The Top 5 I missed.

Sale 6-51 Saracens; Heywood Road, 16 September 2000.

Although this isn’t the biggest points haul on the road for Sarries, nor is it the biggest winning margin (they came in the previous season’s 58-12 win at the same venue) I remember it being enough to make me leap out of my seat at a friend’s wedding reception when the result came through via text. Everybody thought I had been stung by a bee.

Scorers
Tries: Castaignède (2), Spag, Murray, McRae, Davison, Wallace, Arasa. Cons: Castaignède (3), Sparg. Pen: Castaignède.

Team: Castaignède (O'Mahoney 71); Sparg, Johnston (Arasa 73), Sorrell, Luger; McRae (Walshe 62), Bracken (capt); Wallace, Cairns (Russell 67), White, Davison, Murray, Hill, Chesney, Diprose (Cole 73).

Report: http://observer.guardian.co.uk/print/0,3858,4064631-102283,00.html

4. Leicester Tigers 10-10 Saracens; Welford Road, 25 April 1998

The omens weren’t good going into this one as Pienaar and Lynagh were both ruled out and, as we all know, Saracens’ record at Welford Road was and still is to this day abysmal, so it was a surprise that Sarries came away with a draw. According to those who were there Gavin Johnson was inconsolable afterwards as he missed a penalty that could have been the match winner.

As it turned out,  Sarries really should have won it as the Leicester try was a 65-metre tap-and-go effort run in as Sarries turned their backs on the Tigers and Joel Stransky did the rest with his boot. The Saracens  try came from Andy Lee late on and Johnson did kick the other five points, but he and the travelling Fez left wondering just when the first win would come. We’re still waiting.

Saracens: Johnson; Constable, Sella, Ravenscroft, R Wallace (Daniel, 40);  Lee, Olsen (M Powell, 70); Grau, Chuter, Wallace, Johns, Grewcock, Sturnham, Roques,  Diprose.

Report: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_19980426/ai_n14159563/?tag=content;col1

3. Saracens 12–10 Newcastle; Vicarage Road, 19 April 1998.

How things have changed in the decade since this one was fought out between the two teams chasing the titles. New money, new outlook, new forces in the Prermiership, we all thought. Alas, for both sides, they haven’t really reached those dizzy heights since.

So many wanted to see what could have been a title decider  - it was a then-record 20,000+ that turned up at the Vicarage - that I couldn’t secure a ticket and had to resort to watching the delayed broadcast of the match on the telly in my Barnet flat.

Michael Lynagh was the Sarries hero that day; his last-minute drop-goal won the match and kept the title race alive, sending bouncing all over the living room. What the poor chap in the flat below thought  had happened is anyone’s guess.

Report: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/letter_from_america/80410.stm

2. Munster 31-30 Saracens; Thomond Park, 8 January 2001.

According to one who was there, this was the crush to end all crushes as Munster Branch, in its infinite wisdom, had apparently made a special offer to its supporters to get two Heineken Cup games for a knock-down price and everyone chose to come to the Sarries game. As for the match itself, two tries from Mark Mapletoft and one from Darragh O’Mahony, plus three conversions and three penalties from Thierry Lacroix were not quite enough to stop the Ronan O’Gara-inspired home side.

This one was missed as I couldn't afford to go! Besides, I visited Limerick a couple of years earlier and, being as tactful as possible here, I didn't think much of the place.

Report: http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-union/wood-sets-the-party-mood-636166.html

1. Leicester Tigers 27-20 Saracens (aet); Franklin’s Gardens, 31 May 2003.

Neil Back broke Sarries hearts and ensured Tigers avoided a first participation in the European Challenge Cup with a try four minutes from the end of extra time, necessitated by an 82^nd minute penalty from Andy Goode (playing for Sarries) to tie things at 20 apiece.

I was at stuck up an Austrian glacier that afternoon and was at the end of my tether as the text messages dried up and the WAP coverage couldn’t keep up. One person that really should have shut up, apparently, was a drunken Tigers fan who waded into the Sarries support and duly ejected, only to return a few minutes later with this shirt on inside-out and to continue his tirade of abuse. Good old Saints stewards; red hot on the use of cameras, stone cold on real crowd control when needed. I was told it was a great match, though.

Tries: Hill, Haughton

Conversions: Goode (2)

Penalties: Goode (2)

Team: Horan; Haughton, Johnston, Sorrell, O’Mahony; Goode, Bracken; Flatman, Cairns, Califano; A.Benazzi, Yandell; Chesney, Hill, Skirving.

Replacements: Storey, R.Russell, B.T. Russell, Roques, Kirton, Little, Castaignède.

Report: http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-union/back-the-deliverer-for-tigers-542540.html

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