By Neville
December 29 2006

Saracens go into the New Years Day Match with Leicester on the back of what is potentially their most significant win for some while. It was not so much the number of points scored against Saints on Wednesday, nor indeed the manner in which they were scored, that leads me to this view. However, the 40 minutes of intense, committed, and dominant rugby that we played in the second half on Wednesday night gives us a basis for the unthinkable: a win against Leicester.

I mean, why not? The Prince of Darkness is no more, the hand of Back has been removed from the tiller by the even more permanent Hand of Time. And, in every way, they are not the team they used to be.

Surely, the days when we used to get mullered by Leicester are long gone?

I mean, look at our recent results.

Also, Leicester's last game was a defeat. Of course they would have won if Pieboy had made all his kicks, but he didn't, and neither did they.

So it’s in the bag then, right?

Unfortunately not. Leicester may not be the team that won back-to-back European cups, but at home, they're almost as good as it gets. They'll be smarting from the recent defeat, and Andy Goode will be smarting more than most. He always plays well against us, and he will do so again on the 1st of January.

Leicester have probably known for a while that Pat Howard is leaving, but the team will surely be anxious to mark his announcement to that effect with an emphatic statement of intention.

I'm sorry to bring this up, but the Warriors defeat shows us two things:

Firstly, the only thing that Saracens are consistent in is their inconsistency.

Secondly, when a change of coach is in the air, it can sometimes galvanise a team to over-perform.

Furthermore, even allowing for Dave Pearson's inadequacies on Wednesday, Saracen's first half display was littered with indiscipline. Pieboy will be sharpening his boots.

I like what we're doing, and the way in which we're heading - but though my heart says this is the time to dispense with Listeria, my head says that we won't quite hack it, as yet.