2007–08 Saracens F.C. season

April 2009 Saracens F.C., in the 2007–08 season, competed in the Guinness Premiership, the EDF Energy Cup and the Heineken Cup. Transfers Preparation for the 2007/08 seasons saw somewhat less activity in comings and goings from the squad, reflecting the relatively solid 2006/07 season. Among signings to date, specialist cover for Glen Jackson came in the form of Scotland fly half Gordon Ross, while South African utility back Brent Russell is highly regarded by many Springbok fans. All Black second row Chris Jack joined Saracens after the 2007 World Cup. In addition to external signings, a number of players going through Saracens' academy system made first team debuts, including a number during the time of the 2007 Rugby World Cup when injury problems left a number of senior players unavailable for selection. Players in Italy Matías Agüero (Rugby Viadana) South Africa Guthrie Hall (Sharks) New Zealand Chris Jack (Canterbury Crusaders) Argentina Francisco Leonelli (Glasgow Warriors) Fiji Sakiusa Matadigo (Nantes) Australia Craig McMullen (Unattached, short-term contract) Scotland Gordon Ross (Castres Olympique) South Africa Brent Russell (Stormers) England Edd Thrower (London Wasps) Canada D. T. H. van der Merwe (on loan from Rugby Canada) Players out Wales Ben Broster (Llanelli Scarlets) (Ireland) Shane Byrne (released) France Thomas Castaignède (retired) Argentina Tomás de Vedia (London Irish) England Ben Johnston (CA Brive) Fiji Simon Raiwalui (Racing Metro) England Ben Russell (Racing Metro) Tonga Tevita Vaikona (released) Squad ENG HK Matt Cairns ENG HK Andi Kyriacou ITA HK Fabio Ongaro AUS HK Alex Walker ITA PR Matías Agüero SAM PR Census Johnston ENG PR Aaron Liffchak SCO PR Nick Lloyd ENG PR Tom Mercey RSA PR Cobus Visagie ENG PR Kevin Yates SCO LK Iain Fullarton NZL LK Chris Jack ENG LK Tom Ryder ENG LK Hugh Vyvyan ENG FL Tom Audley ENG FL Kris Chesney ENG FL Paul Gustard ENG FL Richard Hill FIJ FL Sakiusa Matadigo ENG FL Andy Saull ENG FL David Seymour ENG N8 Donald Barrell RSA N8 Guthrie Hall ENG N8 Ben Skirving ENG SH Alan Dickens RSA SH Neil de Kock FIJ SH Mosese Rauluni ENG FH Alex Goode NZL FH Glen Jackson SCO FH Gordon Ross ENG CE Andy Farrell ENG CE Rodd Penney ENG CE Adam Powell FIJ CE Kameli Ratuvou ENG CE Kevin Sorrell ENG WG Noah Cato ENG WG Richard Haughton ENG WG Dan Scarbrough ENG WG Edd Thrower ARG FB Francisco Leonelli RSA FB Brent Russell Guinness Premiership The loss of Glen Jackson and Brent Russell for the opening of the season due to pre-season injuries represented a significant blow to the club, but nonetheless the season began well with a return to winning ways against Wasps in the opening day London double-header. Defeat at the first home game by early pace setters Gloucester brought the team down to earth, before a solid away win at struggling Leeds, revenge for the previous season's home and away defeats away at Worcester, and a win back at Vicarage Road over Leicester. Defensive frailties saw Saracens go into the Autumn Premiership break for cup matches third in the table, but also with the third worst defensive record, after a defeat away at Sale. The brief return of the Premiership action at the end of November nestled between two phases of EDF Energy and Heineken Cup action saw Saracens come away with a hard-fought win against London Irish in a game where the lead changed hands several times, with never more than a score between the teams. The return to Premiership action over Christmas and the New Year began well for Saracens with a win away at London rivals Harlequins in chilly conditions at the Stoop. Saracens, once again though, were not able to put their regular Christmas period malaise behind them against a talented but under-performing Newcastle side back at Vicarage Road, as defensive weaknesses and coming out of the blocks slowly saw Saracens take only a losing bonus point from their final fixture of 2007 in the Premiership, though it was enough to see them go into the New Year in third place in the domestic league. The buildup to the first game of 2008 was dominated by talk away from the field of play, with the news that former Wallaby coach Eddie Jones was to succeed Alan Gaffney at the top of the coaching subject with Gaffney adopting the same consulting role Jones had been providing, whilst rumours of substantial cash investment from South African rugby interests abounded. When the focus returned to on-field matters, Saracens suffered a second successive defeat in the Premiership, this time away at Bristol, failing to take even a losing bonus point for the first time in any competition in the season and raising fears of the all too familiar Saracens' winter slump. Only the outcome of other games allowed Saracens to slip only one place to fourth place. main Rugby 2007–08 Guinness Premiership table Q n n n GLO Gloucester Rugby LWA London Wasps C BAT Bath Rugby LEI Leicester Tigers SAL Sale Sharks HAR Harlequins LIR London Irish SAR Saracens BRI Bristol WOR Worcester Warriors NEW Newcastle Falcons LEE Leeds Carnegie 15 0 7 551 377 7 7 14 2 6 599 459 7 3 15 0 7 526 387 6 3 13 0 9 539 428 6 6 14 0 8 481 374 4 3 12 0 10 480 440 7 8 13 0 9 433 382 2 5 11 0 11 533 525 3 5 7 1 14 393 473 3 5 6 2 14 387 472 1 7 7 0 15 333 542 1 5 2 1 19 336 732 0 2 -1 Bristol Rugby deducted one point for fielding an ineligible player in the match against London Wasps on 22 December 2007 #d8ffeb Play-off Q Q Q Q #ffcccc Relegated R complete www.guinnesspremiership.com: Updated 2008-05-04 --- Current English Leagues Heineken Cup Saracens' return to Heineken Cup action also saw the return of Glasgow Warriors to Vicarge Road for the opening game of their European Campaign, a team they met both in group action and at the quarter-final stage in the European Challenge Cup of the previous season. As in the two home games against the same team in the previous season, Saracens ran out bonus point winners but with defensive frailties causing anxious moments going into the final minutes of the game. Saracens' luck did not hold the following week when they travelled to face Biarritz Olympique. Having been ahead several times during the game, they finally went down to a single point defeat when Biarritz scored a penalty from near the half-way line in the dying moments of the game and despite outscoring their opponents by three tries to one had to settle for a losing bonus point. The visit of Viadana the following month saw Saracens notch up a comfortable win in a game that saw the first team debut of both Chris Jack and Brent Russell. Russell was to win the man of the match for award in a game that saw Saracens outclass their opponents by ten tries to one despite very bad weather conditions. With Glasgow edging out Biarritz in tight game the following day, Saracens record of taking a bonus point of some description from every game saw them top the pool table at the halfway point ahead of their French and Scottish rivals, all three on a record of two wins and a defeat. Viadana looked to avenge their 71–7 defeat at Vicarage Road the following week in the return fixture in Italy, making ten changes to their starting line-up. These changes appeared to deliver results for Viadana with the home side going into the half-time break with the four-try bonus point already secured and a single penalty from Glen Jackson the only score for Saracens to leave a 23-point deficit. Saracens though were to show composure in a second half, in which they played to their strengths and scored 31 unanswered points, more than half from the boot of Glen Jackson, to take the game and keep them at the top of the table at the end of the weekend. main Rugby 2007–08 Heineken Cup Pool 4 table n SAR England Saracens BIA France Biarritz GLA Scotland Glasgow Warriors VIA Italy Viadana 5 0 1 225 119 27 11 3 1 4 0 2 109 116 9 10 1 1 3 0 3 130 127 12 14 1 3 0 0 6 106 208 12 25 2 1 #d8ffeb C complete www.ercrugby.com https://web.archive.org/web/20071112135718/http://www.ercrugby.com/eng/34_63.php 2007-11-12 : Updated 19 January 2008 --- 2007–08 Heineken Cup pools Saracens qualified for the quarter-finals for the first time in their history and were drawn at home to Ospreys. Despite being underdogs, Saracens' won 19–10 with a try from Francisco Leonelli and 14 points from the boot of fly-half Glen Jackson. In the semi-final, Saracens were narrowly beaten by eventual winners Munster at the Ricoh Arena. EDF Energy Cup The first round of cup competition saw Saracens win comfortably away at Leeds in the EDF Energy Cup, despite conceding four tries. Another bonus point win over Bristol back at Vicarage Road positioned Saracens well with maximum points ahead of a difficult away trip to Llanelli. After the break for Heineken Cup action and a single round of Premiership action, Saracens failed once again to win away in Wales, but taking a losing bonus point and a try bonus too was enough to see them qualify for the semi-final stage for the first time in their Anglo-Welsh cup history, ahead of their opponents Llanelli Scarlets. main Rugby 2007–08 EDF Energy Cup Pool D table n SAR England Saracens LLA Wales Llanelli Scarlets BRI England Bristol LEE England Leeds Carnegie 2 0 1 123 79 15 10 3 1 2 0 1 106 69 13 9 2 1 1 1 1 46 69 5 7 0 0 0 1 2 60 118 8 15 1 0 #d8ffeb C complete www.edfenergycup.com: Updated 2007-12-03 --- 2007–08 EDF Energy Cup In the semi-final at the Millennium Stadium, Saracens were beaten 30–3 by Ospreys. Glen Jackson scored the team's only points with a penalty in the second half. Results Date Fixture Home team Score Away team Saracens Result Venue Competition Round/Stage Home Away15-Sep-2007Guinness PremiershipRound 1London Wasps1929SaracensWonTwickenham23-Sep-2007Guinness PremiershipRound 2Saracens3138Gloucester RugbyLostVicarage Road30-Sep-2007Guinness PremiershipRound 3Leeds Carnegie731SaracensWonHeadingley06-Oct-2007Guinness PremiershipRound 4Worcester Warriors1621SaracensWonSixways Stadium14-Oct-2007Guinness PremiershipRound 5Saracens3619Leicester TigersWonVicarage Road19-Oct-2007Guinness PremiershipRound 6Sale Sharks3430SaracensLostEdgeley Park26-Oct-2007EDF Energy CupPool D, Round 1Leeds Carnegie2846SaracensWonHeadingley04-Nov-2007EDF Energy CupPool D, Round 2Saracens4515Bristol RugbyWonVicarage Road11-Nov-2007Heineken CupPool 4, Round 1Saracens3331Glasgow WarriorsWonVicarage Road17-Nov-2007Heineken CupPool 4, Round 2Biarritz Olympique2221SaracensLostParc des Sports Aquilera04-Nov-2007Guinness PremiershipRound 7Saracens2420London IrishWonVicarage Road01-Dec-2007EDF Energy CupPool D, Round 3Llanelli Scarlets3632SaracensLostStradey Park08-Dec-2007Heineken CupPool 4, Round 3Saracens717Rugby ViadanaWonVicarage Road15-Dec-2007Heineken CupPool 4, Round 4Viadana2634SaracensWonStadio Luigi Zaffanella22-Dec-2007Guinness PremiershipRound 8Harlequins2027SaracensWonTwickenham Stoop30-Dec-2007Guinness PremiershipRound 9Saracens1922Newcastle FalconsLostVicarage Road19-Oct-2007Guinness PremiershipRound 6Bristol Rugby183SaracensLostMemorial Stadium Sources History of Saracens https://web.archive.org/web/20110716055141/http://www.nobok.co.uk/page/RugbyTeamsDetail/0,,10301~791679,00.html 2011-07-16 'The Saracen', Matchday programmes 2007-08 External links Official site Fansite 2007-08 Category:2007–08 Heineken Cup by team Category:2007–08 English Premiership (rugby union) de:Saracens fr:Saracens (rugby) it:Saracens F.C. ja:サラセンズ sv:Saracens F.C.