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Alex Goode is dwelling on the upside to Owen Farrell's ban

By PA
(Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

Alex Goode insists he can step in for Owen Farrell at fly-half and lead “underdogs” Saracens to Champions Cup victory at Leinster. Full-back Goode would relish taking the backline reins for Saturday’s European quarter-final showdown, where his side will put their Champions Cup title on the line in Dublin.

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England and British and Irish Lions talisman Farrell will miss the Aviva Stadium clash after his high-tackle suspension, leaving Goode and Manu Vunipola the main options at fly-half.

Goode deputised at 10 in style in two European clashes against Glasgow last term and has no qualms about reprising that role against favourites Leinster. “Owen’s would be pretty hard shoes to fill, but Manu’s been fantastic this year, he’s stepped up brilliantly,” said Goode.

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The Rugby Pod reacts to the red card tackle that has ruled Owen Farrell out of next Saturday’s European quarter-final in Dublin

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The Rugby Pod reacts to the red card tackle that has ruled Owen Farrell out of next Saturday’s European quarter-final in Dublin

“If it were me I would just try and play it in my own way really, just try and control the team and lead them around the place. But you can’t compare anyone to Owen, he’s a special player. But the next person, whether me or Manu, will put our best foot forward, and go on and have a good game.

“I haven’t really read into how much the situation with Owen’s been talked about if I’m honest, maybe that’s just a bit naive! But from my perspective, there’s been games where he’s not played, the deciding pool game against Glasgow last season, the quarter-final against Glasgow last season.

“And there have been games in the Premiership this year where Manu’s been unbelievable as well. So it’s not something that hasn’t happened before. The team has a lot of top players who can fill that void, or help out in certain roles.

“We have a big leadership group from the likes of Jamie George, Maro Itoje, Billy and Mako Vunipola, Brad Barritt, Elliot Daly, myself. So there’s a lot of people who can take on that sort of load.

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“So, look, it’s a team that isn’t built around one person. Owen’s unbelievable as a player and a leader, we know that, but we’re going into that knowing that he wasn’t going to be able to play for a week or so and we’ve prepared accordingly.

“A lot has been made about our situation in the last few months, building up to this game. But we’ve known about all that for a long while. It’s a huge game, a huge challenge for us to go over to Ireland as underdogs against the number-one seeds and a lot of people’s favourites.

“And a lot’s been said about us as a force that’s faded, so there’s a lot to prove in that sense, and a lot of top players with a great deal of pride who want to put their best foot forward.

“Certainly it’s going to be a massive encounter and one that we’re relishing, and we can’t wait to get over to Ireland and showcase what we’re about as a club.”

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Saracens’ impending Premiership relegation due to salary cap breaches means a raft of players have left the club since this delayed 2019/20 Champions Cup defence began. Mark McCall’s side must face Leinster without the likes of Liam Williams, Ben Spencer, Will Skelton and George Kruis.

Throw in Farrell’s suspension and the fact Saracens’ enforced relegation has minimised meaningful competition in their 2020 calendar, and the odds stack up against them. And yet the 32-year-old Goode is unfazed amid all the adversity, leaning on Saracens’ stellar record of three European titles in the last four years.

“When you get to the Champions Cup full-stop there’s a special atmosphere around the club, it’s a tournament that we love and take a lot of pride in,” said Goode. “Given our record over the last four, five years, there’s just a buzz around the game full-stop. They are a wonderful side obviously and we have a lot of respect for them.

“They are a top team, but it’s a special group here, still. And we want to make sure we turn up and put our best foot forward.

“We know it’s a huge challenge, and we’re very aware of that. But we’ve always prided ourselves at this club on the next person to step into the club to make sure he wears it with pride and does a job like a Saracen. And that’s what we expect at the weekend.”

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Jon 2 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

This is the problem with conservative mindsets and phycology, and homogenous sports, everybody wants to be the same, use the i-win template. Athlete wise everyone has to have muscles and work at the gym to make themselves more likely to hold on that one tackle. Do those players even wonder if they are now more likely to be tackled by that player as a result of there “work”? Really though, too many questions, Jake. Is it better Jake? Yes, because you still have that rugby of ole that you talk about. Is it at the highest International level anymore? No, but you go to your club or checkout your representative side and still engage with that ‘beautiful game’. Could you also have a bit of that at the top if coaches encouraged there team to play and incentivized players like Damian McKenzie and Ange Capuozzo? Of course we could. Sadly Rugby doesn’t, or didn’t, really know what direction to go when professionalism came. Things like the state of northern pitches didn’t help. Over the last two or three decades I feel like I’ve been fortunate to have all that Jake wants. There was International quality Super Rugby to adore, then the next level below I could watch club mates, pulling 9 to 5s, take on the countries best in representative rugby. Rugby played with flair and not too much riding on the consequences. It was beautiful. That largely still exists today, but with the world of rugby not quite getting things right, the picture is now being painted in NZ that that level of rugby is not required in the “pathway” to Super Rugby or All Black rugby. You might wonder if NZR is right and the pathway shouldn’t include the ‘amateur’, but let me tell you, even though the NPC might be made up of people still having to pull 9-5s, we know these people still have dreams to get out of that, and aren’t likely to give them. They will be lost. That will put a real strain on the concept of whether “visceral thrill, derring-do and joyful abandon” type rugby will remain under the professional level here in NZ. I think at some point that can be eroded as well. If only wanting the best athlete’s at the top level wasn’t enough to lose that, shutting off the next group, or level, or rugby players from easy access to express and showcase themselves certainly will. That all comes back around to the same question of professionalism in rugby and whether it got things right, and rugby is better now. Maybe the answer is turning into a “no”?

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j
john 5 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

But here in Australia we were told Penney was another gun kiwi coach, for the Tahs…….and yet again it turned out the kiwi coach was completely useless. Another con job on Australian rugby. As was Robbie Deans, as was Dave Rennie. Both coaches dumped from NZ and promoted to Australia as our saviour. And the Tahs lap them up knowing they are second rate and knowing that under pressure when their short comings are exposed in Australia as well, that they will fall in below the largest most powerful province and choose second rate Tah players to save their jobs. As they do and exactly as Joe Schmidt will do. Gauranteed. Schmidt was dumped by NZ too. That’s why he went overseas. That why kiwi coaches take jobs in Australia, to try and prove they are not as bad as NZ thought they were. Then when they get found out they try and ingratiate themselves to NZ again by dragging Australian teams down with ridiculous selections and game plans. NZ rugby’s biggest problem is that it can’t yet transition from MCaw Cheatism. They just don’t know how to try and win on your merits. It is still always a contest to see how much cheating you can get away with. Without a cheating genius like McCaw, they are struggling. This I think is why my wise old mate in NZ thinks Robertson will struggle. The Crusaders are the nursery of McCaw Cheatism. Sean Fitzpatrick was probably the father of it. Robertson doesn’t know anything else but other countries have worked it out.

21 Go to comments
A
Adrian 7 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

21 Go to comments
T
Trevor 10 hours ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

21 Go to comments
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