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'If you want to be a Saracens player and you p*** about in the Championship you will not be a Saracens player for the next 10 years'
Richard Wigglesworth has urged his Saracens team-mates not to treat life in the Championship next season with contempt following their European heartbreak.
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Saracens’ hopes of a fourth Heineken Champions Cup title in five years evaporated on Saturday as Juan Imhoff’s late try gave Racing 92 a 19-15 semi-final victory.
It was Saracens’ last visit to rugby’s top table for a while after their relegation from the Gallagher Premiership for breaching salary cap regulations.
And former England scrum-half Wigglesworth – who is leaving Saracens after 10 years in north London and admitted he was a “bit of a mess” after the final whistle in Paris – had a sobering message for his colleagues.
“The Championship will be difficult,” Wigglesworth said. “The large majority of the squad will play the large majority of the games.
“If you want to be a Saracens player and you p*** about in the Championship you will not be a Saracens player for the next 10 years.
“It is pretty obvious you will not get away with that because Ealing and the other teams have improved really well and are fully professional.
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“The future is bright because the academy has done it the right way, but Owen (Farrell) and Maro (Itoje) have this level of what it requires to be to be a Saracens player, and you might need a few of those boys to get them over the line.”
England stars Farrell, Itoje, Jamie George, Elliot Daly and the Vunipola brothers, Billy and Mako, are among Mark McCall’s squad who have committed to spending next season in the Championship.
But the likes of Ben Spencer, George Kruis and Liam Williams have already left Sarries following the salary cap scandal, and Wigglesworth and captain Brad Barritt will also depart after the 2019/20 season comes to an end this week with games against Worcester and Bath.
“I was a bit of a mess afterwards,” Wigglesworth said of the semi-final defeat. “It hit me and I am sure it will be an emotive week for myself and more so for Brad.
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“He has been here 12 years, the captain who has basically lifted every trophy we have ever won and it is a joke what he puts his body through.
“We need to have a good week and enjoy it, but I am not going to say it is not going to be tinged with sadness.”
Wigglesworth, 37, joined from Sale in 2010 and has played over 200 games for Saracens.
During the 2018/19 season he broke Steve Borthwick’s 265-game record for the most Premiership appearances.
On his own future, Wigglesworth said: “I have some options to sort out in the next couple of weeks.
“I have been intensely focused on what I have been doing, but now I need to do what is best for me and my family and make a good career decision.
“If it does not happen in the next couple of weeks it is because the things on the table are not right.
“I need to think about where I can make an impact and contribute really well.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Must be something when you are only 19 y.o and both NZ and France want you. Btw he wasn’t the only new caledonian in french U20 as Robin Couly also lived in Noumea until 17. Hope he’s successful wherever he chooses to play.
7 Go to comments“Several key players in the Stade Rochelais squad are in their thirties” South Africans are going to hate the implications of that comment!
4 Go to commentsI know Leinster did a job on La Roche but shortly after HT Leinster were 30-13 ahead of them and at a similar time Toulouse were trailing Exeter. At 60 mins Leinster were 27 ahead but after 67 mins Toulouse were only 19 ahead before Exeter collapsed. That’s heavier scoring by Leinster against the Champions. I think people are looking at Toulouses total a little too much. I also think Northhampton are in with a real chance, albeit I’d put Leinster as favourites. If Leinster make the final I expect them to win by more than ten and with control.
4 Go to commentsHey Nick, your match analysis is decent but the top and tail not so much, a bit more random. For a start there’s a seismic difference in regenerating any club side over a test team. EJ pretty much had to urinate with the appendage he’d been given at test level whereas club success is impacted hugely by the budget. Look no further than Boudjellal’s Toulon project for a perfect example. The set ups at La Rochelle and Leinster are like chalk and cheese and you are correct that Leinster are ahead. Leinster are not just slightly ahead though, they are light years ahead on their plans, with the next gen champions cup team already blooded, seasoned and developing at speed from their time manning the fort in the URC while the cream play CC and tests. They have engineered a strong talent conveyor belt into their system, supported by private money funnelled into a couple of Leinster private schools. The really smart move from Leinster and the IRFU however is maximising the Irish Revenue tax breaks (tax relief on the best 10 years earnings refunded at retirement) to help keep all of their stars in Ireland and happy, while simultaneously funding marquee players consistently. And of course Barrett is the latest example. But in no way is he a “replacement for Henshaw”, he’s only there for one season!!! As for Rob Baxter, the best advice you can give him is to start lobbying Parliament and HMRC for a similar state subsidy, but don’t hold your breath… One thing Cullen has been very smart with is his coaching team. Very quickly he realised his need to supplement his skills, there was talk of him exiting after his first couple of years but he was extremely shrewd bringing in Lancaster and now Nienaber. That has worked superbly and added a layer that really has made a tangible difference. Apart from that you were bang on the money… 😉😂
4 Go to commentsNot sure exactly what went wrong for him at Glasgow but it’s pretty clear he ain’t Franco’s cup of tea. Suspect he would have been better served heading out of Scotland around the same time as Finn, Hoggy and Jonny!
1 Go to commentsBulls disrespected the Northampton supporters and the competition. Decide quickly, fully in or out.
25 Go to commentsI wonder if Parling was ever on England’s radar as a coach? Obviously Borthwick is a great lineout coach, but I do worry he might be taking on too much as both head coach and forwards coach.
1 Go to commentsJason Jenkins has one cap. When Etzebeth was his age he had over 80 caps. Experience matters. He will never amount to what Etzebeth has because he hasn’t been developed as an international player.
2 Go to commentsSays much about the player picking this gig over the easier and bigger rewards offered to him in Japan. Also says a lot about the state sanctioned tax benefits the Irish Revenue offers pro rugby players, with their ten highest earning years subject to an additional 40% tax relief and paid as a lump sum, in cash, at retirement. Certainly helps Leinster line up the financial ducks in a row to fund marquee signings like this!!! No other union anywhere in world rugby benefits from this kind of lucrative financial sponsorship from their government…
5 Go to commentsTrue Jordie could earn a lot more in Japan. But by choosing Leinster he’ll be playing with 1 of the best clubs in the world and can win a champions cup and URC…..
6 Go to commentsThanks for that Marshy, noticed you didn't say who is gonna win it. We know who ain't gonna win it - your Crusaders outfit. They've gone from having arguably the best Super Rugby first five ever, to having a clutch of rookies. Hurricanes all the way!
1 Go to commentsGeez you really have to question the NRLs ability to produce players of quality. Its pathetic. Dont the 25mil in Aus produce enough quality womens players. Sad.
1 Go to commentsBulls fan here, and agree 100% with the conclusion (and little else) of this article. SA sides should absolutely f-off from the champs cup until we get fair scheduling, equal support for travel arrangements and home semis. You know, like all the european teams get.
25 Go to commentsI’m yet to see why Grace would be an ABs contender. He’s pedestrian and lacks the dominance required of a top flight 8.
11 Go to commentsGee my Highlanders were terrible. They have gone backwards since the start of the season. The trouble began when we left Millar behind to prep as the 10 against the Brumbies and he was disconnected from the team that came back from Aussie. We rested Patchell for that game and we blew an avalanche of ball in good attacking positions in the 1st half. Against the Rebels we seem to of gone into a pod system with forwards hanging off from the breakdown leaving Fakatava to secure our ball!
80 Go to commentsPot Kettle, the English and French teams have done it for years.
25 Go to commentsHas virtually played every minute of previous games. Back row of Li Lo Willie , Grace and Blackadder would be the 1. Crusaders issue is a very average 1st 5 who cannot run. Kicking in general play is also below par They need to put Yong Kemara in. He must have so.e talent for them to bring him down from Waikato. Hoehepa would struggle to play in so.e club sided
11 Go to commentsI hope this a good thing making all these changes!
3 Go to commentsThe Hurricanes are good, especially with a decent coach now. However, let’s be real, the Crusaders and Chiefs are clearly a good degree weaker without the players they’ve lost overseas now. The Canes lost one player. It’s also why the aussie teams ‘seem’ to be stronger.
9 Go to commentsOr you could develop your own players instead of constantly taking from the SH competition and weakening it in the process? With all the player and financial resources these unions have compared to SH countries you’d think they could manage that, or is weakening the SH comps and their national sides an added bonus? Probably.
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