By The Bard
May 3 2007

Sarries' reward for their first top-four finish since the last millennium is a trip to what’s left of Castle Grim, in what is arguably our biggest game since the 1998 cup final. After last Saturday’s performance at Worcester, I’m not sure whether I should be writing a preview or a post-mortem! I can only imagine it was a practical joke at the expense of Ben Johnston to make sure he is playing D1 rugby with Northampton next season.

But, first of all, some congratulations are in order. To Cairnsy, Yatesy and Faz for making the England team, and a few other for making the Saxons? Allright, a nod. To Gloucester for winning the league? No, not likely. Congratulations to me for being one of only two participants in the ‘League Predictions’ who thought that they would back in August.

Gloucester’s form has been pretty good all season, and, needless to say, their home form has been of the highest order, with only Agen in the Heineken Cup coming away with the spoils. All-comers in the Guinness Premiership have left empty handed, with Leicester Tigers recent 28-24 defeat being just about as close as anyone has got.

Perhaps the demolition of one of the castle walls recently signifies the crumbling of the Roman Empire, and maybe the Barbarians (allright the Saracens) can storm the gates. I believe Saladin is having a late fitness test...

As it is not enough having all of the young talented backs outside of Newcastle, rumours abound that Glaws are about to sign none less than the Volcano himself, a year after he turned them down and signed back on for Bradford Bulls for a reputed 200 grand a season. How can they afford this within the constraints of the salary cap you have to ask? [Ed: Oh, the irony!]

To get some idea of the size of the salary cap being worn at Gloucester, please copy the following into your browser....

http://www.pbase.com/bankst/image/22245288/medium

This week there has been more interest in the ticket news than the team news, as due to the paranoia in Gloucester they are afraid to play us in a proper football stadium and we will have to put up with a handful of tickets on a building site.
This paranoia is well founded, and probably stems from the fact that the last time Glaws won the league, they were well and truly hammered by Wasps in the play-off final at Twickenham, a fate to befall Bath and Leicester in following seasons.

So it really is Gloucester’s game to lose, a bit like it was for us in the recent European Challenge Cup semi-final when Bath turned up and won against the odds. They will have been set back by yet another injury to James Forrester, who joins Princess Anne’s son-in-law and Olly Morgan in the sick bay. Presumably James Simpson-Daniel and Iain Balshaw are in there as well...Whatever happens, they have bags of strength in depth in just about every area and have a fly-half to suit just about every occasion.

Talking of fly-halves, what up with Glenda? Having looked less likely to start a fight than Mother Theresa up until recently, he’s now taking on just about everything in sight. Is it rutting season in New Zealand? The Gaffer needs to slip something into his tea..

Following their two-week break (does anyone recall seeing a rolling maul against Bath or Wuss?), the Sarries pack should be fit and raring to go this weekend. Team selection for Sarries will revolve around whether Cobus or Census start at 3, Rodd Penney or Scabs for the number 14 shirt, and anyone of Brissy/Cairns/Ongaro for the hooker slot. Given that in the home game against Glos recently the lineout went pretty well with Brissy at the helm, he is probably the current favourite.

Questions remain if Hilly is fit to start, but unfortunately he was moving like Douglas Bader at the recent Kevin Sorrell Quiz night and, at time of writing, his late withdrawal at Wuss has yet to be explained. Don’t rule Paul Gustard out the equation either, as his combativeness could be useful against the aggressive Glos back row.

Can we do it? Of course we can! We won there 14-13 in the league two years ago, and more recently won the all-important pre-season friendly 24-14. It will take a performance from us as good as the one at London Irish, or one from Gloucester like the last time they played a big play-off game. So let’s hope we get more tickets for the final....