Sunday 22^nd Nov 2009 Vicarage Road Watford 

Letter to Mr Glen Jackson,

Sometime Saracens Fly Half

Whereabouts unknown 

Dear Glen,

We are missing you very much and hope you will be back soon. Our current fly half seems to have been infected with a variant of swine flu called drop goal fever. It started on Tuesday when we played the Boks (and we all know drop goal fever is endemic in South Africa) when he went for more and more extraordinary drops and of course eventually one went over. Apparently this is what the Doctor told him to do.Today the disease seems to have got worse although I suppose he could be forgiven for this on the day we should rename “Drop goal Sunday” in honour of St Jonny’s “drop for world cup glory”. But honestly he is now going for outrageous attempts every time he gets the ball where ever he is on the pitch. It’s even spreading to penalty kicks. We are very concerned that some of our other players might also get infected (after all we all know about Hugh’s prowess at the drop kick). So please come back soon and restore some sanity to our team.

With love

The Saracens Fans. 

Matches against Wasps have always been something to relish. In the 9 years I have been watching Saracens we have generally come off worse in these fixtures but there was always the gorgeous Josh Lewsey to oggle at. So was today the start of a new era? No Josh – he’s on his way up Everest, and no other eye candy in the shape of Dannyboy who is unfortunately cronked again. And an easy Sarries win! How about that. 8 out of 8. And thanks to Newcastle a 6 point lead now over the Not Nots. If we carry on like this even the cynics on TRC will have to admit it’s not all luck and Saracens are here to stay. It wasn’t an auspicious day for rugby.

A strong swirling wind and although Watford was not in the  same league as Cockermouth, several roads were flooded and there were ominous sprays of water emanating from every player’s step in the warm-up. This was our first game as World Champions (well we beat the world champions didn’t we). Which team would turn up today? World beaters or panel beaters? 

The good doctor had selected a strong 15 (with the worrying exception of Glen Jackson who hasn’t appeared since we beat Leeds). Wasps had also selected their strongest 15 with the back line looking ominous but the forwards perhaps a bit vulnerable. 

Sarries kicked off and within 2 minutes had won a penalty at the first scrum (a glimpse of things to come). It was a long kick – on half way but pretty much in front. Up stepped Houhaa. It looked like it was sailing over but caught the wind and hit the upright.  2 minutes later Simpson made a mess of a high ball allowing Houhaa the chance to make amends with a drop goal. 3-0 

Wasps replied with a straightforward penalty that Walder converted with ease to level the scores. Then the high balls started. Simpson and Van Gisbergen, making his 200^th start for the Pests, kicked repeatedly to the Sarries 22 but each time found the safe hands of Alex Goode. “The best full back in the Guinness premiership” (Will Greenwood) never looked like dropping one. Despite the wet and the wind he was totally secure. Eat your hearts our Monye and Banahan. Eventually Sarries changed tactics and went for the rolling maul which from a line out on half way progressed into the Wasps 22. Like lightening Brits burst off the back and sprinted 20m to the try line skipping round 2 Wasps’ defenders in true Sackey fashion before touching down. Houhaa converted from near the touchline to make the score 10-3. 

Sarries’ momentum was growing. An extraordinary Wasps restart bounced into touch through Wikus’s legs. Sarries stole the line out – the first of many. A period of messy play with several knock ons (understandable in the circumstances). Sarries walked the Wasps scrum sideways like a crab and won a free kick. More aerial ping pong led to an error by Brits. Walder kicked another straight forward goal to make it 10-6 at the end of the first quarter. 

From the restart Sarries tried to bring the wingers into play but another Wasps’ knock on led to another scrum. By now Sarries, assisted in no small measure by Kevin Barrett, were supremely dominant at the scrum. Joubert picked up from the back and won another penalty in front of the posts which Houhaa again converted for 13-6. 

Wasps managed a bit of pressure winning a scrum centrally on the Sarries 22. Simpson threw the ball over the top! Mr Richards charitably let him have another go. He might as well not have bothered. A huge shove from the Sarries’ pack collapsed the Wasp’s scrum and won a penalty. Unfortunately Hoouaa missed a long touch allowing Wasps to counter then compounded the error by kicking the return straight out. 

It was sad to see Ben Broster being replaced by Bob Baker but in truth the ex Sarrie was being given a torrid time by Rhys Gill. Wasps attacked again with a grubber kick which found the corner but the Sarries’ line out, though long, was safely secured and cleared. Wasps again tested Goode but he was equal to the challenge and returned with interest, sometimes kicking, sometimes finding touch, sometimes running but it was not a pitch that was ever going to support running rugby. 

With 5 minutes to go, Houhaa hoofed a long cross kick which set up a maul and the first of Houhaa’s failed drop goal attempts, this one not unreasonable but nowhere near. Walder’s clearance was gathered by Cato and on to Goode. The ball went loose in the tackle and was picked up by Andy Saull who seemed to almost swim to the line through the mire. He thought he’d scored by the right hand touch line but Mr Richards deemed the ball had been held up and awarded Sarries a 5m scrum. Inevitably Wasps collapsed the scrum and Sarries were awarded a penalty. The crowd were baying for a try. Surely with all our dominance at the scrum a penalty try was inevitable. Sarries took another scrum but this time the Wasps forwards held firm and the ball came out to Joubert and was eventually knocked on by Wasps. Another scrum on 5m, this time nearer the posts. Surely they had to score now. But no, somehow Wasps hung on and forced a knock on and a scrum of their own. But so dominant was the Sarries’ pack by now that it barely mattered who had the put in. A huge shove from Sarries led to yet another penalty back where we started wide on the right. The crowd wanted another scrum feeling a try was inevitable but by now the clock had kicked down to zero and Houhaa went for the penalty – which he missed. 

Still 13-6 at half time and the feeling that there was more to come. Good old Stuart Tinner wisely declined the opportunity for double or quits at the crossbar challenge and we were ready for the second half. 

Sarries won a penalty almost straight from the kick off which Houhaa kicked to touch. Sarries lost their own line out  (what had happened at half time, surely we weren’t going to see another  second half collapse). But no another penalty and another lineout was securely won. Unfortunately the ball was then lost in the lose and Van Gisbergen set up a Wasp’s attack which ended in a penalty for not rolling away. Walder missed the long kick. 

Sarries went on the attack again. Brits seemed to be everywhere and showed what a great rugby player he is with a fine 1 handed catch. Sarries went for some fresh legs and replaced the excellent Nieto with Skuse, Ryder with Botha, Barrett, who had more than held his own against the highly rated Simpson with Marshall and Cato with Penney. Wasps changed the rest of their front row bringing on Webber for Bocca and Beech for Joe Ward.  

Sarries won a penalty in their own half and for some extraordinary reason Houhaa went for goal (doubtless doctor’s orders). It was nowhere near. So he thought he’d try again from almost the same place, this time with a drop goal attempt which was marginally closed but still fell way short. Minutes later a change of personnel had done nothing to change the status quo at the scrum and Sarries were awarded yet another penalty. To groans of derision (and from the South Stand it sounded like groans not boos) Houhaa went for the posts from an almost identical place to his last failed attempt. And of course the result was the same. Missed by miles! Undeterred he fielded Sackey’s drop out wide on the 22 and went for yet another attempt at a drop goal which of course missed. Marshall had clearly had enough of all this and made a break up the middle. The ball emerged from the back of the ruck and yes, you guessed it, Houhaa had yet another go at a drop goal which to everyone’s surprise sailed between the posts. Into the final quarter and Sarries were now leading by 16-6. 

Wasps replaced Van Gisbergen, who had come off decidedly second best in the kicking battle with Alex Goode, with Lachlan Mitchell. Sarries won another penalty for offside and Houhaa, who had finally found his range, slotted this one over to make it 19-6. Almost the biggest cheer of the afternoon welcomed Adam Powell onto the pitch in place of Brad Barritt. 

Some spirited play from Wasps forced Sarries to defend which they did with gusto. Inevitably Wasps conceded a scrum and equally inevitably from that another penalty. Houhaa put that one over too and with 10 minutes to go the lead was 22-6. Another big cheer as it was finally time to “roll out the barrel” as big Don came on for Wikus van Heerden. 

Wasps rallied at the end, helped by Reynecke’s overthrown line out. They turned down a couple of kickable penalties with superb kicks for the corner from Walder. But each time the attack came to nothing more because of Wasp’s errors (crossing, long kicks going dead,)  than Sarries having to defend with any great gusto. The match ended with another great kick to the corner from Walder leading eventually to a Wasps scrum which was ceremonially mullered and the ball was cleared to touch. 

So in the circumstances a good win. Sarries were utterly dominant but it was never a day for running rugby and the try bonus point was probably a pipe dream. There were many positives. Our front row were awesome. Nieto got Man of the Match but in all honesty Gill and Brits were equally huge. Huge himself was imperious at the lineout, Van Heerden everywhere as usual, Barrett continues to grow in stature at scrum half and Alex Goode once again looked like the best fullback in the Premiership. I hope Houhaa has got the absurd kicks out of his system. He didn’t go for any more long shots in the last few minutes but then Sarries were largely on the defence. And I do hope Glen comes back soon. 

And finally, what about this guy Brits. At the end of the match he came over to the kids in the South stand, climbed over the advertising boards and shook them all by the hand. He then went on to the Rous and did the same.  What a great rugby player, what a great guy. 

Scores:3-0, 3-3, 10-3, 10-6, 13-6, 16-6, 19-6, 22-6 

Scorers:

Saracens: Try Brits Con Hougaard Pens Hougard 2 DG Hougaard 2

Wasps: Pen Walder 2 

Referee: Dean Richards 

Saracens:Goode, Cato (Penney), Ratuvou, Barritt (Powell), Tagicakibau, Hougaard, Barrett (Marshall), Gill (Lealamanua), Brits (Reynecke), Nieto ((Skuse) Vyvyan Ryder (Botha) Van Heerden c (Barrell) Saull Joubert  

Wasps:Van Gisbergen (Mitchell) Sackey Jacobs Waldouck (Kefu) Varndell Walder Simpson (Fury) Bocca (Beech) Ward (Webber) Broster (Baker) Skivington (Veale)  Birkett Hart (Leo) Betson c Ward-Smith 

Attendance 9,786

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