</strong>Women<br />
@<strong>Saracens</strong>Ma<strong>vs</strong><br />
<strong>Saracens</strong> Official<br />
@saracensofficial<br />
@saracenswomen<br />
@saracensmavericks<br />
@saracensofficial<br />
CREDITS<br />
Editor: Oli Shapley<br />
Contributors: Matt Impey, Getty Images,<br />
Rob Cole, Harry Scott-Munro, Jonathan<br />
Browne, Richard Hope, Emma Wilson<br />
Printed by Stephens & George<br />
Produced by Ignition Sports Media<br />
www.ignitionsportsmedia.com<br />
lee.berry@ignitionsportsmedia.com<br />
Design: Julian Tredinnick<br />
12<br />
30<br />
38<br />
16 SCENE SETTER<br />
18 CLUB NEWS<br />
22 THE RUN IN<br />
26 THE SHOWDOWN 4<br />
28 2023 IN REVIEW<br />
30 THE OPPOSITION<br />
32 FIVE TO WATCH<br />
48 A TO Z<br />
50 JUNIOR SARRIES<br />
52 PLAYER PROIFILES<br />
60 SARACENS WOMEN<br />
71 MAVERICKS<br />
72 SARACENS HIGH SCHOOL<br />
76 COMMUNITY NEWS<br />
77 TODAY’S TEAMS<br />
78 NEXT UP<br />
80 FIXTURES AND RESULTS<br />
40 60
7 NATIONS<br />
24 CLUBS<br />
63 MATCHES<br />
400 TRIES<br />
ONE TROPHY<br />
THE ONE TO<br />
W N<br />
InvestecChampionsCup.com
EPCR WELCOME MESSAGE<br />
DOMINIC<br />
McKAY<br />
A WARM WELCOME TO THIS ROUND 4 MATCH IN THE<br />
2023/24 INVESTEC CHAMPIONS CUP AND A HAPPY NEW<br />
YEAR TO ALL AS WE REACH THE BUSINESS END OF THE<br />
TOURNAMENT’S POOL STAGE.<br />
Complementing the landmark<br />
introduction of Investec as<br />
the competition’s new title<br />
partner, the opening rounds<br />
delivered a compelling series<br />
of world-class and indeed out<br />
of the ordinary matches. Now<br />
the intensity goes up another<br />
notch with coveted places in<br />
the knockout stage at stake.<br />
With the top four clubs<br />
in each pool guaranteed<br />
qualification, there’s an<br />
important added incentive<br />
for the contenders: the clubs<br />
finishing first and second in<br />
their respective pools will<br />
have home venue advantage<br />
in the all-important first<br />
knockout stage, the Round of<br />
16. For those clubs that finish<br />
fifth in each pool, the journey<br />
does not end there as they<br />
qualify for the Round of 16 of<br />
the EPCR Challenge Cup.<br />
Everything is to play for.<br />
So, after what promises to<br />
be even more tension-fuelled<br />
action this month, we’ll<br />
have a clearer idea of the<br />
pathway to the showpiece<br />
Finals weekend at London’s<br />
state-of-the-art Tottenham<br />
Hotspur Stadium next May<br />
for which over 45,000 tickets<br />
have already been sold.<br />
We are delighted to be joined<br />
on the journey to London<br />
by Investec, by our premium<br />
partner, Heineken, and by our<br />
official partners, DHL, IHG<br />
Hotels & Resorts and Georgia<br />
Rugby Marketing Hub, as well<br />
as our official supporters,<br />
Tissot, Gilbert and Kappa,<br />
and also by our official airline<br />
partner in South Africa,<br />
Qatar Airways.<br />
TNT Sports, ITV and RTÉ<br />
in the UK and Ireland,<br />
beIN SPORTS and France<br />
Télévisions in France,<br />
and SuperSport in South<br />
Africa, continue to provide<br />
comprehensive and innovative<br />
broadcast coverage, while<br />
S4C in Wales and FloRugby<br />
in the USA and Canada, are<br />
showcasing the matches<br />
to more viewers than ever<br />
across the globe.<br />
We hope that you enjoy the<br />
match today and take this<br />
opportunity to send our<br />
best wishes to you, the fans,<br />
your club’s players and staff,<br />
and of course to our match<br />
officials, as we anticipate<br />
the celebrations and the<br />
occasional heartache that<br />
go with the territory when<br />
qualification for the Investec<br />
Champions Cup knockout<br />
stage is on the line!<br />
Yours in rugby,<br />
Dominic McKay,<br />
EPCR Chairman
Welcome<br />
We are so proud to be the new partner of<br />
the Investec Champions Cup. After a thrilling<br />
World Cup, everyone’s expectations are<br />
justifiably high on this fourth weekend of what<br />
promises to be a really exciting six months.<br />
Like you, we’re looking forward to watching<br />
many of the biggest names in world rugby<br />
put in exhilarating, high intensity performances,<br />
qualities we admire and share.<br />
Today’s match is another step on a journey<br />
that offers the enthralling prospect of some of<br />
the best rugby ever played, with all 24 teams<br />
in with a shout. Enjoy the game!<br />
Investec Bank plc is registered in England. Registered No. 489604. Registered at 30 Gresham Street, London EC2V 7QP.<br />
Authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and Prudential Regulation Authority.
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CHAIRMAN’S WELCOME<br />
NEIL<br />
GOLDING<br />
9<br />
FIRST, A<br />
VERY WARM<br />
WELCOME<br />
TO THE LYON<br />
PLAYERS,<br />
COACHES<br />
AND FANS.<br />
Today is one of the biggest<br />
games of the season so far<br />
and I’m sure that will make<br />
for an incredible atmosphere<br />
under the lights this evening.<br />
We have a proud history in<br />
this competition and with this<br />
fixture falling in to the ‘mustwin’<br />
category the team will<br />
need all of the support they<br />
can get tonight.<br />
Whilst of course the<br />
result didn’t go our way in<br />
Bordeaux, the amount of<br />
Sarries fans that travelled<br />
was amazing and we cannot<br />
thank you enough. To see so<br />
many shirts in and around<br />
the city was brilliant and<br />
the noise you brought to the<br />
stadium was remarkable.<br />
Having been in the changing<br />
room after the game, I can<br />
assure you all that the players<br />
were hurting and I’m sure we<br />
will see a response today.<br />
It is a busy time, and the big<br />
games keep rolling around<br />
before the break for the Six<br />
Nations. Exeter at home next<br />
Saturday is well on track for a<br />
sell out and with so much on<br />
the line I’d encourage you to<br />
book before it’s too late!<br />
Talking of the Six Nations, we<br />
couldn’t be prouder of Jamie<br />
George who was announced<br />
as the new England captain<br />
last week. He is absolutely<br />
the right man for the job and<br />
I’m sure he will lead the team<br />
brilliantly.<br />
Also congratulations to Nick<br />
Isiekwe, Ben Earl, Maro Itoje,<br />
Theo Dan and Elliot Daly<br />
who are also involved with<br />
England, as well as Andy<br />
Christie for Scotland and Nick<br />
Tompkins for Wales.<br />
From a Women’s perspective<br />
they couldn’t have asked<br />
for a better start to the<br />
season. Their win over Exeter<br />
last weekend was brilliant<br />
to watch and they have a<br />
huge game today away at<br />
Gloucester-Hartpury so there<br />
are plenty of reasons to be<br />
excited!<br />
The Mavericks season is also<br />
starting imminently so stay<br />
tuned for some more brilliant<br />
action at HSV.<br />
Back to today, it’s a huge<br />
occasion so let’s get behind<br />
the players from start to<br />
finish!<br />
Neil
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CAPTAIN’S COLUMN<br />
OWEN<br />
FARRELL<br />
GOOD<br />
AFTERNOON<br />
AND WELCOME<br />
TO STONEX<br />
STADIUM FOR<br />
TODAY’S MATCH<br />
AGAINST LYON.<br />
12<br />
European nights here are<br />
always incredible and with so<br />
much riding on this game we<br />
know that we need to give it<br />
our all as we look to book our<br />
place in the knockout stages.<br />
It has been a tough couple of<br />
weeks on the road for us and<br />
we are all very disappointed<br />
with the results. This week<br />
we have had some honest<br />
conversations and we really<br />
believe we have the personnel<br />
to turn this around, so stick<br />
with us!<br />
<strong>Lyon</strong> are a team that we have<br />
played a lot over the years<br />
and we have always had<br />
great battles with them. They<br />
have already shown their<br />
quality across the pool stages<br />
and they have a brilliant<br />
squad so we need to be at our<br />
best this evening.<br />
Some of the highlights of<br />
my career have been in this<br />
competition and we of course<br />
don’t want to be exiting it<br />
early so please make all the<br />
noise you can tonight!<br />
On behalf of everyone at the<br />
club I want to say how proud<br />
we all are of Jamie who has<br />
been announced as the new<br />
England captain. I know how<br />
much this means to him and<br />
his family, and I am absolutely<br />
sure that he will do a brilliant<br />
job. I can’t wait to support<br />
him and all of the other<br />
players in our group who<br />
have been called up for the<br />
tournament.<br />
It’s difficult to look too<br />
far ahead with such a big<br />
game this evening, but next<br />
Saturday here against Exeter<br />
will be another massive<br />
occasion. Our rivalry with<br />
them always brings out the<br />
best in both teams and with<br />
that being the last game<br />
before the Six Nations break,<br />
we want to make sure we end<br />
this block on a high.<br />
The crowds here so far this<br />
season have been massive<br />
for us, and you can play your<br />
part over the next couple of<br />
weeks as we look to get back<br />
on track.<br />
See you all after - enjoy the<br />
game!
13
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SCENE SETTER<br />
If last weekend’s result in<br />
Bordeaux was a bit of a<br />
shock to the system for<br />
<strong>Saracens</strong> fans, then they<br />
should take a few crumbs of<br />
comfort from the fact only<br />
one team has won at the<br />
StoneX Stadium in the past<br />
26 Investec Champions Cup<br />
games.<br />
The last 11 outings have all<br />
gone to plan dating back to<br />
a 46-14 loss, against up and<br />
coming Clermont Auvergne<br />
in the 2017-18 season. That<br />
defeat ended a run of 14<br />
successive home wins that<br />
followed a 14-13 loss to<br />
Toulouse in Round 2 in 2013.<br />
So instead of biting your<br />
fingernails today, keep the<br />
faith! It is going to be a<br />
do-or-die game against<br />
upcoming <strong>Lyon</strong>, who will<br />
arrive in much better shape<br />
than the home side after two<br />
wins out of three to date in<br />
Pool 1.<br />
16
17<br />
But Mark McCall and<br />
<strong>Saracens</strong> have been here<br />
before. When they are put on<br />
the ropes they always come<br />
out fighting and today will be<br />
as much a test of character<br />
and desire as anything else.<br />
The record European reverse<br />
against Bordeaux-Begles<br />
meant <strong>Saracens</strong> have<br />
now lost five of their last<br />
seven matches across all<br />
competitions. They will at<br />
least know today what they<br />
have to do to qualify for the<br />
Round of 16 after Bristol<br />
Bears, one place ahead of<br />
them in the Pool table, met<br />
Connacht last night. If the<br />
two teams find themselves<br />
tied on points, then the<br />
placing will be determined by<br />
points difference.<br />
After Round 3, the following<br />
clubs had already clinched<br />
their ticket into the Round<br />
of 16:<br />
QUALIFIERS FOR THE<br />
KNOCKOUT STAGE<br />
Going into the Round 4<br />
matches, the following clubs<br />
have secured qualification for<br />
the Round of 16:<br />
Pool 1: Bordeaux-Bégles, <strong>Lyon</strong><br />
Pool 2: Toulouse, Bath,<br />
Harlequins<br />
Pool 3: Northampton Saints<br />
(with home advantage),<br />
Exeter Chiefs<br />
Pool 4: Leinster Rugby<br />
That means four Gallagher<br />
Premiership clubs are already<br />
through and there will be a<br />
battle between Bristol and<br />
<strong>Saracens</strong> to make it at least<br />
a fifth. There is also still a<br />
chance for Sale Sharks to<br />
make the grade if they can<br />
beat reigning champions La<br />
Rochelle in Round 4.<br />
The Round of 16 takes place<br />
on the weekend of 5-7 April.<br />
The fifth placed teams in<br />
each of the four Pools in the<br />
Champions Cup will drop<br />
down into the Round of 16 in<br />
the EPCR Challenge Cup.<br />
It means there is still so much<br />
to play for today and beyond.<br />
Getting back on track maybe<br />
the priority but staying on<br />
track to win a potential<br />
European title in whatever<br />
tier is still important.<br />
There have been four games<br />
between today’s two sides in<br />
the Champions Cup and to<br />
date they have all gone the<br />
way of <strong>Saracens</strong>. In the 2018-<br />
19 Pool stages it was 29-10<br />
(h) and 28-10 (a) to the ‘Men<br />
in Black’ and last season it<br />
was 28-20 (a) and 48-28 (h).<br />
A fifth win in a row would be<br />
a huge tonic!
show at Europe’s best sports<br />
stadium from just £21 a<br />
ticket, it is time to secure your<br />
spot at saracens.com!<br />
Book your ticket NOW!<br />
London with kick off at 19:30<br />
under the floodlights.<br />
Tickets are now on general<br />
sale, head to saracens.com to<br />
book yours!<br />
CLUB<br />
NEWS<br />
THE SHOWDOWN 4 IN<br />
ASSOCIATION WITH CITY<br />
INDEX | 35,000 TICKETS<br />
SOLD!<br />
35,000 TICKETS GOING, GOING….<br />
GONE!<br />
The Gallagher Premiership is<br />
wide open, meaning this one<br />
is set to be huge!<br />
On Saturday 23rd March we<br />
will be turning Tottenham<br />
Hotspur Stadium Red & Black<br />
as we take on current top-ofthe-table<br />
champs Harlequins<br />
in THE SHOWDOWN 4!<br />
35,000 tickets have now been<br />
SOLD, meaning this game is<br />
our fastest selling yet.<br />
With world-class rugby and<br />
epic entertainment all on<br />
18<br />
MAKO VUNIPOLA<br />
ANNOUNCES<br />
INTERNATIONAL<br />
RETIREMENT<br />
LAST WEEK MAKO ANNOUNCED HIS<br />
RETIREMENT FROM ENGLAND DUTY.<br />
Truly one of a kind, and one of<br />
the best to ever do it!<br />
SARACENS ANNOUNCE<br />
BLOCKBUSTER CLASH WITH<br />
LEINSTER IN FEBRUARY<br />
WE ARE EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THE<br />
RENEWAL OF ONE OF THE GREATEST<br />
RIVALRIES IN EUROPEAN RUGBY<br />
AS SARACENS MEN WILL TAKE ON<br />
LEINSTER AT STONEX STADIUM FOR A<br />
BLOCKBUSTER CLASH.<br />
On Friday 23rd February, the<br />
Men in Black will welcome the<br />
Irish powerhouses to North<br />
THE DUEL IS BACK!<br />
THE DUEL RETURNS IN 2024, AS<br />
SARACENS WOMEN AND HARLEQUINS<br />
WOMEN LOCK HORNS AT STONEX<br />
STADIUM ON 10 FEBRUARY. WHO WILL<br />
BE LONDON’S CLUB!?<br />
After a record attendance<br />
at last season’s match, we’re<br />
looking to go even bigger this<br />
year. With hospitality on offer<br />
as well and match tickets<br />
available for JUST £10, this is<br />
your chance to secure one of<br />
the hottest tickets in town to<br />
watch women’s rugby’s most<br />
iconic rivalry!<br />
STADIUM TOURS<br />
2023 WAS A YEAR OF ICONIC<br />
SPORTING GREATNESS, INCLUDING<br />
THE HARD-FOUGHT ASHES DRAW,<br />
INTERNATIONAL HEARTACHE FOR<br />
ENGLAND FOOTBALL, WXV1 RED<br />
ROSES TRIUMPH, 3RD SPOT SUCCESS<br />
FOR ENGLAND RUGBY AND NOT<br />
FORGETTING THE PREMIERSHIP<br />
RUGBY FINAL WON BY OUR VERY OWN<br />
SARACENS MEN’S TEAM.<br />
Speaking of iconic sporting<br />
moments, StoneX Stadium
19<br />
is home to some of the<br />
most awe-inspiring sporting<br />
memorabilia going back to<br />
the early 1900s. Items such<br />
as the boots worn by Lionel<br />
Messi when he became<br />
the highest scorer for one<br />
club, World Cup winning<br />
shirts from different sports,<br />
infamous cricket bats (and<br />
balls), Olympic torches<br />
throughout the ages, starting<br />
from Berlin, 1936.<br />
Throughout the tour, you<br />
will be lead by one of our<br />
experience guides through<br />
not only items from the<br />
magnificent Priory Collection,<br />
but also the home and history<br />
of <strong>Saracens</strong>. Walk in the<br />
footsteps of rugby greats<br />
such as Brad Barrett, Owen<br />
Farrell and Maggie Alphonsi.<br />
Get a sneak peak of our<br />
illustrious Hospitality suites<br />
and where the Tiki Tonga<br />
can be heard after being<br />
victorious….the changing<br />
rooms.<br />
Tours last around 2 hours, and<br />
you are encouraged to bring<br />
your cameras!<br />
TICKET PRICES<br />
Adult - £25<br />
Concession - £20<br />
Seasonal Member Adult - £18<br />
Seasonal Member Concession<br />
- £15<br />
We will also be given a unique<br />
10% discount to use in the<br />
shop on the day of the tour.<br />
HOW TO BOOK<br />
You can book online at<br />
<strong>Saracens</strong>.com<br />
Any questions, email<br />
supporterservices@saracens.<br />
net or call 0203 870 3303<br />
SARACENS ANNOUNCE<br />
NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH<br />
SQREEM TECHNOLOGIES<br />
SARACENS IS DELIGHTED TO<br />
ANNOUNCE A NEW PARTNERSHIP<br />
WITH SQREEM TECHNOLOGIES<br />
AS OUR OFFICIAL AI MARKETING<br />
PARTNER.<br />
SQREEM are the worlds<br />
biggest digital behaviour<br />
aggregator, engaging and<br />
connecting consumers into<br />
a fully automated science<br />
for hundreds of brands and<br />
billions of consumers around<br />
the world. Headquartered<br />
in Singapore, SQREEM has<br />
clients and offices around the<br />
world.<br />
Their logo will be on the<br />
shorts for both <strong>Saracens</strong><br />
Men and Women, and as<br />
well as that, they will be the<br />
Presenting Partner of the<br />
Inside Training videos posted<br />
on the <strong>Saracens</strong> channels in<br />
the build up to each match,<br />
reaching an audience of over<br />
one million fans.<br />
PREMIERSHIP ROUNDS 13<br />
TO 16 CONFIRMED<br />
THE SHOWDOWN 4 IN ASSOCIATION<br />
WITH CITY INDEX WILL KICK OFF<br />
AT 15:05 FROM THE TOTTENHAM<br />
HOTSPUR STADIUM ON SATURDAY<br />
23RD MARCH.<br />
The trip to Northampton has<br />
been moved to Friday 29th<br />
March, and Bath away will<br />
also be under the lights on<br />
Friday 26th April.<br />
It has also been confirmed<br />
that all Round 18 fixtures<br />
– the final round of the<br />
regular season – will kick-off<br />
simultaneously at 3.05pm on<br />
Saturday, May 18.<br />
Kick-off times for Round<br />
17 will be announced in due<br />
course.<br />
ROUNDS 13-16:<br />
Saturday 23rd March -<br />
<strong>Saracens</strong> v Harlequins - 15:05<br />
- Live on TNT Sports<br />
Friday 29th March -<br />
Northampton Saints v<br />
<strong>Saracens</strong> - 19:45 - Live on TNT<br />
Sports<br />
Saturday 20th April -<br />
<strong>Saracens</strong> v Gloucester Rugby<br />
- 15:00<br />
Friday 26th April -<br />
Bath Rugby v <strong>Saracens</strong> - 19:45<br />
- Live on TNT Sports
GET IT SIGNED!<br />
How many player autographs can you get?<br />
21
THE RUN IN<br />
WANT TO<br />
SECURE YOUR<br />
SEAT AT STONEX<br />
STADIUM FOR<br />
THE BUSINESS<br />
END OF THE<br />
SEASON? WE’RE<br />
EXCITED TO BE<br />
LAUNCHING<br />
A LIMITED<br />
NUMBER OF OUR<br />
BRAND NEW<br />
MEMBERSHIP,<br />
‘THE RUN IN’!<br />
22<br />
The new Membership will<br />
make sure you’re present for<br />
the run in as the Men in Black<br />
look to go back-to-back in<br />
the Gallagher Premiership,<br />
and this new offering will<br />
ensure you’re in the heart of<br />
the action for those crucial<br />
matches.<br />
Included in the Membership<br />
will be our huge blockbuster<br />
clash with Leinster in<br />
February, our Premiership<br />
matches against Exeter<br />
and Gloucester, the crucial<br />
Investec Champions Cup<br />
match against <strong>Lyon</strong>, and<br />
if that wasn’t enough you<br />
will also get a ticket for The<br />
Showdown 4 in Association<br />
with City Index at Tottenham<br />
Hotspur Stadium!<br />
As well as the tickets, you will<br />
also receive many benefits<br />
of a Seasonal Member such<br />
as invitations to exclusive<br />
Member Events throughout<br />
2024 which will include<br />
insights from players and<br />
coaches.<br />
You will get a one-time 10%<br />
discount to use on all of your<br />
favourite merchandise on<br />
the online shop, and exclusive<br />
offers from our club sponsors<br />
and partners.<br />
Finally, you will be given<br />
priority access to tickets for<br />
the rematch of the 2023<br />
Premiership Final against<br />
Sale Sharks at StoneX in May,<br />
and if Sarries progress to any<br />
knockout fixtures at home<br />
you will be at the front of the<br />
queue!<br />
This is a great way to bring<br />
friends and family along to<br />
StoneX for what is always an<br />
exciting time of the season,<br />
and with sell-outs expected<br />
for these bumper games this<br />
is your chance to make sure<br />
you don’t miss a minute.<br />
Prices start from just £130<br />
which works out at only £26<br />
per game, making it incredible<br />
value for those crucial games<br />
at the business end of the<br />
campaign with so much at<br />
stake.<br />
Don’t miss out, register your<br />
interest by scanning the QR<br />
code below to be at the front<br />
of the queue when they come<br />
on sale!
23<br />
MATCHES INCLUDED:<br />
SARACENS MEN VS LYON<br />
Saturday 20th January - 20:00<br />
SARACENS MEN VS EXETER CHIEFS<br />
Saturday 27th January - 16:30<br />
SARACENS MEN VS LEINSTER RUGBY<br />
Friday 23rd February - 19:30<br />
SARACENS MEN VS HARLEQUINS<br />
Saturday 23rd March - 15:05<br />
(Tottenham Hotspur Stadium)<br />
SARACENS MEN VS GLOUCESTER RUGBY<br />
Saturday 20th April - KO TBC
RUGBY.<br />
DELIVERED.<br />
TEAMWORK. SPEED. DELIVERY.<br />
THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE OFFICIAL LOGISTICS PARTNER. DHL.
Stadium Map Map<br />
25
THE SHOWDOWN 4<br />
THE<br />
SHOWDOWN<br />
IS BACK!<br />
BIGGER AND<br />
BETTER THAN<br />
EVER BEFORE!<br />
26
27<br />
<strong>Saracens</strong> return to the epic Tottenham Hotspur<br />
Stadium to take on Harlequins in a repeat of last<br />
season’s London derby in the Gallagher Premiership.<br />
Secure your seat without delay for what promises to<br />
be another history-making day at Tottenham.<br />
AN EXPERIENCE<br />
LIKE NO OTHER<br />
55,109 spectators joined us at Tottenham Hotspur<br />
Stadium for The Showdown 3. Sell out Spurs for The<br />
Showdown 4? CHALLENGE ACCEPTED.<br />
• The Premiership’s BIGGEST RUGBY PARTY<br />
• London’s rugby derby<br />
• World-class stadium experience<br />
OVER 5 HOURS OF ELECTRIC ENTERTAINMENT<br />
The Showdown’s entertainment pre, during and post<br />
match is second-to-none. - Join us for a jam-packed<br />
afternoon of fireworks, music, elite sport & family<br />
fun!<br />
• LIVE MUSIC<br />
• BIG SCREEN FUN & GAMES<br />
•PYRO, FLAMES & FIREWORKS!<br />
FOOD AND DRINK<br />
There are unlimited options of food & drink available<br />
at Spurs Stadium. The 60+ food & drink outlets serve<br />
a wide range of delicious food, taking inspiration<br />
from London’s vibrant street food market scene – a<br />
mixture of diversity & fan favourites!<br />
Don’t forget to check out the Goal Line Bar – the<br />
longest bar in Europe!<br />
Book your tickets on <strong>Saracens</strong>.com now!
THE BIG PICTURE<br />
THEO DAN CELEBRATES HIS TRY AGAINST BORDEAUX.<br />
28
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ONE OF THE OLDEST SPORTS CLUBS IN FRANCE, AND AMONG THE<br />
FIRST OUTSIDE PARIS TO HAVE SET UP A RUGBY SECTION, LE LOU WERE<br />
FIRST KNOWN AS RACING CLUB, THE RESULT OF A MERGER OF THE<br />
RACING CLUB DE VAISE AND THE RUGBY CLUB DE LYON.<br />
The club was renamed<br />
Racing et Cercles Réunis<br />
in 1902 after several other<br />
clubs joined it, then a few<br />
months later became <strong>Lyon</strong><br />
Olympique. Finally, in 1910,<br />
it became <strong>Lyon</strong> Olympique<br />
Universitaire. The club’s<br />
distinctive red and black<br />
colours were adopted in 1902.<br />
31<br />
Their EPCR European<br />
Challenge Cup final success<br />
against Toulon in Marseille<br />
in 2022 finally got a monkey<br />
off their backs. Firstly, it<br />
avenged the 1931 Top 14<br />
final defeat to Toulon, and<br />
secondly it allowed them to<br />
pick up their first top topflight<br />
tournament title since<br />
they made it back-to-back<br />
triumphs in the Top 14 in 1932<br />
and 1933.<br />
Having played in those three<br />
successive Top 14 finals in the<br />
Thirties, the club then played<br />
in lower amateur leagues<br />
until it was promoted back<br />
to Pro D2. In 2006-07, it had<br />
the second biggest budget<br />
of the championship, but did<br />
not succeed in its promotion<br />
quest to rejoin the elite clubs<br />
in France until 2011. It then<br />
became a proverbial “yo-yo<br />
team”, being either relegated<br />
or promoted four times in the<br />
six seasons after their 2011<br />
promotion. They captured the<br />
PROD2 title in 2011, 2014 and<br />
2016.<br />
This season hasn’t been<br />
great for them, and they<br />
currently lie one off the<br />
bottom of the Top 14 with<br />
only four wins in 12 games.<br />
Only Montpellier are beneath<br />
them at present, although<br />
it is a much brighter picture<br />
for them in the Champions<br />
Cup. After their win over<br />
Connacht last weekend they<br />
will arrive at the StoneX<br />
Stadium sitting in second<br />
place behind Bordeaux-Begles<br />
and guaranteed a place in the<br />
Round of 16.<br />
Prior to their 34-20 home win<br />
over Connacht last weekend,<br />
they had squeezed passed the<br />
Bulls 29-28 at home having<br />
lost in the opening round in<br />
Pool 1 at Bristol Bears, 36-34.<br />
There has been a change in<br />
coaching team since the last<br />
time the two teams met in<br />
Europe. Fabien Gengenbacher<br />
is now the director of rugby<br />
and he has backed up by<br />
Alan-Basson Zondagh was<br />
backs and attack coach,<br />
Coenie Basson as defence<br />
coach and Arnaud Heguy as<br />
scrum coach.
5TO<br />
WATCH<br />
PADDY JACKSON<br />
DOB: 05 January, 1992 (32)<br />
Position: Outside Half<br />
HT: 1.80m / 5’ 10”<br />
WT: 88kg / 13st 12lb<br />
Honours: Ireland (30 caps)<br />
A veteran of European<br />
competition, having made<br />
his debt for home province<br />
Ulster way back in 2011<br />
against Leicester Tigers,<br />
he has played twice for his<br />
new club in the Champions<br />
Cup this season. A great<br />
controller of games from No<br />
10, those two appearances<br />
took him past 50 outings in<br />
European competition, 39<br />
of them in the top tier. Still<br />
seeking his first European win<br />
over <strong>Saracens</strong> after all four<br />
previous attempts with Ulster<br />
ended in failure – twice at the<br />
quarter-final stage.<br />
ROMAIN TAOFIFENUA<br />
DOB: 14 September, 1990 (33)<br />
Position: Lock<br />
HT: 2.00m / 6’ 8”<br />
WT: 139kg / 21st 4lb<br />
Honours: France (49 caps)<br />
Called time on his<br />
international career after<br />
France’s exit at the World<br />
Cup earlier this season<br />
but has since reversed his<br />
decision. A giant presence in<br />
every way he played more<br />
than 150 games for Toulon<br />
before joining <strong>Lyon</strong>. He won<br />
the Champions Cup while<br />
he was at Toulon on in 2015,<br />
picking up tips from Bakkies<br />
Both and Ali Williams as he<br />
developed his game. Was at<br />
the heart of the 2022 French<br />
Grand Slam pack.<br />
32
33<br />
JOEL KPOKU<br />
DOB: 22 June, 1999 (24)<br />
Position: Lock<br />
HT:1.98m / 6’ 6”<br />
WT: 126kg / 19st 11lb<br />
Honours: England U20 (15 caps)<br />
A product of the <strong>Saracens</strong><br />
academy, Joel attending<br />
Oaklands School and shined<br />
with England U20. He was<br />
called up to train with the full<br />
England squad but has yet<br />
to gain a full cap. An athletic<br />
second row, he joined <strong>Lyon</strong><br />
from <strong>Saracens</strong> in 2021 and<br />
made an immediate impact,<br />
helping them to secure the<br />
EPCR Challenge Cup in his<br />
first season. This won’t be<br />
the first time he has returned<br />
to the StoneX to play. In<br />
last season’s Challenge Cup<br />
he was on the wrong end<br />
of a 48-28 defeat at his old<br />
stomping ground.<br />
MARTIN PAGE-RELO<br />
DOB: 06 January, 1999 (25)<br />
Position: Scrum Half<br />
HT: 1.73m / 5’ 8”<br />
WT: 77kg / 12st 2lb<br />
Honours: Italy (4 caps)<br />
The French-born scrum half<br />
now plies his trade on the<br />
international front for Italy.<br />
His debut came last summer<br />
in two warm-up games<br />
before the World Cup, where<br />
he featured in the games<br />
against Namibia and New<br />
Zealand. Mo ed to <strong>Lyon</strong> after<br />
learning his trade at Toulouse,<br />
where he spent three seasons.<br />
He also went out on loan to<br />
Carcassonne. A typical ‘Petit<br />
General’ at the base of his<br />
pack, he is the brains that<br />
helps to dictate the course of<br />
the game. Played in all three<br />
matches to date so far in this<br />
season Champions Cup.<br />
DEMBA BAMBA<br />
DOB: 17 March, 1998 (25)<br />
Position: TH Prop<br />
HT: 1.85m / 6’ 0”<br />
WT: 119kg / 18st 10lb<br />
Honours:(France (26 caps)<br />
A one-man wrecking<br />
machine with ball in hand,<br />
he is also now a much more<br />
powerful scrummager than<br />
he was in his early days. His<br />
swashbuckling style always<br />
catches the eye, as it first did<br />
when he helped France win<br />
the World Rugby U20 title<br />
on home soil in 2018, and<br />
he has been smashing it for<br />
<strong>Lyon</strong> since joining from Brive<br />
in 2019. He was in the French<br />
side that won the 2022 Grand<br />
Slam and helped <strong>Lyon</strong> to win<br />
the EPCR Challenge Cup in<br />
2022.
RIP STEVE LEMMING<br />
Sadly Steve Lemming, a <strong>Saracens</strong><br />
season ticket holder for over 25 years<br />
passed away in December. Steve and<br />
his wife Nina were seated in front of<br />
the Players Lounge in the East Stand<br />
where they were looked after well by<br />
the staff in that area as Steve was<br />
confined to his wheelchair.<br />
Steve followed Sarries home, away and<br />
to European destinations over the years<br />
when he could until falling ill with MS<br />
which restricted his abilities. A great<br />
friend, Father and Husband, Steve will<br />
be missed by all that knew him.<br />
34
35
SARACENS SUPPORTERS<br />
ASSOCIATION (SSA)<br />
E <strong>Saracens</strong> Supporters Association<br />
D @sarriessupport<br />
Q ssa_racens<br />
A very good evening, everyone,<br />
from all of us in the SSA, and<br />
welcome back to StoneX for<br />
the first Sarries Mens match<br />
of 2024…..and very belatedly a<br />
Happy New Year to you all!!<br />
We’d also like to extend a very<br />
warm welcome to our dear<br />
friends from Le LOU , or to<br />
give them their official title,<br />
<strong>Lyon</strong> Olympique Universitaire,<br />
and we know that alongside<br />
the players and coaching team<br />
a group of their fans have<br />
journeyed to North London<br />
from a beautiful city which will<br />
be very familiar to a lot of you<br />
reading this.<br />
We know that you’ll all take<br />
the opportunity to extend the<br />
same hospitality to Le LOU<br />
fans as was experienced by<br />
Sarries fans who travelled to<br />
<strong>Lyon</strong> in 2019 and 2022 and<br />
were made so very welcome<br />
by home supporters!<br />
We’d also hope that after<br />
a couple of difficult away<br />
matches, more on which<br />
below, you’ll all bring<br />
“maximum noise” tonight to<br />
let the squad and especially<br />
our captain know that we’re<br />
backing them every step<br />
of the way as they look to<br />
reach the quarter finals of<br />
the Investec Champions Cup<br />
despite defeats to Bulls and<br />
Union Bordeaux-Begles (UBB)<br />
– so, please, all of you, shout<br />
your heads off, wave those<br />
flags and make StoneX both<br />
a wall of sound and a sea of<br />
black and red!!<br />
Le LOU bring with them a<br />
formidable squad which<br />
includes a very familiar face –<br />
none other than former Sarrie<br />
and SSA-sponsored player<br />
Joel Kpoku who has fully<br />
established himself in France<br />
after leaving North London<br />
in 2021, already having a<br />
Challenge Cup Winner’s medal<br />
(2022) to his name; we’re<br />
sure that if he’s in the squad<br />
tonight Joel will receive a very<br />
warm welcome home.<br />
Look out also for the world<br />
class – and fearsome – Semi<br />
Radradra who joined Le LOU<br />
from Bristol Bears last year<br />
and has enjoyed a glittering<br />
career in Union, League and<br />
Sevens.<br />
ROUND-UP<br />
Since their last home game,<br />
a 37-19 win over Newcastle<br />
Falcons on 30th December,<br />
the Men have had a difficult<br />
couple of weeks on the road,<br />
losing 19-10 in the Premiership<br />
to Leicester Tigers and then<br />
last Sunday we went down<br />
55-15 to a brilliant UBB side in<br />
front of a passionate crowd at<br />
Stade Chabal-Delmas which<br />
included the largest group<br />
of travelling Sarries for five<br />
years, which we’ll tell you more<br />
about below.<br />
The Women continue to set<br />
the very hottest of paces at<br />
the top of this season’s APWR<br />
with the much-anticipated<br />
Christmas Cracker against<br />
Bristol Bears Women on 23rd<br />
December bringing a 32-10<br />
win, followed by a thumping<br />
3-69 defeat of Sale Sharks<br />
Women at CorpacQ Stadium,<br />
and then last week – watched<br />
by many Sarries from hotels<br />
and bars in Bordeaux as well<br />
as those present at StoneX<br />
– a resilient Exeter Chiefs<br />
Women were beaten 39-26 to<br />
leave Sarries on a perfect 35<br />
points after 7 games and an<br />
astonishing points difference<br />
of 250!!!!<br />
Today, the Women were<br />
travelling to Kingsholm to face<br />
second-placed Gloucester-<br />
Hartpury in a high-stakes<br />
encounter with the home side<br />
just 6 points behind Sarries<br />
with a game in hand - the<br />
kick-off was at 14.00 so<br />
you’ll know the result by the<br />
time you read this! We do<br />
know that a number of SSA<br />
members were planning to<br />
make it to both games!!<br />
NEXT UP<br />
Next up for the Men will be a<br />
home encounter with Exeter<br />
Chiefs on 27th January (17.30<br />
kick-off), while the next<br />
Women’s game will be against<br />
Trailfinders Women at StoneX<br />
on 3rd February, kicking off at<br />
14.30.<br />
36
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Also in action next Saturday<br />
will be the Mavericks who take<br />
on Strathclyde Sirens in a<br />
sold-out pre-season encounter<br />
at Hertfordshire Sports<br />
Village!<br />
EVENTS<br />
Despite the desperately<br />
disappointing result in<br />
Bordeaux we in the SSA<br />
were thrilled by the number<br />
of Sarries travelling to the<br />
game, with the Association’s<br />
allocation of 250 tickets<br />
completely sold out well in<br />
advance of the game, and<br />
with dozens more of the<br />
red and black army booking<br />
tickets through UBB joining<br />
us the noise and passion of<br />
our support could be heard on<br />
TV – we couldn’t be prouder<br />
of our club and its wonderful<br />
fans.<br />
Many Sarries had arrived by<br />
two or even three days before<br />
the game to enjoy the cultural<br />
and culinary delights of the<br />
beautiful city of Bordeaux and<br />
while taking in the sights and<br />
visiting the many excellent<br />
bars and restaurants it felt<br />
like there were Sarries here,<br />
there and everywhere taking<br />
over the city.<br />
The UBB fans couldn’t have<br />
been more welcoming to us<br />
and on the evening before the<br />
match travelling Sarries were<br />
invited by the UBB Supporters<br />
Club to join them for food and<br />
drinks at their Club House in<br />
the centre of the city.<br />
On match day itself, and<br />
with the game not kicking<br />
off until 18.30, more than<br />
75 Sarries gathered at Café<br />
Francais for an excellent lunch<br />
before repairing to Le Rond<br />
Point Bordeaux just by Stade<br />
Chebal-Delmas for pre-match<br />
pints.<br />
Post-match sorrows were<br />
then drowned at the Magnus<br />
Pub…<br />
I’m sure those who travelled<br />
will join us in giving very<br />
special thanks to our very own<br />
Nige Eaton for organising such<br />
a fantastic set of events!!!<br />
COME AND SEE US…<br />
For Le LOU fans who may<br />
be reading this, do please<br />
also come and say ‘hello’ to<br />
the <strong>Saracens</strong> Supporters<br />
Association at our base<br />
under what we fondly call our<br />
gazebo which I located near<br />
the North Stand and right by<br />
The Oasis. You can’t miss us -<br />
there’s always a large group in<br />
attendance, chatting, having<br />
a drink together, with, as ever,<br />
our Matchday Team working<br />
hard to help with membership<br />
enquiries, members’ badge<br />
collections and away ticket<br />
enquiries. We’d love to see you<br />
and share thoughts on today’s<br />
game, how the season’s going<br />
so far and what’s happening<br />
in the rugby world. It goes<br />
without saying, we’d love to<br />
see our fellow Sarries fans too!!<br />
Just a reminder for all visitors,<br />
though:<br />
We will be at the gazebo only<br />
until 30 minutes before kick-off<br />
and no later: it’s important<br />
to remember that the SSA<br />
Matchday Team is staffed<br />
entirely by volunteers who are<br />
fans like everyone else so we<br />
also need time to charge our<br />
glasses, meet up with friends,<br />
get to our seats or favourite<br />
standing spot, and greet the<br />
players as they run out from<br />
the tunnel, so if you do have<br />
any membership, ticketing or<br />
badge queries please come and<br />
see us in good time.<br />
ABOUT THE SSA…<br />
If you do come to see us at<br />
the gazebo and you are not<br />
an SSA member, why not join?<br />
Membership is £10/season or<br />
£5 for juniors. In addition to<br />
social events and organising<br />
ticket allocations for away<br />
events, we arrange meet ups<br />
at away games and we have<br />
our monthly newsletter with<br />
all sorts of interesting articles!<br />
We also have an SSA<br />
representative on the Club’s<br />
Supporters’ Forum, Nigel<br />
Eaton. Members with points<br />
to raise can contact him via<br />
email at committee.ssa@<br />
outlook.com or in person on<br />
match days at the gazebo.<br />
For other news, check<br />
out our website (www.<br />
saracenssupporters.org) and<br />
our social media channels:<br />
<strong>Saracens</strong> Supporters<br />
Association on Facebook;<br />
@sarriessupport on Twitter<br />
and ssa_racens on Instagram!<br />
And finally, don’t forget to<br />
listen to the SSA Fezcast!<br />
Have a great afternoon,<br />
everyone!<br />
#SarriesFamily
ON THIS DAY<br />
20 JANUARY 2018<br />
The previews all said the<br />
same six years ago when<br />
the reigning European<br />
champions, <strong>Saracens</strong>,<br />
entered Round 6 of the<br />
Champions Cup – “Cup<br />
holders <strong>Saracens</strong> welcome<br />
Northampton Saints<br />
on Saturday with their<br />
qualification hopes hanging<br />
by a thread”.<br />
It was different then, with<br />
six games and home and<br />
away games in each pool,<br />
but the Men in Black knew<br />
they had to be at their very<br />
best to stand any chance of<br />
reaching the quarter-finals.<br />
Cometh the hour, cometh the<br />
performance – and what a<br />
performance!<br />
Two defeats and a draw had<br />
left <strong>Saracens</strong> third in Pool 2,<br />
five points adrift of leaders<br />
ASM Clermont Auvergne<br />
and two points behind<br />
second-placed Ospreys. With<br />
Clermont, who beat <strong>Saracens</strong><br />
twice, hosting Ospreys at the<br />
same time, there was only<br />
one target in mind for Mark<br />
McCall’s men – a bonus-point<br />
win.<br />
Having already beaten Saints<br />
57-13 at Franklin’s Gardens in<br />
Round 1 there was every hope<br />
of a repeat, but then Cobus<br />
Reinach popped up with the<br />
first of nine tries in the match<br />
after only five minutes to<br />
heighten the tension.<br />
But the defending champions<br />
underlined their credentials<br />
with a sensational 62-14<br />
thrashing of the Saints in<br />
front of a crowd of 10,000<br />
the formerly named Allianz<br />
Park, scoring seven tries of<br />
their own in a pretty hefty<br />
response. Clermont beat<br />
Ospreys, so second place in<br />
the Pool was secured, but<br />
even so, they had to wait<br />
until other games had been<br />
completed the following<br />
day before creeping into the<br />
quarter-finals as the eighth<br />
qualifier.<br />
Despite that Reinach try early<br />
doors, the bonus-point had<br />
been bagged by the break.<br />
Heineken Man of the Match<br />
38
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Mako Vunipola got the first<br />
before Alex Goode marked<br />
his 250th appearance for the<br />
club with the second. Marcelo<br />
Bosch, Richard Wigglesworth<br />
and Vincent Koch all then<br />
crossed to make it 36-14 at<br />
half-time<br />
Saints lost flanker Jamie<br />
Gibson to the sin-bin before<br />
the break and that made life<br />
even more difficult for them.<br />
The second half saw them<br />
on the back foot throughout<br />
as they failed to add to<br />
their score. Sean Maitland<br />
and debutant Sione Vailanu<br />
added second-half tries and<br />
Owen Farrell ended up with<br />
a match haul of 27 points<br />
with six conversions and five<br />
penalties.<br />
That took him above to<br />
Dimitri Yachvilli into third<br />
place io the all-time European<br />
points scorers chart.<br />
SARACENS 62 (36)<br />
NORTHAMPTON<br />
SAINTS 14 (14)<br />
SCORERS: <strong>Saracens</strong>:<br />
T: M Vunipola (14),<br />
Goode (20), Bosch (28),<br />
Wigglesworth (34), Koch<br />
(40+1), Maitland (53), Vailanu<br />
(62); C: Farrell 6; P: Farrell 5:
40
41<br />
THE INTERVIEW<br />
BILLY<br />
VUNIPOLA
It certainly wasn’t the<br />
landmark occasion that<br />
Billy Vunipola was hoping<br />
for when <strong>Saracens</strong> played<br />
Bordeaux-Begles in the<br />
Investec Champions Cup last<br />
weekend. Nobody would have<br />
wanted his 50th appearance<br />
in the tournament to have<br />
been accompanied by a<br />
defeat for his side.<br />
But that’s professional sport!<br />
One day you are on top of<br />
the world as a European<br />
champion - three times in the<br />
case of the England No 8 –<br />
and the next you find yourself<br />
in a race to qualify for the<br />
knockout stages.<br />
In typical, combative fashion,<br />
Vunipola didn’t wallow. His<br />
only concern in the wake of<br />
the nine try, 55-15 defeat at<br />
Stade Chaban-Delmas was<br />
how the team can improve.<br />
There is a lot to play for<br />
against <strong>Lyon</strong> today and<br />
Vunipola wants to make up<br />
for last week’s performance.<br />
“It was a tough result to take.<br />
and it was tough to pick out<br />
the positives. Having said<br />
that, we’re grateful that all<br />
the boys are fit and healthy<br />
and we can start building<br />
from what essentially is the<br />
bottom after that,” said<br />
Vunipola.<br />
“It’s tough to say that, but<br />
it’s vital that we’re open and<br />
honest about where we’re<br />
at with our performances<br />
and how we are as a group.<br />
We will regather, get better<br />
and I’m sure we will be in<br />
the mix by the end of this<br />
tournament.”<br />
To do that they will need to<br />
have re-grouped over the<br />
past six days and prepared<br />
for a potential must-win<br />
game against already<br />
qualified <strong>Lyon</strong> today. It is<br />
a big, big game, and that<br />
always brings out the best in<br />
TO DO IT WITH MY<br />
‘ROOMY’ WAS A BIG<br />
HONOUR OR ME AND<br />
TO DO IT WITH THIS<br />
GREAT CLUB IS AN<br />
EVEN BIGGER HONOUR.<br />
the <strong>Saracens</strong> stalwarts at the<br />
StoneX Stadium.<br />
“You have to give credit<br />
where credit is due, Bordeaux<br />
played a very good game. We<br />
knew they liked to throw the<br />
ball around, but they were<br />
also smart in the way they<br />
played,” added the Sarries<br />
No 8.<br />
“There were a lot of instances<br />
in how they got out of their<br />
half any way, shape or form.<br />
We played into their hands a<br />
little bit.<br />
“There are things for us to<br />
build on. Our set piece held<br />
up a lot better than it had in<br />
recent weeks. If we can get<br />
42
43<br />
our foundations right, I’m<br />
sure we will be alright.”<br />
While Vunipola was able to<br />
follow big brother Mako in<br />
picking up an ‘EPCR 50 Cap<br />
Club’ award, what made it<br />
all the more special was he<br />
did so with his room mate<br />
Sean Maitland. Both players<br />
reached the landmark<br />
together, although Scotland<br />
and British & Irish Lions wing<br />
Maitland reached his halfcentury<br />
thanks to 34 games<br />
for the ‘Men in Black and 16<br />
for Glasgow Warriors.<br />
Now they have pledged to<br />
build even more memories as<br />
the moment of truth for this<br />
season’s top-tier European<br />
tournament comes around.<br />
“Memories are memories, and<br />
I’ve had many good memories<br />
in the 50 games I’ve had in<br />
the European Cup,” added<br />
Vunipola.<br />
“To do it with my ‘roomy’ was<br />
a big honour for me and to<br />
do it with this great club is<br />
an even bigger honour. But<br />
what’s most important now<br />
is how we approach this week<br />
and the rest of the year.<br />
“When I joined the club from<br />
Wasps, I saw how highly they<br />
regarded how many games<br />
you play for this team. I<br />
wanted to be in the ‘100’ club<br />
to start with, then it was<br />
amazing to hit 150 games.<br />
“I just want to keep going to<br />
see how many games I can<br />
get under my belt in my time<br />
here at Sarries.”<br />
MOST APPEARANCES<br />
FOR SARACENS<br />
IN INVESTEC<br />
CHAMPIONS CUP<br />
(25+)<br />
PLAYER<br />
APPEARANCES<br />
OWEN FARRELL 76<br />
ALEX GOODE 74<br />
JAMIE GEORGE 69<br />
RICHARD WIGGLESWORTH 69<br />
MAKO VUNIPOLA 65<br />
BRAD BARRITT 64<br />
JACKSON WRAY 61<br />
GEORGE KRUIS 55<br />
CHRIS WYLES 55<br />
SCHALK BRITS 50<br />
BILLY VUNIPOLA 50<br />
NEIL DE KOCK 50<br />
MARO ITOJE 45<br />
RICHARD BARRINGTON 43<br />
KELLY BROWN 43<br />
DAVID STRETTLE 41<br />
CHRIS ASHTON 38<br />
ALEX LOZOWSKI 35<br />
MARCELO BOSCH 34<br />
SEAN MAITLAND 34<br />
BEN SPENCER 34<br />
CHARLIE HODGSON 33<br />
DUNCAN TAYLOR 32<br />
PETRUS DU PLESSIS 31<br />
STEVE BORTHWICK 28<br />
RHYS GILL 28<br />
ERNST JOUBERT 26<br />
VINCENT KOCH 26<br />
MICHAEL RHODES 26<br />
NICK TOMPKINS 25
TOM PARTON
45<br />
HOSPITALITY AT SARACENS<br />
AN EXPERIENCE LIKE NO OTHER!<br />
ENJOY<br />
SARACENS<br />
HOSPITALITY<br />
WATCHING<br />
SOME OF THE<br />
BEST-KNOWN<br />
STARS IN<br />
WORLD RUGBY<br />
COMPETE FOR<br />
THE GALLAGHER<br />
PREMIERSHIP<br />
AND EUROPEAN<br />
TITLES!<br />
With a range of packages on<br />
offer, there’s something to<br />
suit all types of supporters<br />
whether you’re looking to<br />
entertain clients, staff or<br />
mark a special occasion with<br />
family and friends.<br />
HOSPITALITY BENEFITS<br />
• Enjoy an unforgettable<br />
match day experience<br />
complete with quality food<br />
and drink choices.<br />
• Opportunities to connect<br />
with fellow supporters and<br />
build new networks.<br />
• Watch title winning rugby<br />
from some of the finest seats<br />
in the house.<br />
• Access to exclusive rugby<br />
insights and opportunities<br />
to meet the players through<br />
weekly player question and<br />
answer sessions.<br />
• A broad variety of<br />
exceptional experiences, from<br />
luxury formal to vibrant &<br />
relaxed lounges<br />
• Create lasting memories<br />
on a one off special occasion<br />
or as part of a welcoming<br />
community of seasonal<br />
members<br />
• All delivered by a friendly<br />
and expert team of<br />
hospitality professionals.<br />
Enquire today and allow us to<br />
work with you on creating the<br />
experience that is perfect for<br />
YOU and your guests<br />
Interested in hospitality<br />
at StoneX Stadium? Email<br />
hospitality@saracens.net to<br />
find out more!
FOUNDATION<br />
GO FORWARD<br />
The Go Forward Project<br />
empowers young people,<br />
through mentoring and<br />
sport, to develop essential<br />
skills and strategies to be<br />
able to effectively navigate<br />
challenging situations which<br />
significantly decreases the<br />
likelihood of classroom<br />
removals or permanent<br />
exclusion from school.<br />
We currently work with<br />
a cohort of students at<br />
46<br />
<strong>Saracens</strong> High School,<br />
Kingsbury High School and<br />
Future Academies Watford to<br />
develop important life skills<br />
including teamwork, conflict<br />
resolution and resilience using<br />
a curriculum of 1:1 mentoring,<br />
group workshops and<br />
enrichment experiences.<br />
PROJECT STATISTICS:<br />
• Only 1% of excluded pupils<br />
go on to achieve 5 GCSE<br />
grades<br />
• 89% of boys in Young<br />
Offenders Institutions<br />
have experienced exclusion<br />
from school<br />
Last term was really exciting<br />
for us as it saw the start<br />
of the Go Forward Sports<br />
League where participants<br />
get the opportunity to come<br />
to StoneX Stadium and take<br />
part in a range of competitive<br />
sports. The first event was<br />
tag rugby and it was great<br />
to see the teams growing in<br />
confidence and supporting<br />
one another throughout the<br />
afternoon.<br />
The students returned to<br />
StoneX Stadium later in the<br />
term for our Go Forward<br />
Careers Afternoon where<br />
they learnt about jobs in<br />
finance thanks to our project<br />
partner Shawbrook Bank as<br />
well as events, hospitality<br />
and match day operations.<br />
The afternoon was rounded<br />
of by an inspiration talk from<br />
<strong>Saracens</strong> Head of Culture<br />
and Rugby Manager, Warrick<br />
Lang.<br />
In December, we ran our first<br />
rewards trip for the students<br />
when they attended the Lee<br />
Valley Olympic Velopark for<br />
an afternoon of track cycling<br />
and BMX. All the students<br />
had a fantastic time with<br />
one stating that ‘it was best<br />
experience they had every<br />
had!’<br />
To learn more about ‘Go<br />
Forward’ and how you can<br />
support this amazing project,<br />
please contact:<br />
IzzyWhiteley@saracens.net
47
With<br />
HUGH TIZARD<br />
A - Action: If you could be a<br />
superhero, which would you<br />
be?<br />
Spiderman<br />
B - Boyhood: Who was your<br />
sporting idol growing up?<br />
Steven Gerrard<br />
C - Childhood: What is your<br />
favourite childhood memory?<br />
Holidays!<br />
D - Dish: What’s your go-to<br />
pre-match meal?<br />
Chicken Chorizo Orzo<br />
E - Education: What was your<br />
favourite subject in school?<br />
History<br />
F - Film buff: What’s your<br />
favourite film?<br />
48<br />
No Country for Old Men<br />
G - Groove: Who is the best<br />
dancer in the squad?<br />
Sam Crean<br />
H - Holiday: What’s your<br />
favourite holiday destination?<br />
Greece<br />
I - Inside: Who is the worst<br />
to sit beside in the dressing<br />
room?<br />
Sam Crean<br />
J - Joker: Who is the funniest<br />
in the squad?<br />
Sam Crean<br />
K - Kick-Off: What’s your<br />
favourite time of day to play<br />
a match?<br />
As late as possible<br />
L - Languages: How many<br />
languages can you speak?<br />
One<br />
M - Music: Your favourite<br />
artist and song right now?<br />
Sting - Englishman in New<br />
York<br />
N - Number: Do you have a<br />
lucky number?<br />
One<br />
O - Others: What’s your<br />
favourite sport outside of<br />
rugby?<br />
Snooker<br />
P - Pal: Who is your best mate<br />
in the squad?<br />
Sam Crean<br />
Q - Quirky: Who has the most<br />
interesting fashion sense?<br />
Harvey Beaton<br />
R - Red Carpet: Who is the<br />
most famous contact in your<br />
phone?<br />
Maro Itoje
49<br />
S - Superstitions: Do you have<br />
any matchday routines?<br />
I put my left sock on first<br />
T - Trim: What’s the worst<br />
haircut you’ve ever had?<br />
I shaved my head in lockdown<br />
U- Under pressure: Who in the<br />
squad would be the best in a<br />
bad situation?<br />
Ralph Adams-Hale<br />
V - Verified: How often do you<br />
use social media?<br />
A lot<br />
W - Worst fear: What are you<br />
most scared of?<br />
Flying<br />
X - X-ray: Have you ever<br />
broken any bones?<br />
My ankle<br />
Y - Youth: Where did you grow<br />
up?<br />
Guildford<br />
Z - Zoo: What’s your favourite<br />
animal?<br />
Lion
Junior<br />
we want to<br />
hear from you!<br />
Use the hashtag<br />
#Your<strong>Saracens</strong><br />
with all of your matchday<br />
pics and we’ll share the best<br />
ones on our channels.<br />
SARRIE THE CAMEL<br />
If you see Sarrie around the stadium today, make<br />
sure you stop him and send in your pictures!<br />
A-MAZE-ING<br />
CAN YOU HELP SARRIE MAKE IT THROUGH THE MAZE TO THE BALL?<br />
behind<br />
the mask<br />
CAN YOU NAME THE PLAYER<br />
WHO IS HIDDEN BEHIND<br />
THE MASK?<br />
50
SPOT THE<br />
DIFFERENCE…<br />
CAN YOU FIND THE SIX<br />
DIFFERENCES IN THE PICTURES?<br />
All<br />
juMbLeD uP!<br />
CAN YOU UNSCRAMBLE<br />
THE NAMES OF THE TWO<br />
PLAYERS BELOW?<br />
A] TENT WOOL<br />
COMFORTS<br />
51<br />
B] CANNONS<br />
DARK JOB<br />
SPOT THE BALL<br />
CAN YOU TELL THE POSITION OF<br />
THE REAL BALL?<br />
An Bn Cn Dn En<br />
A<br />
B<br />
C<br />
E<br />
D<br />
how did<br />
you do?!<br />
ANSWERS:<br />
BEHIND THE MASK:<br />
Sam Crean<br />
ALL JUMBLED UP:<br />
A] Tom Woolstencroft<br />
B] Brandon Jackson<br />
SPOT THE BALL: C
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN PLAYER<br />
SPONOSRSHIP, PLEASE EMAIL<br />
jamesmccann@saracens.net<br />
FOR MORE INFORMATION<br />
PLAYER PROFILES<br />
2023/24<br />
For full player biographies,<br />
please scan this QR code:<br />
RALPH ADAMS-HALE<br />
PROP<br />
DOB -<br />
Kindly sponsored by:<br />
LADYWOLF<br />
CONSULTING<br />
HARVEY BEATON<br />
PROP<br />
DOB -<br />
Kindly sponsored by:<br />
AVAILABLE TO<br />
SPONSOR<br />
CAMERON BOON<br />
SECOND ROW<br />
DOB 08/09/1999<br />
Kindly sponsored by:<br />
AVAILABLE TO<br />
SPONSOR<br />
ANDY CHRISTIE<br />
BACK ROW<br />
DOB 27/03/1999<br />
Kindly sponsored by:<br />
TONY<br />
DE MEL<br />
LUCIO CINTI<br />
CENTRE/ WING<br />
DOB 23/02/2000<br />
Kindly sponsored by:<br />
NICK<br />
SCHILD<br />
ALEC CLAREY<br />
PROP<br />
DOB 08/02/1994<br />
Kindly sponsored by:<br />
THE SCHILD<br />
FAMILY<br />
SAM CREAN<br />
PROP<br />
DOB -<br />
Kindly sponsored by:<br />
CAVENDISH<br />
BROOKE<br />
52
53<br />
ELLIOT DA LY<br />
CENTRE<br />
DOB 08/10/1992<br />
Kindly sponsored by:<br />
DUNCAN<br />
SINCLAIR<br />
THEO DAN<br />
HOOKER<br />
DOB 26/12/2000<br />
Kindly sponsored by:<br />
PAUL<br />
O’SHEA<br />
ALED DAVIES<br />
SCRUM HALF<br />
DOB 19/07/1992<br />
Kindly sponsored by:<br />
THE CHARLES<br />
FAMILY<br />
BEN EARL<br />
BACK ROW<br />
DOB 07/01/1998<br />
Kindly sponsored by:<br />
HARRY HYMAN OF<br />
NEXUS GROUP<br />
OWEN FARRELL<br />
FLY HALF<br />
DOB 24/09/1991<br />
Kindly sponsored by:<br />
PATHLIGHT<br />
ASSOCIATES<br />
JAMIE GEORGE<br />
HOOKER<br />
DOB 20/10/1990<br />
Kindly sponsored by:<br />
DUNCAN<br />
SINCLAIR<br />
JUAN MARTIN GONZALEZ<br />
BACK ROW<br />
DOB -<br />
Kindly sponsored by:<br />
THE HASLAM<br />
FAMILY<br />
ALEX GOODE<br />
FULLBACK<br />
DOB 05/05/1988<br />
Kindly sponsored by:<br />
NEIL & ALISON<br />
PEARSON<br />
JOSH HALLETT<br />
CENTRE<br />
DOB 06/09/2000<br />
Kindly sponsored by:<br />
BILL<br />
& ED
BEN HARRIS<br />
WING<br />
DOB 08/09/1999<br />
Kindly sponsored by:<br />
AVAILABLE TO<br />
SPONSOR<br />
OLLY HARTLEY<br />
CENTRE<br />
DOB -<br />
Kindly sponsored by:<br />
THE GRIFFIN<br />
FAMILY<br />
OLIVER HOSKINS<br />
PROP<br />
DOB 06/03/1993<br />
Kindly sponsored by:<br />
MLBT<br />
INVESTMENTS<br />
CALLUM HUNTER-HILL<br />
SECOND ROW<br />
DOB 27/02/1997<br />
Kindly sponsored by:<br />
THE FAB<br />
FEZZERS<br />
NICK ISIEKWE<br />
SECOND ROW<br />
DOB 20/04/1998<br />
Kindly sponsored by:<br />
CAVENDISH<br />
BROOKE<br />
MARO ITOJE<br />
LOCK/BACK ROW<br />
DOB 28/10/1994<br />
Kindly sponsored by:<br />
THE GREEN<br />
FAMILY<br />
BRANDON JACKSON<br />
CENTRE<br />
DOB -<br />
Kindly sponsored by:<br />
AVAILABLE TO<br />
SPONSOR<br />
CHRISTIAN JUDGE<br />
PROP<br />
DOB 08/01/1993<br />
Kindly sponsored by:<br />
PATHLIGHT<br />
ASSOCIATES<br />
TOBY KNIGHT<br />
BACK ROW<br />
DOB -<br />
Kindly sponsored by:<br />
MARCO<br />
V. MASOTTI<br />
54
55<br />
5<br />
CAPS<br />
ALEX LEWINGTON<br />
WING<br />
DOB 20/09/1991<br />
Kindly sponsored by:<br />
SRM<br />
SECURITY<br />
ALEX LOZOWSKI<br />
CENTRE<br />
DOB 30/06/1993<br />
Kindly sponsored by:<br />
THE CARD<br />
FAMILY<br />
ERONI MAWI<br />
PROP<br />
DOB 02/06/1996<br />
Kindly sponsored by:<br />
THE MACKENZIE-BEDFORD<br />
FAMILY WITH MARK CASTON<br />
SEAN MAITLAND<br />
WING<br />
DOB 14/09/1988<br />
Kindly sponsored by:<br />
DUNCAN<br />
SINCLAIR<br />
THEO McFARLAND<br />
BACK ROW<br />
DOB 16/10/1995<br />
Kindly sponsored by:<br />
J O’SULLIVAN<br />
GROUP LTD<br />
DOM MORRIS<br />
CENTRE<br />
DOB 29/07/1997<br />
Kindly sponsored by:<br />
AVAILABLE TO<br />
SPONSOR<br />
TOM PARTON<br />
FULLBACK<br />
DOB 02/02/1998<br />
Kindly sponsored by:<br />
ASYA AND AMELIA<br />
STRUTINSKA<br />
KAPELI PIFELETI<br />
HOOKER<br />
DOB -<br />
Kindly sponsored by:<br />
POPPY AND FELIX<br />
SINCLAIR<br />
MARCO RICCIONI<br />
PROP<br />
DOB 19/10/1997<br />
Kindly sponsored by:<br />
TONY<br />
DE MEL
ROTIMI SEGUN<br />
WING<br />
DOB 28/12/1996<br />
Kindly sponsored by:<br />
THE DOMONEY<br />
FAMILY<br />
GARETH SIMPSON<br />
SCRUM HALF<br />
DOB 02/11/1997<br />
Kindly sponsored by:<br />
AVAILABLE TO<br />
SPONSOR<br />
OLLIE STONHAM<br />
BACK ROW<br />
DOB 16/02/2001<br />
Kindly sponsored by:<br />
THE STEWART<br />
FAMILY<br />
HUGH TIZARD<br />
SECOND ROW<br />
DOB 31/03/2000<br />
Kindly sponsored by:<br />
SARACENS SUPPORTERS<br />
ASSOCIATION<br />
NICK TOMPKINS<br />
CENTRE<br />
DOB 16/02/1995<br />
Kindly sponsored by:<br />
THE DOMONEY<br />
FAMILY<br />
IVAN VAN ZYL<br />
SCRUM HALF<br />
DOB 30/06/1995<br />
Kindly sponsored by:<br />
THE DONNER<br />
FAMILY<br />
-<br />
CAPS<br />
-<br />
CAPS<br />
BILLY VUNIPOLA<br />
BACK ROW<br />
DOB 03/11/1992<br />
Kindly sponsored by:<br />
DUNCAN<br />
SINCLAIR<br />
MANU VUNIPOLA<br />
FLY HALF<br />
DOB 04/05/2000<br />
Kindly sponsored by:<br />
DUNCAN<br />
SINCLAIR<br />
MAKO VUNIPOLA<br />
PROP<br />
DOB 14/01/1991<br />
Kindly sponsored by:<br />
DUNCAN<br />
SINCLAIR<br />
56
57<br />
TOM WEST<br />
PROP<br />
DOB 11/03/1996<br />
Kindly sponsored by:<br />
AVAILABLE TO<br />
SPONSOR<br />
SARACENS<br />
STAFF<br />
2023/24<br />
JOE SHAW<br />
MEN’S HEAD COACH<br />
MARK McCALL<br />
MEN’S DIRECTOR OF RUGBY<br />
PHIL MORROW<br />
GENERAL MANAGER<br />
RUGBY<br />
DEPARTMENT<br />
MARK MCCALL<br />
PHIL MORROW<br />
JOE SHAW<br />
IAN PEEL<br />
KEVIN SORRELL<br />
DAN VICKERS<br />
ADAM POWELL<br />
JUAN FIGALLO<br />
JAMES TIRRELL<br />
WARRICK LANG<br />
DAVID JONES<br />
NICK KENNEDY<br />
DANNY BARKER<br />
FINELLA HINTON<br />
SIMON MATTICK<br />
MATTHEW WELLS<br />
TOMMY FULLER<br />
ANTONY LEE<br />
LOUIS BODROZIC<br />
JOEL DAVIS<br />
ANDY DAWLING<br />
KAT HOWSON<br />
VIKKI REYLAND<br />
TOM WILLIS<br />
BACK ROW<br />
DOB 18/01/1999<br />
Kindly sponsored by:<br />
THE CARD<br />
FAMILY<br />
IAN PEEL<br />
MEN’S FORWARDS COACH<br />
ADAM POWELL<br />
MEN’S DEFENCE COACH<br />
KEVIN SORRELL<br />
MEN’S BACKS COACH<br />
DAN VICKERS<br />
KICKING COACH<br />
MEDICAL<br />
LAURA TULLOCH<br />
JASON OLIVEIRA<br />
AMY RUSSELL<br />
JOEL TEIGER<br />
RAJ SUBBU<br />
JASMINE DRIVER<br />
PETER RABIN<br />
STRENGTH &<br />
CONDITIONING<br />
TOM SHERRIFF<br />
BEN SPENCER<br />
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59<br />
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SARACENS<br />
WOMEN<br />
CONTINUED THEIR<br />
UNBEATEN START<br />
TO THE SEASON<br />
LAST WEEKEND,<br />
AS THEY SECURED<br />
A 39-26 VICTORY<br />
OVER EXETER<br />
CHIEFS AT<br />
STONEX.<br />
60<br />
In front of a raucous crowd,<br />
a nip and tuck game looked<br />
like it could go either way up<br />
until the final 10 minutes,<br />
as <strong>Saracens</strong> eventually<br />
managed to pull away.<br />
In a host of superb<br />
performances, it was<br />
<strong>Saracens</strong> and England<br />
number 8 Poppy Cleall who<br />
put a marker down, with a<br />
Player of the Match showing.<br />
Speaking at full-time, Cleall<br />
admitted that keeping their<br />
unbeaten record was crucial<br />
for the side, as well as making<br />
sure they secured a win for<br />
Lotte Clapp and Georgia<br />
Evans, who were making their<br />
150th and 50th appearances<br />
for the club.<br />
“It was a hugely important<br />
win. StoneX has become a bit<br />
of a fortress for us. We didn’t<br />
want to lose that, and we<br />
wanted to put on a show for<br />
the crowd. It was especially<br />
important to secure that<br />
win for Lotte and Georgia.<br />
They are real stalwarts of<br />
this club and they put their<br />
bodies on the line every week.<br />
We wanted to repay them<br />
for what they’ve given to the<br />
club!”<br />
In a see-saw game, Exeter hit<br />
the front shortly after halftime,<br />
with Cleall explaining<br />
that her side had needed<br />
to refocus and wrestle back<br />
momentum in the match.<br />
“We’ve got a habit of letting<br />
Exeter score just after
61<br />
half-time. We had to make<br />
sure that we wrestled the<br />
momentum back and didn’t<br />
let history repeat itself from<br />
the semi-final last year. We<br />
made sure that the next<br />
try was ours and then we<br />
managed to kill the game.<br />
We needed to make sure we<br />
stood up in the important<br />
moments and we did.”<br />
<strong>Saracens</strong> are unbeaten<br />
heading into today’s<br />
clash away at champions<br />
Gloucester-Hartpury and<br />
have also secured themselves<br />
a home semi-final in the<br />
Allianz Cup. Cleall believes<br />
that it is the closeness of<br />
the group of players this<br />
season that is driving the club<br />
forwards.<br />
“With this team, we’ve got<br />
some incredible players. We<br />
have 40-50 great players<br />
here, but they are even<br />
better people. The more time<br />
we spend together and gel<br />
together, the more often we<br />
can put in performances like<br />
we did today.”<br />
On a day when 11 tries<br />
were scored, Sarries<br />
scored a couple of worldies<br />
themselves, with Cleall<br />
playing a part in Ella Wyrwas’<br />
opening score. The back-row<br />
admitted that her team were<br />
not just scoring, but scoring<br />
eye-catching tries in this early<br />
part of the season, expressing<br />
that she hoped that their<br />
brand of rugby was pulling in<br />
more fans.<br />
“We’re scoring really good<br />
tries at the moment. Jess<br />
seems to just be scoring<br />
screamers at the moment<br />
and then you had Ella and<br />
Leanne scoring a couple of<br />
crackers as well. Hopefully<br />
we’re entertaining the<br />
crowd and everyone that is<br />
watching us at the moment.”
LOTTE<br />
CLAPP<br />
IT WAS A MILESTONE DAY ON SATURDAY<br />
FOR SARACENS WOMEN’S CO-CAPTAIN<br />
LOTTE CLAPP, AS SHE MADE HER 150TH<br />
APPEARANCE FOR THE SIDE.<br />
62
63<br />
A key player within the team<br />
and a dual international with<br />
both England and the USA,<br />
Clapp has been one of the<br />
figureheads in this <strong>Saracens</strong><br />
side for a number of years.<br />
Reflecting on what Clapp<br />
has given to the shirt and the<br />
club, her fellow co-captain<br />
Marlie Packer sung her<br />
praises for her work around<br />
the group.<br />
“Lotte brings a steady head<br />
to the role of co-captain on<br />
and off the pitch and she<br />
epitomises what it means to<br />
be a Saracen. She deserves<br />
all the accolades she has been<br />
getting. Before the match,<br />
we presented her with her<br />
match shirt which had been<br />
embroidered for her 150th<br />
game and that was really<br />
special. I’m proud to run out<br />
alongside her.”<br />
A winger with an eye for<br />
the try line, Packer also paid<br />
tribute to Clapp’s ability<br />
to remain at the top of her<br />
game for so many seasons.<br />
“She’s scored so many<br />
important tries for this club,<br />
I’ll always remember that<br />
inaugural Tyrells Premier15s<br />
final where she broke the line<br />
and scored under the posts<br />
against Harlequins. To keep<br />
being at the level she has<br />
been from back then in 2017<br />
through to now is fantastic.”<br />
Those thoughts were echoed<br />
by Director of Rugby Alex<br />
Austerberry, who praised<br />
Clapp’s impact on the club on<br />
and off the pitch.<br />
“We had a chat ahead of the<br />
Exeter match to celebrate.<br />
To get 150 caps for any club<br />
is a special achievement. For<br />
Lotte, it’s not just how she’s<br />
grown on the field, but it’s<br />
what she’s done off the field<br />
as well and help grow the<br />
club. She has made sure that<br />
we have been at the forefront<br />
of the game, pushing on and<br />
off the field to take things to<br />
the next level. I couldn’t speak<br />
highly enough of her.”<br />
Clapp herself reflected on her<br />
milestone day, after 11 years<br />
with a club she holds close to<br />
her heart.<br />
“I’m so grateful to be honest.<br />
It’s such a special club and to<br />
be able to have played here<br />
for 11 years means everything.<br />
The people we have here are<br />
brilliant. The values that we<br />
have and everything about<br />
the club, I love! Being about<br />
to come out here and put<br />
my body on the line with my<br />
teammates every week is so<br />
special.”
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GRAEME & CHRISTINE DAVIS<br />
SIMON & KATE HASLAM<br />
MARTIN & ANNE FLOWER<br />
PETER HARVEY<br />
TIM PETERS<br />
MARK & SARAH VICKERS<br />
DAVID & GAY DOMONEY<br />
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RICHARD & DEBORAH DONNER<br />
NIGEL AND CINDY GOODMAN<br />
66
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PIONEERS<br />
1) Tell us a bit about yourself<br />
I am a retired People Director,<br />
and my old friends from<br />
work call me “the lady that<br />
lunches” as I often meet one<br />
of them for a catch up. I have<br />
worked for over 40 years<br />
in the hospitality industry<br />
firstly in Pub Management<br />
and then with Bourne Leisure<br />
who operated Butlins, Haven<br />
and Warner Leisure Hotels<br />
and loved every minute of<br />
it, the most enjoyable thing<br />
was being able to make a<br />
positive difference to others<br />
whether team or customers.<br />
I am a Trustee for a Nursery<br />
and am trying to complete<br />
an online Horticultural course<br />
(not very well only finished<br />
3 modules). I was born and<br />
brought up in Mill Hill with<br />
StoneX Stadium being our<br />
sports day venue and I often<br />
speak to supporters who came<br />
to the Stadium from other<br />
local schools who remember<br />
it when it was known as<br />
Copthall Stadium. I live in<br />
Tring in Hertfordshire but my<br />
brother and his wife and my<br />
Dad still reside in Mill Hill, and<br />
I have one gorgeous Niece,<br />
Amy, who got married to the<br />
wonderful Steve 18 months<br />
ago and also a couple of<br />
lovely goddaughters.<br />
68<br />
2) When did you get<br />
involved with the<br />
programme?<br />
EVERY WEEK WE WILL<br />
BE HIGHLIGHTING<br />
ONE OF OUR AMAZING<br />
PIONEERS WHO ADD SO<br />
MUCH TO OUR STONEX<br />
STADIUM MATCHDAYS!<br />
NEXT UP IT’S<br />
SUE<br />
DAVIES…<br />
This is my third season and<br />
when I retired from full time<br />
work I was lucky enough<br />
to get a little job with an<br />
old friend supporting him<br />
with the start up of a new<br />
hospitality business which<br />
only took up two days each<br />
week so was wondering what<br />
else I could do to give back to<br />
the community and saw the<br />
details on line. I immediately<br />
jumped at the chance as<br />
had followed <strong>Saracens</strong> and<br />
indeed we had had a couple<br />
of Leadership meetings at<br />
the Stadium and I loved their<br />
values - Discipline, Honesty,<br />
Humility and Hard Work.<br />
3) What do you do on<br />
matchday?<br />
We arrive to meet up with our<br />
friends, have breakfast and a<br />
briefing and was lucky enough<br />
to become a Team Leader<br />
last year so I have to attend<br />
the Team Leader briefing as<br />
well. We then disperse to<br />
our allotted areas where we<br />
meet up as a team for our<br />
own little briefing and my<br />
role is to ensure everyone is<br />
supported throughout the day,<br />
that they get a break to have<br />
lunch and have someone to<br />
talk to if they need me. If I am<br />
working in one of the stands<br />
we all check the seating and<br />
surrounding areas to ensure<br />
there are no hazards, then it<br />
is meeting and greeting the<br />
supporters. I know from my<br />
time in hospitality that the<br />
initial contact and smile for<br />
our guests at the Stadium<br />
is the most important thing<br />
and as I love a chat I have met<br />
some great new friends.<br />
4) What makes the Pioneer<br />
Programme special for you?<br />
The fact that everyone is a<br />
volunteer and wants to be<br />
there makes it so much more<br />
enjoyable, and they all want<br />
to make a difference to the<br />
supporters, players and the<br />
rest of the club. Its great<br />
to be out in the fresh air<br />
although not so great on wet<br />
and windy days and so much<br />
better when Sarries get a win.<br />
5) What are your best three<br />
memories?<br />
I have always loved Rugby and<br />
was extremely lucky to meet<br />
the great Martin Johnson at<br />
Twickenham way back when<br />
at a Tetley Bitter Cup Final<br />
(showing my age!!).<br />
Meeting an old friend at<br />
StoneX after many years, who<br />
I had lost contact with, again<br />
only came about because<br />
I was having a laugh and<br />
chatting to them.<br />
Being with my new friends on<br />
match day as everyone is so<br />
different but someone always<br />
makes me smile and makes<br />
my day, oh and of course<br />
Sarries winning!
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71<br />
MAVERICKS<br />
SARACENS<br />
MAVERICKS ARE<br />
CONTINUING<br />
THEIR BUILD UP<br />
TO THE START<br />
OF THE NETBALL<br />
SUPER LEAGUE<br />
SEASON ON 17<br />
FEBRUARY.<br />
Last weekend, the side took<br />
on local rivals Surrey Storm<br />
in a pre-season friendly,<br />
with a number of new faces<br />
getting their first minutes on<br />
court in a Mavericks dress.<br />
Despite the result not going<br />
the way of Mavericks, this<br />
match provided some vital<br />
minutes for the side to gel<br />
as a unit and see where they<br />
need to improve, heading into<br />
another pre-season friendly<br />
against Strathclyde Sirens on<br />
27 January.<br />
That one at HSV has already<br />
sold out and it’s set to be a<br />
cracker of an occasion, as the<br />
vocal home support get to<br />
see their new-look Mavericks<br />
side on court at home for the<br />
first time this season.<br />
With the news that Jodie<br />
Gibson and Georgia Lees<br />
will be captain and vicecaptain<br />
this season and with<br />
confirmation that Indya<br />
Masser has stepped up into<br />
the 12-strong squad for the<br />
2024 NSL season, Mavericks<br />
look set to improve on last<br />
season’s fifth-place finish, as<br />
they go in hunt of a return to<br />
the play-offs.<br />
Away from the club game,<br />
Razia Quashie and Ellie<br />
Rattu are both preparing<br />
themselves for the upcoming<br />
international fixtures in Leeds<br />
and at OVO Arena Wembley<br />
with the Vitality Roses, as<br />
your Mavericks continue to<br />
shine on the international<br />
stage.<br />
It’s not just in the playing<br />
group that Mavericks<br />
are making waves on the<br />
international scene either,<br />
with the news that Pathway<br />
Lead Sachel Grant has been<br />
named as Head Coach for<br />
Northern Ireland U21s. Grant<br />
will combine the role with<br />
her work at Mavericks, which<br />
has seen the club’s pathway<br />
produce some of the biggest<br />
names in the NSL, including<br />
returning players Rattu and<br />
Vicki Oyesola.<br />
It’s shaping up to be a hugely<br />
exciting season for <strong>Saracens</strong><br />
Mavericks, with the new<br />
campaign edging ever<br />
closer.
HIGH SCHOOL<br />
SARACENS HIGH IS A NON-SELECTIVE, FREE<br />
SCHOOL FOUNDED IN 2018 TO SERVE THE<br />
LOCAL COMMUNITY OF GRAHAME PARK IN<br />
BARNET. STAFF SEEK TO PROVIDE THE BEST<br />
EDUCATION NOT JUST TO THE MOST GIFTED<br />
BUT TO EVERY CHILD WHO PROUDLY WEARS<br />
THE BLACK AND RED UNIFORM.<br />
There are many in the school<br />
community for whom English<br />
is not their first language.<br />
The EAL pupils (English as<br />
an additional language) are<br />
championed by Miss Kasia<br />
Gruszka. The tireless Learning<br />
Support Assistant doesn’t see<br />
the diverse pupil body as a<br />
problem but as an enriching<br />
influence on the whole school:<br />
‘We speak over 20 languages<br />
and represent different<br />
cultures; those differences<br />
EAL pupils on a visit to<br />
the British Museum<br />
EAL pupils at Boxing Club<br />
make our community stronger<br />
and bring unique perspectives<br />
to the learning experience.’<br />
Speaking of strength, many<br />
EAL pupils are regular<br />
members of the invitationonly<br />
boxing club. The club<br />
provides a wonderful arena<br />
for teaching the school<br />
values of discipline and hard<br />
work while also raising the<br />
confidence of these young<br />
adults.<br />
Pupils with learning needs<br />
make up 16% of the<br />
1000-strong pupil body. They<br />
receive specialist support in<br />
truckloads from Miss Maria<br />
Alexa and the Grow and<br />
Thrive team. Miss Alexa cites<br />
Miss Alexa enjoying wheelchair<br />
rugby with the pupils<br />
72
73<br />
a family ethos as the engine<br />
that powers this support:<br />
‘We are a family and we<br />
support each other, make<br />
progress and become the<br />
best version of ourselves.’<br />
The Grow and Thrive team<br />
are passionate about raising<br />
awareness of different needs<br />
across the school. Each<br />
month has an enrichment<br />
focus and December and<br />
January both seek to nurture<br />
empathy.<br />
December at <strong>Saracens</strong> High<br />
was Other Ability month and<br />
pupils experienced a taste of<br />
disability sports. The children<br />
played blindfold football and<br />
wheelchair rugby.<br />
<strong>Saracens</strong> Wheelchair Rugby<br />
Club gave pupils of all abilities<br />
a full-throttle introduction to<br />
the fast-paced sport. It was a<br />
privilege to also invite pupils<br />
to join from a north London<br />
school that specialises in<br />
special educational needs.<br />
The wider <strong>Saracens</strong> family<br />
is again to thank for the<br />
invaluable day Kelly Brown<br />
spent at the school. The<br />
<strong>Saracens</strong> and Scotland<br />
legend spoke about his<br />
journey as a stammerer and<br />
also delivered workshops on<br />
self-esteem and overcoming<br />
stigma.<br />
The enrichment focus in<br />
January is ‘Them and Us.’<br />
Children are taught not to<br />
merely tolerate those who are<br />
different to us but to accept<br />
and appreciate them. Pupils<br />
are encouraged to perform<br />
unsolicited acts of kindness.<br />
Such acts of kindness have<br />
Kelly Brown empowered pupils<br />
to ‘accept and adapt’<br />
WE ARE A FAMILY<br />
AND WE SUPPORT<br />
EACH OTHER,<br />
MAKE PROGRESS<br />
AND BECOME THE<br />
BEST VERSION OF<br />
OURSELVES.<br />
included tidying classrooms,<br />
picking up litter, helping staff<br />
and supporting other pupils.<br />
It is wonderful to see pupils<br />
growing and thriving at<br />
<strong>Saracens</strong> High School. The<br />
dedication shown by her<br />
colleagues and herself explain<br />
Miss Gruszka’s claim that<br />
they are ‘setting the bar high<br />
for being the most inclusive<br />
high school in town!’<br />
SARACENS MULTI-<br />
ACADEMY TRUST<br />
WAS ESTABLISHED TO<br />
BRING THE VALUES<br />
OF DISCIPLINE, HARD<br />
WORK, HONESTY<br />
AND HUMILITY TO<br />
THE EDUCATION OF<br />
CHILDREN IN OUR<br />
COMMUNITY.<br />
As we expand we are<br />
looking for excellent<br />
candidates to apply for<br />
two key roles:<br />
• Trust Estates<br />
Manager<br />
• Executive Assistant<br />
to the CEO and<br />
CFOO<br />
For more information<br />
please contact:<br />
hr@saracensmat.org<br />
or scan the QR code:
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COMMUNITY<br />
NEWS<br />
With our first home game<br />
of 2024, the Community<br />
team is happy to say that<br />
we are welcoming over 1200<br />
families from the community<br />
game today to participate<br />
in our second U9s and U10s<br />
festivals of the year. With 45<br />
teams attending its sure to<br />
be a fantastic spectacle of<br />
rugby by some of the stars<br />
of the future before the<br />
first team take on <strong>Lyon</strong> this<br />
evening in a must win fixture.<br />
We also welcome Aylesbury<br />
RFC U12s and U15s to StoneX<br />
Stadium who will be forming<br />
the Guard of Honour and<br />
waving the Big Shirt to<br />
welcome the team onto the<br />
pitch this evening.<br />
SHOWDOWN 4 GROUPS<br />
TICKET DEADLINE – We are<br />
fast approaching the end of<br />
the month when our group<br />
ticket prices will increase, if<br />
you are interested in bringing<br />
a group of 20+ to the game<br />
at the Tottenham Stadium,<br />
then don’t hesitate to get<br />
in touch at finleyhoward@<br />
saracens.net or richardhope@<br />
saracens.net to get booked in<br />
before the end of the month.<br />
Christmas Camps were a<br />
huge success with some really<br />
well attended camps across<br />
the South East, with our next<br />
focus being a two week Feb<br />
Half term for the first time<br />
where we are visiting 5 of our<br />
community clubs including<br />
some new visits to Gravesend<br />
RFC, Southend RFC and<br />
Harwich and Dovercourt RFC,<br />
and returning to some venues<br />
where we haven’t been for a<br />
couple of years in Cheshunt<br />
RFC and Old Grammarians<br />
RFC. We are also hosting<br />
both our two of our fantastic<br />
clinics with both the Half<br />
Back Clinic and our newer<br />
forwards clinic where players<br />
can improve on some of the<br />
finer skills involved in both<br />
areas. All of these camps are<br />
on sale now, and selling fast,<br />
so don’t hesitate in booking<br />
on at https://saracens.com/<br />
community/junior-rugbycamps/<br />
The <strong>Saracens</strong> Staycation is<br />
now on sale at The Grove,<br />
Set in 300 acres of stunning<br />
Hertfordshire countryside,<br />
The Grove is the ultimate<br />
five-star retreat. Lovingly<br />
restored, the former home<br />
of the Earls of Clarendon<br />
is situated just 18 miles<br />
from London, and is home<br />
to an award-winning spa,<br />
championship golf course and<br />
mouth-watering restaurants.<br />
This staycation is for all the<br />
family, bringing a rugby twist<br />
into your holiday.<br />
Meet some of the stars from<br />
<strong>Saracens</strong>, as well as your<br />
children being coached by<br />
them, and a trip to StoneX<br />
Stadium will prove a highlight<br />
for any rugby fan. Within the<br />
hotel there are activities for<br />
all, whether that be action<br />
packed with axe throwing, to<br />
more relaxation in the spa,<br />
and a round or two around<br />
the fantastic championship<br />
golf course.<br />
76
Matchday<br />
SQUADS<br />
77<br />
Alex GOODE<br />
Rotimi SEGUN<br />
Elliot DALY<br />
Nick TOMPKINS<br />
Lucio CINTI<br />
Owen FARRELL [C]<br />
Ivan VAN ZYL<br />
T<br />
P<br />
C<br />
DG<br />
15<br />
14<br />
13<br />
12<br />
11<br />
10<br />
9<br />
FULL BACK<br />
RIGHT WING<br />
OUTSIDE CENTRE<br />
INSIDE CENTRE<br />
LEFT WING<br />
FLY HALF<br />
SCRUM HALF<br />
15<br />
14<br />
13<br />
12<br />
11<br />
10<br />
9<br />
T<br />
P<br />
C<br />
DG<br />
Alexandre TCHAPTCHET<br />
Monty IOANE<br />
Josiah MARAKU<br />
Thibaut REGARD<br />
Thaakir ABRAHAMS<br />
Paddy JACKSON<br />
Martin PAGE-RELO<br />
Logovi’i MULIPOLA<br />
Theo DAN<br />
Christian JUDGE<br />
Maro ITOJE<br />
5 Nick ISIEKWE<br />
Juan Martin GONZALEZ<br />
Ben EARL<br />
Billy VUNIPOLA<br />
1<br />
2<br />
3<br />
4<br />
5<br />
6<br />
7<br />
8<br />
LOOSE HEAD PROP<br />
HOOKER<br />
TIGHT HEAD PROP<br />
SECOND ROW<br />
SECOND ROW<br />
BLINDSIDE FLANKER<br />
OPENSIDE FLANKER<br />
NUMBER 8<br />
1<br />
2<br />
3<br />
4<br />
5<br />
6<br />
7<br />
8<br />
Hamza KAABECHE<br />
Yanis CHARCOSSET<br />
Demba BAMBA<br />
Joel KPOKU<br />
Romain TAOFIFENUA<br />
Liam ALLEN<br />
Arno BOTHA [C]<br />
Mickael GUILLARD<br />
James HADFIELD<br />
Sam CREAN<br />
Alec CLAREY<br />
Hugh TIZARD<br />
Theo McFARLAND<br />
Gareth SIMPSON<br />
Olly HARTLEY<br />
Tom PARTON<br />
16<br />
17<br />
18<br />
19<br />
20<br />
21<br />
22<br />
23<br />
REPLACEMENT<br />
REPLACEMENT<br />
REPLACEMENT<br />
REPLACEMENT<br />
REPLACEMENT<br />
REPLACEMENT<br />
REPLACEMENT<br />
REPLACEMENT<br />
16<br />
17<br />
18<br />
19<br />
20<br />
21<br />
22<br />
23<br />
Guillaume MARCHAND<br />
Jérôme REY<br />
Paulo TAFILI<br />
Ugo VIGNOLLES<br />
Maxime GOUZOU<br />
Liam RIMET<br />
Léo BERDEU<br />
Alfred PARISIEN<br />
MATCH OFFICIALS<br />
Referee: Sam Grove-White (SCO)<br />
Assistant Referees: Mike Adamson (SCO) & Hollie Davidson (SCO)<br />
Fourth Official: Darryl Champan (ENG) · Fifth Official: Matt Todd (ENG)<br />
Television Match Official: Andrew McMenemy (SCO)
COMING NEXT . . .<br />
AS THE POOL STAGES IN THE INVESTEC CHAMPIONS CUP COME TO A CLOSE<br />
THIS WEEKEND, IT IS ALMOST TIME TO BUCKLE UP AND GET READY FOR<br />
THE GUINNESS SIX NATIONS. THERE IS JUST ONE GALLAGHER PREMIERSHIP<br />
OFFERING TO LOOK FORWARD TO BEFORE ENGLAND, SCOTLAND, IRELAND,<br />
WALES, FRANCE AND ITALY GO INTO BATTLE – AND IT’S A BIG ONE!<br />
There will be more than a whiff of revenge in the air<br />
at StoneX Stadium when the Exeter Chiefs come<br />
calling on Saturday, 27 January. Not only are they<br />
four points ahead of us in the table in fourth, but<br />
they got there by inflicting a record defeat on the<br />
‘Men in Black’ in Round 1 when they triumphed 65-10<br />
at Sandy Park, scoring 11 tries.<br />
Ouch! I’m sure that result and performance will be<br />
raised in training in the build-up to the game and it<br />
would be great to have a full-house urging on Faz &<br />
co in what will be a key fixture.<br />
Things go a little bit quiet after that on the men’s<br />
front, although there is an attractive ‘friendly’<br />
booked in for Friday, 23 February, when Leinster are<br />
the visitors. Book now to get your ticket for a big<br />
occasion, while ‘The Showdown’ is also looming on<br />
Saturday, 23 March – Harlequins at the Tottenham<br />
Hotspur Stadium.<br />
And don’t forget the women’s team are going strong<br />
again. They could really do with your support for<br />
their home games against Trailfinders on Saturday, 3<br />
February and in The Duel against Harlequins Women<br />
on 10 February! It’s set to be a massive month for<br />
Alex Austerberry’s side.<br />
78
79<br />
RUGBY COMING UP AT<br />
STONEX STADIUM<br />
Saturday, 27 January (5.30pm kick-off)<br />
<strong>Saracens</strong> v Exeter Chiefs<br />
Gallagher Premiership<br />
Saturday, 3 February (2.30pm kick-off)<br />
<strong>Saracens</strong> Women v Ealing Trailfinders<br />
ALLIANZ PWR<br />
Friday, 23 February (5.30pm kick-off)<br />
<strong>Saracens</strong> v Leinster Rugby<br />
Friendly<br />
Sunday, 3 March (2.30pm kick-off)<br />
<strong>Saracens</strong> Women v Leicester Tigers<br />
ALLIANZ PWR<br />
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR<br />
STADIUM ‘THE SHOWDOWN 4’<br />
Saturday, 23 March (3.05pm kick-off)<br />
<strong>Saracens</strong> v Harlequins<br />
Gallagher Premiership
For all the latest<br />
fixtures and results<br />
information scan<br />
this QR code:<br />
For all the latest<br />
videos and match<br />
highlights scan<br />
this QR code:<br />
FIXTURES AND RESULTS 2023/24<br />
L 28-14<br />
SAT 9 SEP [4,109]<br />
ELLIOTT, HARRIS (2T), MOORE<br />
(JACKSON), HARTLEY, SEGUN,<br />
M.VUNIPOLA (2C), SIMPSON (DAVIES),<br />
WEST (CREAN), PIFELETI (ADEJIMI),<br />
JUDGE (BEATON), HUNTER-HILL,<br />
WARDELL (ISIEKWE), MICHELOW<br />
(WILLIS), KNIGHT, STONHAM<br />
L 20-29<br />
SAT 16 SEP [2,923]<br />
PARTON (GOODE), HARRIS (SEGUN),<br />
LOZOWSKI, HARTLEY, LEWINGTON ,<br />
M.VUNIPOLA (2P, 2C), DAVIES (VAN ZYL),<br />
CREAN (WARREN), WOOLSTENCROFT<br />
(PIFELETI), HOSKINS (JUDGE), HUNTER-<br />
HILL, ISIEKWE (1T), MICHELOW , KNIGHT<br />
(ADEJIMI), WILLIS (1T, WARDELL)<br />
W 73-29<br />
SAT 23 SEP [2,895]<br />
PARTON, SEGUN (1T, ELLIOTT), LOZOWSKI,<br />
HARTLEY (1T), LEWINGTON (1T),<br />
M.VUNIPOLA (8C), VAN ZYL (2T, SIMPSON),<br />
WEST (CREAN), WOOLSTENCROFT (1T,<br />
ADEJIMI, 1T), HOSKINS (BEATON), HUNTER-<br />
HILL, TIZARD (STONHAM, 1T), ISIEKWE<br />
(EKE), KNIGHT (2T), WILLIS (MICHELOW)<br />
L 36-29<br />
SUN 1 OCT [7,735]<br />
PARTON, SEGUN, LOZOWSKI (1T), HARTLEY<br />
(ELLIOTT, 1T), LEWINGTON (MOORE),<br />
M.VUNIPOLA (1P, 3C), DAVIES (SIMPSON,<br />
1T), WEST (CREAN), WOOLSTENCROFT<br />
(ADEJIMI), HOSKINS (JUDGE), HUNTER-<br />
HILL, ISIEKWE , STONHAM (MICHELOW),<br />
KNIGHT (1T) , WILLIS<br />
W 68-10<br />
SAT 7 OCT [2,146]<br />
PARTON (1T), MOORE, LOZOWSKI (5C),<br />
HARTLEY (1T), SEGUN (2T), GOODE,<br />
DAVIES (1T, SIMPSON, 3C), CREAN,<br />
ADEJIMI (2T, HADFIELD), HOSKINS<br />
(CLAREY), HUNTER-HILL, ISIEKWE<br />
(PEARCE-PAUL), MICHELOW, KNIGHT<br />
(2T), WILLIS (STONHAM, 1T)<br />
L 65-10<br />
SAT 14 OCT [9,371]<br />
PARTON (M.VUNIPOLA), SEGUN,<br />
LOZOWSKI, HARTLEY (1T), LEWINGTON<br />
(MAITLAND, 1T), GOODE, DAVIES<br />
(BRACKEN), WEST (ADAMS-HALE),<br />
ADEJIMI (HADFIELD), RICCIONI (CLAREY),<br />
HUNTER-HILL (STONHAM), ISIEKWE,<br />
MCFARLAND, KNIGHT (CHRISTIE), WILLIS<br />
L 16-25<br />
SAT 21 OCT [6,060]<br />
GOODE, MAITLAND, LOZOWSKI (3P,<br />
1C) (HARTLEY), TOMPKINS, SEGUN<br />
(LEWINGTON), M.VUNIPOLA, DAVIES<br />
(SIMPSON), M.VUNIPOLA (WEST),<br />
HADFIELD (ADEJIMI), RICCIONI (CLAREY),<br />
HUNTER-HILL (KNIGHT), ISIEKWE,<br />
MCFARLAND, CHRISTIE (1T) , WILLIS<br />
W 3-24<br />
FRI 27 OCT [10,541]<br />
GOODE, MAITLAND, LOZOWSKI (1P, 2C),<br />
TOMPKINS (HARTLEY), LEWINGTON (1T)<br />
(PARTON), M.VUNIPOLA, DAVIES (VAN<br />
ZYL), M.VUNIPOLA (MAWI), HADFIELD<br />
(CREAN), JUDGE (CLAREY), HUNTER-HILL,<br />
TIZARD (STONHAM), ISIEKWE (KNIGHT),<br />
CHRISTIE, WILLIS (2T)<br />
W 32-17<br />
SAT 4 NOV [9,261]<br />
GOODE (PARTON), MAITLAND, LOZOWSKI,<br />
TOMPKINS, DALY, FARRELL (2P, 3C),<br />
DAVIES (VAN ZYL), M.VUNIPOLA<br />
(MAWI), GEORGE (1T) (DAN), RICCIONI<br />
(CLAREY), ITOJE (1T)) (HUNTER-HILL),<br />
ISIEKWE, CHRISTIE (1T)) (TIZARD), EARL,<br />
B.VUNIPOLA (1T)(WILLIS)<br />
W 12-50<br />
SUN 12 NOV [6,124]<br />
DALY (1T), MAITLAND (CINTI), LOZOWSKI<br />
(1P, 4C) (M.VUNIPOLA, 1T) , TOMPKINS,<br />
LEWINGTON (1T), GOODE (2C), VAN ZYL<br />
(SIMPSON), MAWI (WEST), DAN (2T)<br />
(HADFIELD), CLAREY (JUDGE), STONHAM<br />
, TIZARD (B.VUNIPOLA), GONZALEZ (1T),<br />
CHRISTIE , WILLIS (1T) (KNIGHT)<br />
W 10-38<br />
SAT 18 NOV [14,800]<br />
GOODE (HARRIS), LEWINGTON (1T),<br />
LOZOWSKI (HARTLEY, 1T), TOMPKINS,<br />
PARTON (1T), FARRELL (4C), VAN ZYL<br />
(DAVIES), M.VUNIPOLA (MAWI), GEORGE<br />
(1T) (DAN), RICCIONI (CLAREY), ITOJE,<br />
TIZARD (WILLIS), GONZALEZ (1T),<br />
CHRISTIE (1T)(STONHAM), B.VUNIPOLA<br />
W 39-31<br />
SAT 25 NOV [9,455]<br />
GOODE, LEWINGTON (2T), DALY,<br />
TOMPKINS (HARTLEY), PARTON<br />
(MAITLAND), FARRELL (1T, 2C), DAVIES<br />
(SIMPSON), M.VUNIPOLA (MAWI),<br />
GEORGE (2T) (PIFELETI), JUDGE (CLAREY),<br />
ITOJE, TIZARD (MCFARLAND), WILLIS (1T)<br />
(KNIGHT), CHRISTIE , B.VUNIPOLA (1T)<br />
80
81<br />
L 12-18<br />
SAT 2 DEC [8,838]<br />
GOODE, MAITLAND (LEWINGTON, 1T),<br />
CINTI (HARTLEY), TOMPKINS, PARTON<br />
(1T), M.VUNIPOLA (1C), VAN ZYL (DAVIES),<br />
WEST (M.VUNIPOLA), DAN (GEORGE),<br />
CLAREY (JUDGE), ITOJE, MCFARLAND<br />
(TIZARD), GONZALEZ, CHRISTIE (KNIGHT),<br />
B.VUNIPOLA<br />
L 27-16<br />
SAT 9 DEC [15,157]<br />
GOODE, LEWINGTON (CINTI), DALY (1T),<br />
TOMPKINS (HARTLEY), MAITLAND,<br />
FARRELL (2P), VAN ZYL (DAVIES),<br />
M.VUNIPOLA (WEST), GEORGE (DAN),<br />
CLAREY (JUDGE), ITOJE, TIZARD<br />
(MCFARLAND, 1T), GONZALEZ , CHRISTIE<br />
(KNIGHT), B.VUNIPOLA<br />
W 55-36<br />
SAT 16 DEC 9,029<br />
GOODE (PARTON), CINTI (1T), TOMPKINS,<br />
HARTLEY (2T), MAITLAND (1T)<br />
(LEWINGTON), FARRELL (3P, 3C), DAVIES<br />
(VAN ZYL), M,VUNIPOLA (WEST), GEORGE<br />
(2T) (DAN, 1T), CLAREY (MULIPOLA), ITOJE<br />
, MCFARLAND, GONZALEZ (1T)(KNIGHT),<br />
CHRISTIE , B.VUNIPOLA (TIZARD)<br />
L 22-20<br />
FRI 22 DEC 9,675<br />
GOODE, CINTI , TOMPKINS, HARTLEY<br />
, MAITLAND (PARTON) , FARRELL (2P,<br />
2C), VAN ZYL (1T) (SIMPSON, 1T),<br />
M.VUNIPOLA (WEST), GEORGE (DAN),<br />
CLAREY (MULIPOLA), ITOJE, MCFARLAND<br />
(KNIGHT), GONZALEZ, CHRISTIE,<br />
B.VUNIPOLA (TIZARD)<br />
W 37-19<br />
SAT 30 DEC [10,131]<br />
GOODE (PARTON), SEGUN, DALY,<br />
HARTLEY, CINTI, M.VUNIPOLA (2P, 2C),<br />
VAN ZYL (1T) (SIMPSON), M.VUNIPOLA<br />
(1T) (WEST), DAN (1T) (GEORGE), JUDGE<br />
(HOSKINS), MCFARLAND, TIZARD<br />
(ISIEKWE), GONZALEZ (1T) (EARL),<br />
KNIGHT (B.VUNIPOLA), CHRISTIE<br />
L 19-10<br />
SAT 6 JAN [22,119]<br />
GOODE (PARTON), SEGUN, DALY,<br />
HARTLEY, CINTI, M.VUNIPOLA (2P, 2C),<br />
VAN ZYL (1T) (SIMPSON), M.VUNIPOLA<br />
(1T) (WEST), DAN (1T) (GEORGE), JUDGE<br />
(HOSKINS), MCFARLAND, TIZARD<br />
(ISIEKWE), GONZALEZ (1T) (EARL),<br />
KNIGHT (B.VUNIPOLA), CHRISTIE<br />
L 55-15<br />
SUN 14 JAN [28,716]<br />
GOODE, LEWINGTON, DALY (HARTLEY),<br />
TOMPKINS (1T), MAITLAND (SEGUN),<br />
FARRELL (1P, 1C), VAN ZYL (SIMPSON),<br />
MULIPOLA (CREAN), DAN (1T)<br />
(HADFIELD), JUDGE (CLAREY), ITOJE,<br />
TIZARD (B.VUNIPOLA), ISIEKWE,<br />
CHRISTIE, EARL (GONZALEZ)<br />
STONEX STADIUM<br />
SAT 20 JAN<br />
KO 20H00<br />
SARACENS<br />
VS<br />
LYON<br />
STONEX STADIUM<br />
SAT 27 JAN<br />
Kick-Off TBC<br />
SARACENS<br />
VS<br />
EXETER CHIEFS<br />
STONEX STADIUM<br />
FRI 23 FEB<br />
KO 17H30<br />
SARACENS<br />
VS<br />
LEINSTER<br />
FRIENDLY<br />
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR<br />
STADIUM<br />
SAT 23 MAR<br />
KO 15H05<br />
The Showdown 4<br />
SARACENS<br />
VS<br />
HARLEQUINS<br />
FRANKLIN’S GARDENS<br />
FRI 27 MAR<br />
KO 19H45<br />
NORTHAMPTON SAINTS<br />
VS<br />
SARACENS<br />
STONEX STADIUM<br />
SAT 20 APR<br />
KO 15H00<br />
RECREATION GROUND<br />
FRI 26 APR<br />
KO 19H45<br />
ASHTON GATE<br />
SAT 11 MAY<br />
Kick-Off TBC<br />
STONEX STADIUM<br />
SAT 18 MAY<br />
KO 15H05<br />
SARACENS<br />
VS<br />
GLOUCESTER RUGBY<br />
BATH RUGBY<br />
VS<br />
SARACENS<br />
BRISTOL BEARS<br />
VS<br />
SARACENS<br />
SARACENS<br />
VS<br />
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SARACENS VS LYON | ISSUE O7 | INVESTEC CHAMPIONS CUP