TheSaracens.com - Saracens V Bristol: Come in Number 7…….

Last year Richard Hill and his mates had their best season in ages, finishing in the top four and although they were well beaten in the play-off semi’s had earned themselves a place in the Heineken Cup. A high point of their season has undoubtedly been a home win over a top French team, and they weren’t too far off winning the away match either. Without a big squad, however, league form has suffered and a home defeat by Harlequins stopped the momentum they were gaining as things were beginning to look up. And of course, today is the day when one of the great stalwarts hangs up his boots.

Funny, isn’t it, how much we both have in common? I could also have added that both teams are being temporarily evicted from the ground they share with a football team. Toppling Stade Francaise was the summit of Bristol’s achievements this season, but two failures against Cardiff scuppered their HC campaign. We’ve been there as well too!

If you discount the EDF energy cup, Bristol have failed to string more than two wins together at any time throughout the season, and have never got into the upper half of the table. However, with Saracens defence currently being co-ordinated by Father Christmas they will surely be travelling with some hope this weekend.

So long, Farewell, Auf Wiedersehen, Goodbye

It isn’t just Sarries who are saying goodbye to some long-serving players- retiring from the Bristol ranks at the end of the season will be Dave Hilton, whose claim to fame was being rumbled as an illegal immigrant in rugby union after earning 41 caps for Scotland. Apparently his Grandfather was born in Bristol, not Edinburgh as was being claimed. Somewhat ironic that Bristol will be playing in a different country for the next couple of years!Gareth Llewellyn is also retiring at the end of a career that has earned him 92 Welsh caps. I dread to think how old he is- he was nearly a veteran when I started coming to rugby matches 14 years ago, having made his international debut 5 years previously.

Ones to watch out for

Although Briss have had a fairly miserably league campaign, the form of Tom Arscott has been a revelation this season with 7 league tries. A place in the Saxons squad must be a real possibility. Whilst David Lemi has not hit the height of last season, he’ll still get to the white line almost as quickly as Pete Doherty after his release from Her Majesty’s Pleasure.

I’m sure Ronnie Regan will still have plenty to say for himself even though it’s the end of the season, and Shaun Perry will be hoping to show Martin Johnson that he is still an international scrum-half and deserves a trip to New Zealand.

Keeping up traditions

A look through the encyclopaedias will tell you that the Saracens were a nomadic tribe, wandering between exotic locations in Northern Africa and the Middle East. So having set up camp in Coventry and Milton Keynes in recent weeks we can’t be accused of not keeping the dream alive! Perhaps we should be making some ‘Saracens Spring Tour’ tee-shirts?

Wish me luck, as you wave me goodbye….

And it’s not only players we are saying goodbye to. The Gaffer is finishing his full time stint with us, although he is still supposed to remain on board in a consultative capacity. Without doubt he has made us into a thoroughly attractive team capable of raising our game against the very best, and he must take a lot of credit for getting the best out of Glen Jackson, Hugh Vyvyan and Nick Lloyd to name but three. I’m sure he will be absolutely gutted for Sarries worst ever league defeat to have occurred on his watch. Off too is Adrian Kennedy, and credit must be given to him for invigorating our pack during his time with us.

At the time of writing Alan Dickens a confirmed departure to Franklins Gardens, The futures of Kevin Yates and Ian Fullarton are still uncertain as they have been released from the club. Both have made significant contributions in their time and it was great to see Yatesy get the international recognition he deserved last summer. In addition Liffchack is on the move to London Welsh and Paul Gustard is looking forward to retirement, having "loved every minute of being involved in professional sport"

The Great Man

I’m sure you will be able to wallpaper a block of flats with the testimonials that will be written about Hilly at the moment, suffice for me to say that when I started watching Sarries it was clear that he (and Tony Diprose to be fair) were a class above anyone else on display. The class still remains, but what defines Hilly’s Saracens career is that he has played every game for us as if it were a World Cup final. I was lucky to spend a number of my earlier years watching Graham Gooch batting for Essex, and he was another man who was undeniably the best in the world in his position. But he also put just as much into the county matches, rather than treating them as an inconvenience in the way David Gower did. Great men indeed.

A Sarries game that for me summed up Hilda’s contribution was the away win at Bedford in 2000 when Ryan Constable scored six tries. It was the week after Scotland had beaten England in the rain at Murrayfield, and of course Constable got all of the headlines. Scott Murray (a poor man’s David Gower?) spent the afternoon improving his suntan, whilst Hilly was getting stuck turning over an endless supply of ball. Without his efforts it would have been a relatively close match. Did he get any plaudits? Of course not.After missing the 1998 cup final due to injury, he has had to wait until this year to savour his best moments in a Saracens shirt. Outstanding performances in the Heineken Cup took us to the brink of glory, and the look of sheer joy on his face at the end of the Bairritz and Ospreys games was enough to bring grown men to tears. We can’t possibly give him the send-off he deserves, but let’s do our very best.

Please be upstanding

Hopefully a song fit for a King, to the tune of the National Anthem: I hope it’s not a treasonable offence or it will be a summer in the Tower!

Hill saved our rugby team,

Kept alive Nigel’s dream,

Hill saved our team.World Cup victorious,

Grumpy and glorious.

Known not to make a fuss,

Hill saved our team.

Teams: TBA

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