Proud new father Mr de Kock stated on the website how high Eddie’s setting his targets by revealing they want to be in the top 2 or 3 come Christmas, and this means starting with turning Gloucester over on Sunday.

Overall, the recent form guide against the Cherry and Whites is less than favourable, to put it ridiculously mildly. The less said about the capitulation towards the end of last season, the better! The same goes for the play off match the year before. But the home league encounter was a different affair, with only really the magic of Lamb and a couple of interceptions making the difference.

The two games were an all too familiar story of last year – the excitement and possibility before Christmas, and the deflated inconsistency of afterwards. Firstly, let’s look at the officials for Sunday...ah, right.

Ok. On second thoughts, let’s move swiftly past that for fear of me having a severe nervous breakdown and not finishing this preview. But can I just say this – why again? Sean Davey?! Really? I just think we’re lucky it’s not a Sky game, as seeing how we’re taking on a team in predominantly red, I’m sure a certain Welshman would have ended up as the TMO (not strictly possible, as only English refs can cover Premiership games, but for a cheap joke, my point stands!) 

So onto the present. Sarries have made a promising start, if a bit tentative on occasions, and unsurprisingly, the things coming out of Eddie’s mouth have been on the money, and even Dewi Morris reckons we’re heading in the right direction. Gloucester on the other hand were unhappy with some early performances, and are still trying to settle this year, after some patchy Heineken Cup performances.

However, both of us have played 5, won 3, lost 2. That point alone typifies exactly what Jones has been saying about how we are just starting to develop the winning, leader-focused mentality, whilst Gloucester, however often they put on their best impression of workers in the Southern French vineyards, and bottle it, (sorry, couldn’t resist!) believe they should be somewhere already – and with some of the names on show, they probably should be! 

To the loss of players to the Autumn Internationals – Dean Ryan’s been making his usual noise, arguing this time that as some of his players haven’t been selected, he should have them, but unlike some years recently, Gloucester are not hit as hugely as some of their fellow clubs.

In fact, for once, it is Sarries who have a bigger issue with the loss of players. We might only have the one England International at the moment, but our multi-cultural front and back 3 has got so much talent that they’ve nearly all been summoned to represent their respective nations. We’re finally blessed with our new Southern Hemisphere recruits, who may or may not be making an appearance this weekend (at the time of writing, no team news was forthcoming), but we were hardly short of cover in the back row or centres anyway. I’m not questioning their ability to be much more than cover at all, but our depleted back 3 does leave me slightly concerned.  

So let’s look at who’s left. The two packs first up: Gloucester had been questioned over the last few seasons for their lack of dogged fight up front, and are going about trying to rectify that. We, on the other hand, have a strong pack that has been the cornerstone of our success this season so far. With the likes of Wikus here to add to that, our pack should comfortably compensate for the loss of Borthwick, and Cobus will likely continue his appearances as a surprisingly regular starter for a coach who’s ‘just kept in shape as cover’, so Cencus will be covered too.

Gloucester have an almost entire pack of ‘oh so close’ to England regular players who never quite made the grade – Titterrell, Hazell, Eustace, Brown, who will still harbour dreams of returning to the international fold. Coupled with the international talent of Satala, Strokosch (if released) and co. this is not a pack to be taken lightly. However, on current form, I reckon our pack should have a reasonable, if not considerable, edge. 

Into the backs though, and it’s a different story entirely! Everywhere you look, Gloucester’s team sheet is bristling with talent. With Lamb surplus to England’s requirements, but back in the Gloucester line-up after some early wobbles, they have the invention to create magic from anywhere. Coupled with the sheer power of Vainikolo, and the solidity of Walker, and a huge array of centre talent – their backs, unlike their pack, is perfectly balanced. Even if Balshaw drops everything, they’ve still got plenty to cover for him. Incidentally, does the current Gloucester back division boast the most Police cautions of any club side? An odd statistic to consider there....

As to our backs, De Kock has been back to his electrifying best now relieved of captaincy, and Jacko has been imperious in his control. My question would be in the centres, where Farrell will presumably play as he’s captain, but whilst I have absolute faith in him as a leader of men, I don’t think he should be in the side at the moment on form. The youngsters with raw talent are likely to be once again utilised out wide, and this will be a big test for them (watch me be proved completely wrong when the teams come up).  

I get the feeling this game will be won in the tight though, and we will deny Gloucester enough ball to stop their backs being released. We’ve been tidy, controlled, and assertive in recent weeks when the full side has been on show, and I hope that doesn’t change.

Whilst I love to see Jacko running his loops to release the backs right on the game line, I’ll happily sacrifice that for us outmuscling Gloucester at the breakdown, and I’m fairly confident that’s what we’ll do. 

ALLEZ LES NOIRS!!!!!

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