Premiership semi-final: Saracens vs Gloucester composite XV
The first Gallagher Premiership semi-final of the weekend sees Saracens host Gloucester, in a battle between second and third in the regular season.
Gloucester’s rise up the table and closing of the gap on Saracens and Exeter Chiefs has been impressive, but will it be enough to see them secure a victory at Allianz Park and book a place in the final at Twickenham?
We have balanced up both teams and put together a composite XV ahead of the contest on Saturday, and the results don’t make Gloucester’s chances look too promising.
- Alex Goode, Saracens
Gloucester have had good production from 15 this season, whether it’s been Jason Woodward, Charlie Sharples or even Matt Banahan in the position, but there are few full-backs in the world who would win a head-to-head currently with Goode. His security at the back, counter-attacking and ability to step up as a playmaker in the back line all give Saracens and Goode the advantage here.
- Liam Williams, Saracens
The Welsh international and British and Irish Lion has been consistently effective for Saracens this season and it’s hard to see that changing on Saturday afternoon. His reading of the game and finishing ability out wide have been difference-makers for his side this season.
- Billy Twelvetrees, Gloucester
Alex Lozowski has been excellent and will prove to be a threat, but Twelvetrees has quietly laid down a marker over the last nine months that he is one of the most consistent performers at club level in English rugby. He has linked Gloucester’s potent midfield with their weapons out wide and he has been one of the key reasons behind Gloucester’s march to the playoffs.
- Brad Barritt, Saracens
Another extremely tough call and selections of Lozowski and Mark Atkinson would not cause anyone to bat an eye, but Barritt is a man that has been here and done it so many times in the knockout rounds of Premiership and European rugby. The duel between Barritt and Atkinson won’t draw the interest like the battle of the fly-halves, but it may end up being the more decisive match-up.
- Sean Maitland, Saracens
With breakout star Ollie Thorley on the cusp of Eddie Jones’ Rugby World Cup squad but unavailable for this match, the nod has to go to Maitland. He hasn’t scored as many dazzling solo tries as the 22-year-old. but his finishing and reliability in defence have helped him excel with Saracens. His contest with Sharples has the potential to be an enjoyable one.
- Owen Farrell, Saracens
Like Barritt, Farrell is the man that has been here and done it so many times before, despite being still just 27 years of age. Danny Cipriani has been at the spearhead of Gloucester’s resurgence and good value for his player of the season award, but in the crunch games, there are few who pick against Farrell.
- Ben Spencer, Saracens
From the sniping runs to the game-managing box-kicks, Spencer is rapidly turning himself into the complete scrum-half. If Gloucester gift Saracens any sort of cheap possession, Spencer will swiftly move his side into the right areas of the pitch and punish the Cherry and Whites.
- Richard Barrington, Saracens
Losing Mako Vunipola was always going to make the game a little less special, but Barrington has consistently stepped up for the England international over the last few years. His display in the Heineken Champions Cup final showed that he still has plenty to offer at this level.
- Jamie George, Saracens
Having established himself, beyond any doubt, as England’s number one option this season, George has also made sure that his club form has not suffered as a result. His chemistry at the lineout with his array of jumping options is excellent and the amount of work he gets through in the loose is one of the reasons why Saracens are so hard to unlock in defence and stop in attack.
- Vincent Koch, Saracens
The South African just gives Saracens a little more in the loose than most tightheads, whilst still providing a strong anchor for a functional scrum. As long as he holds his own against Josh Hohneck at the set-piece, his impact on the game is likely to be a positive one.
- Ed Slater, Gloucester
Perhaps the toughest call in the XV, Will Skelton has been in tremendous form for Saracens, although the same can be said of Slater at Gloucester. He won’t be able to match the Australian as a ball-carrier, but his lineout work, mobility and defensive work rate will all be vital for the visitors on Saturday afternoon.
- Franco Mostert, Gloucester
An all-Gloucester second row? Versus Saracens, of all teams? It’s a measure of how well these two have combined in the engine room this season that they are starting ahead of two in-form internationals in Skelton and George Kruis.
- Maro Itoje, Saracens
It doesn’t matter if he’s packing down at four, five or six, Itoje is making the XV. His physicality, technical expertise and leadership all separate him from the chasing pack and he will almost certainly be pivotal to Saracens’ efforts to make it to Twickenham.
- Jaco Kriel, Gloucester
Injuries have plagued Kriel of late in his career, but if he is fully-fit on Saturday, it will take an excellent rucking effort from Saracens to keep him quiet and deny him the pilfers that he thrives on. He could be exactly the kind of breakdown difference-maker that really gives Gloucester a shot at upsetting the European champions.
- Billy Vunipola, Saracens
The powerful number eight was in fine form in the Heineken Champions Cup final victory over Leinster. His combination of power in the tight, energy and work rate in defence and explosive ability in the wider channels is arguably unmatched in world rugby, let alone the Premiership, even for someone as balanced and talented as Ben Morgan.
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Comments on RugbyPass
We’re building a bridge but can't agree where the river is.
2 Go to commentsfirst no arms shoulder or helmet tackle into his rib cage is going to be so very painful even to watch. go back to RU mate.
1 Go to commentsBulls by 5. Plus another 50.
3 Go to commentsJohan Goosen avatar. Cute. Surely someone at RP knows how to do a google image search?
3 Go to commentsCan’t these games play a little earlier? Asking for a friend.
3 Go to commentsIt’s impressive that we can see huge stadiums with attendance in the 40 000 to 50 000 region. It shows how popular this competition is becoming. What is even more impressive is the massive growth in broadcast viewership. The URC is one of the two best leagues in the World, the other being the Top14.
7 Go to commentsChristie is not Sottish, like the majority of the Scotland team.
2 Go to commentsHold the phone, decline over-rated. Is it a one game, dead cat bounce or the real thing? Has the Penney dropped? Stay tuned.
45 Go to commentsTotally deserved win for the Crusaders Far smarter than the Chiefs who seem to be avoiding the basics when it matters Hotham showed them what was missing and Hannah seems a real find - a tad light but that can be fixed over time
8 Go to commentsGreat insight into the performance culture with Sarries and I predict Christie will be a fixture in the Scotland team now for some time to come. However, he is slightly missing his own point around Scotland “being soft” when he cites physicality examples in defence of that slight. The issue is much closer to the example he referenced around feeling off before a game but being told “it doesn’t matter, you can still play well” by Farrell. Until Scotland can get their psyche in that square, they will carry on folding under extreme pressure…
2 Go to comments> We are having to adapt, evolve and innovate more than when we were in Super Rugby where there was only really one style that everybody had to play to gain the most success. Have = able to? Interesting what that one style might be? I thought SA sides still had bad tours now, or at least bad schedule, months away? Those extra few hours flights have to be a killer though, no surprise to see their sides doing so badly at the start of the season each year. I wouldn’t enjoy that unfairness as a supporter.
7 Go to commentsThe problem for NZ, and Aus, is they ripped up the SR model and lost a massive chunk of revenue that hasn’t been replaced. Don’t forget SA clubs went North because they were left with no choice, Argy unceremoniously binned and Japan cast adrift. Now SR wasn’t perfect, far from it, but they’ve jumped into something without an effective plan, so far, to replace what they’ve lost. The biggest revenue potential now lies in Japan but it won’t be easy or quick to unlock, they are incredibly insular in culture as a nation. In the meantime, there is a serious time bomb sitting under SH rugby and if it happens then the current financial challenges will look like a picnic. IF the Boks follow their provincial teams and head north then it’s revenue meltdown. Not guaranteed to happen but the status quo is a very odd hybrid, with the Boks pointing one way and the clubs pointing the other way. And for as long as that remains then the threat is real.
45 Go to commentsI think Etene has had some good tuition, likely while at the Warriors to be a professional that helped his rugby jump, but he was certainly thrown in the deep end way too early. Should have arguably 20 less SR caps, and therefor a way better record that he does at his age, but his development would have been fast tracked by the need to satiate his signing away from league. Again, credit to him and others that he has done it so well. Easy to fall over under that pressure in the big leagues like that but he kept at it when I myself wasn’t sure he was good enough.
1 Go to commentsAwesome story. I wonder what a bigger American (SA) scene might have mean for Brex.
1 Go to comments“Johnny McNicholl and the Crusaders” save a Penney. Who has been in camp this week and showed them how to play?
8 Go to commentsSo, reports of the Crusaders’ demise / terminal decline are perhaps just - slightly - premature/exaggerated…? 🤔 Will we see a deep-dive into that by the estimable Rugbypass scribes, and maybe one or two mea culpas? Thought not.
8 Go to comments1. The Chiefs are rudderless without DMac, which enhances his AB chances 2. Chiefs pack are powderpuffs. The hard men arent there anymore 3. They had their golden title chance last yr and wont threaten this yr. Gone in second round of playoffs.
8 Go to commentsHonestly, why did you have to publish such a foolish article the day they play us? 😂
45 Go to comments> They are not standalone entities. They are linked to an amateur association which holds the FFR licence that allows the professional side to compete in the league. That’s a great rule. This looks like the chicken or egg professional scenario. How long is it going to be before the club can break even (if that is even a thing in French rugby)? If the locals aren’t into well it would be good to se them drop to amateur level (is it that far?). Hope they can reset from this level and be more practical, there will be a time when they can rebuild (if France has there setup right).
1 Go to commentsWhat about changing the ball? To something heavier and more pointed that bounces unpredictably. Not this almost round football used these days.
35 Go to comments