Same old story in Premiership with Saracens' dominance set to continue
Saracens launch their bid to win a third consecutive Premiership crown this season – but can anyone stop them from steamrollering their way to yet another title?
Mark McCall’s Saracens have been a regular feature in the Premiership final at Twickenham, appearing five times in the last six years and scooping the main prize on four of those occasions.
The London outfit beat Exeter in the last two showpiece finals to take their title tally to five. Success this year would see them draw level with both Bath and Wasps, who have six titles apiece, although they still have a way to get on level terms with Leicester, who have 10 Premiership crowns.
Saracens are odds-on favourites with bookmakers to win their third successive title before they kick off their new campaign against Northampton, with Exeter slated as their biggest challenger, suggesting another arm wrestle between the west country and north London.
The Rugby World Cup is currently underway in Japan and, while the game’s biggest stars are focused on lifting the Webb Ellis Cup on November 2, over on home soil the Premiership Rugby Cup is giving fans an early indication of what is in store this season.
While the competition might be used to give younger players game time and experience, it also highlights the strength and depth of each squad.
Saracens have claimed two heavy wins to date and one defeat – the same as last season’s title rivals Exeter – while Sale and Harlequins both made perfect starts.
But of course, the returning world class stars are the players that will make a difference, and that is where Saracens have a wealth of riches, making up a quarter of Eddie Jones’s side in Japan.
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England captain Owen Farrell, powerhouse forwards Billy and Mako Vunipola, hookers Jamie George and Jack Singleton, full-back – and new signing – Elliot Daly, and rampaging locks George Kruis and Maro Itoje.
They make up 15 players from Saracens who have gone to the World Cup, making them the Premiership side with the greatest representation at the tournament and showing the talents they will capitalise on in the domestic season.
Exeter, too, have a wealth of talent and Bath boasted six players in action in Japan, while Leicester have nine.
Experienced loose forward Justin Tipuric will captain his country for the first time in his 69-test career. #RWC2019 #WALvURU https://t.co/juZvRTXr9K
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 11, 2019
Promoted London Irish could be a surprise package with big-name signings including Ireland international Sean O’Brien, Tonga’s Steve Mafi, Scotland’s Allan Dell and Australia internationals Adam Coleman and Sekope Kepu.
Last season Saracens topped the points-scoring charts, closely followed by Exeter, who ran in 100 tries to Saracens’ 88, although Leicester’s George Ford was the top points scorer and Sale’s Denny Solomona and Northampton’s Cobus Reinach claimed joint honours as top try scorers with 12 apiece.
However, with Saracens’ collective force and a winning habit, it is hard to see past them booking their place in the final at Twickenham on June 20, 2020.
– PA
Are England favourites to take our the Rugby World Cup?:
Comments on RugbyPass
Big empty stadium does nothing for atmosphere but munster are playing well with solid performance
1 Go to commentsYes, Fiji can win the World Cup! With that belief plus their christian faith🙏 and hard work it is achievable. Great article. Ian Duncan Fiji resident 1981-84
2 Go to commentsInteresting comments about Touch. England’s hosting the Touch World Cup this year and the numbers have exploded since their last World Cup in 2019, something like 70% more teams and 40 nations taking part. And England Touch have made a big thing about how many universities are in their BUCS University Touch Championship as well as Sport England membership. Can only see this growing even more domestically as more people become aware of it
10 Go to comments“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
2 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
2 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
2 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
38 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
2 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
2 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
5 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
34 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to comments