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Brian O'Driscoll's bold Premiership prediction about Saracens

Saracens react after their Premiership semi-final defeat at Northampton last May (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

Legendary Ireland midfielder Brian O’Driscoll has made a bold prediction about Saracens ahead of the 2024/25 Gallagher Premiership, claiming they will fail to qualify for the semi-finals.

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Crowned champions of England six times since 2011, Saracens have been end-of-season semi-finalists in 13 of the last 15 years, only missing out in 2019/20 when they were automatically relegated from the top flight due to the salary cap breaches which resulted in them spending 2020/21 in the Championship.

O’Driscoll’s area of expertise as a TV pundit was in the past confined to coverage of the Investec Champions Cup, the tournament which features his former club Leinster.

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    ‘This Energy Never Stops’ – One year to go until the Women’s Rugby World Cup

    With exactly one year to go until Women’s Rugby World Cup England 2025 kicks off
    in Sunderland, excitement is sweeping across the host nation in anticipation of what
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    However, the Irishman has become a regular on the Premiership beat since earlier this year with TNT Sports and ahead of this weekend’s start to the new campaign, he has delivered a series of predictions on social media.

    Sitting in the old main stand at Leicester’s Welford Road, O’Driscoll’s most attention-grabbing statement came when asked to name his surprise package of the year. “Saracens not to make the top four,” he replied.

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    Gloucester
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    Mark McCall’s team start their 2024/25 campaign this Saturday away to Gloucester and they will be adjusting to life without former skipper Owen Farrell and the Vunipola brothers, Mako and Billy, who are now all playing in the French Top 14 with Racing 92, Vannes and Montpellier respectively.

    O’Driscoll was on punditry duty last May when Saracens’ 2023/24 title challenge came unstuck, the Londoners losing at home to Sale on the final regulation day of the season. That defeat cost them home advantage for the semi-finals and they were sent packing six days later when beaten at Northampton in the last four.

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    Other than the season when they were relegated for off-field issues and the year that followed in the English second-tier, Saracens have been Premiership semi-finalists for the last decade and a half.

    After they finished a desultory ninth place in 2008/09 under Eddie Jones, Brendan Venter took charge and he led them to third place in his only full season. McCall then stepped up midway through 2010/11 to lead the club to nine successive semi-final appearances before their relegation.

    Since returning from the Championship in 2021, they have re-established themselves as title contenders, reaching the semi-finals in each of the last three seasons.

    O’Driscoll’s bold guess about Saracens not making the 2024/25 semi-finals wasn’t his only prediction for the new campaign. “Premiership champions? Quins. Premiership top try scorer? Joe Cokanasiga. Premiership top points scorer? AJ MacGinty.

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    “Breakthrough player of the season? Northampton Saints’ Henry Pollock. New signing most excited to watch? Wow. Bill Mata maybe. What a signing he is. Fireworks.”

    Watch the highly acclaimed five-part documentary Chasing the Sun 2, chronicling the journey of the Springboks as they strive to successfully defend the Rugby World Cup, free on RugbyPass TV (*unavailable in Africa)

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    Patrickhill300 8 minutes ago
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    JW 1 hour ago
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    Well obviously NZR is not beholden to revenue then Marshall.


    And it simply never was a revenue issue. The AFL and NRL milk the ANZACs deaths and sacrifice for their own personal gain, they did not make their decisions based on “the rugby”, it’s all about taking over the day for the financial benefit. Why would NZR want to be a apart of that? We know RA would, but more than ever they are driven by the bottom line, and not the values that will be the factor in NZRs decision.


    So you need to get outside you bubble Tim Horan and think about reality. First, did Australians need something to do on ANZAC day (assuming it was for the weekend celebration day proposal) or have they been brainwashed into disconnecting with their mates and connecting with the TV. What purpose does it provide other than financially essentially? Then ask yourself that same question for the communities out side of that, through Aus and then into NZ and around the pacific, world even.


    We don’t need your shortshighted aussie brain calling out NZR thanks.


    NZR also doesn’t want to destroy a good thing that is SRs revival amongst wider entertainment enjoyer base, and having a SR break/interruption was a big driver towards fans turning off previously. You’d have to wait at least a few years before they feel comfortable in disrupting that again. Actually having it at the beggining of 2027, World Cup year in Australia, might actually be the most sensible thing (though I actually really like Utiku’s idea). It would both drum up support and get the spotlight on rugby early in the season, helping anticipation/buildup for the big event, and more importantly, give the sides an extra game that year to get things right for a tilt at thge trophy.

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