Well done Saints

[Louis]

Congrats to Sarrie....

...what? No, really? Seriously? Well I'll be f...

...Congratulations Saints!

Well played. I'm impressed, you've knocked on the door all season and taken out the team I thought were nailed on for the title (after Tigers o'course).

Naturally you only get the trophy for a year, it's ours next year. Goes without saying really. Frankly, I'm amazed at our generosity in graciously losing to you in the semis.

I imagine Sarries will be GUTTED! Losing in two finals. Crikey, that HAS to hurt. Expect some very moody lads next season.

Seriously though, well done Saints. I'll take an East Midlands win over a London win. Rivalry is back on after this comment though.

[Jeremy Anderson]

Well done Saints - no doubt better team on the day. Myler outplayed a less than 100% Farrell. Sarries looked knackered and short of attacking ideas. Tight calls went Saints way. No doubt Sarries would do some more recruiting as they need a bigger squad to compete on two fronts - salary cap not being a problem for them.

I look forward to our matches with both clubs next season and hope they are outside the International windows which really devalues them.

Good luck to all the England Men, Women and Juniors over the next months then we shall be into pre-season.

Tigers to re-gain their rightful position next season. The Boss and I have now adopted Bill's approach of only buying a new shirt when we win major silverware ie Prem or Europe.

[Jeremy Anderson]

Well done Saints - no doubt better team on the day. Myler outplayed a less than 100% Farrell. Sarries looked knackered and short of attacking ideas. Tight calls went Saints way. No doubt Sarries would do some more recruiting as they need a bigger squad to compete on two fronts - salary cap not being a problem for them.

I look forward to our matches with both clubs next season and hope they are outside the International windows which really devalues them.

Good luck to all the England Men, Women and Juniors over the next months then we shall be into pre-season.

Tigers to re-gain their rightful position next season. The Boss and I have now adopted Bill's approach of only buying a new shirt when we win major silverware ie Prem or Europe.

[DickyP]

Seems like no-one on the pitch understood a 3 pointer for |Saints would have won it on tries scored. Glad to see the trophy won by another proper Rugby Club - and four different winners in the last four years shows at last what a great competition we have

According to Jim Mallinder being interviewed the 'leaders' only - including Myler, who he named, did know.

[DickyP]

Saracens chief executive Edward Griffiths has called for a root and branch review of the Television Match Official "shambles" after Owen Farrell's controversial disallowed try in the Aviva Premiership final.


http://sportinglife.aol.co.uk/rugby-uni ... r-saracens

To quote Many Rice-Davies "he would, wouldn't he". I am no great fan of the system but I feel its usage has improved in recent months and yesterday was exemplary usage of it.

For the Farrell 'try' it stopped a gross injustice being committed. Thinking back to the woeful decision when Ashton was given a far more glaring forward pass try that turned the game when we got thrashed at Allianz Park I look on it as divine retribution!

[PJ_BECKS]

Well done George. I see they have a trophy parade today. Does this usually happen or just for "once-in-a-blue-moon" things?

[Soggypitch]

MOTM JP Doyle for an even better performance than in the semi. He is undoubtedly the best ref in the Prem or Rabo.

Also thought Lawes had an immense game and nothing illegal!
Some brilliant defending of Sarries driving mauls, which we could do with learning, and generally good tackling including one massive perfectly timed hit on Hodgson (who played very well and was unlucky with the conversion - the margins are so tight!).

All in all a deserved win, but I can almost guarantee they will be OTT in the gloating stakes!!

[MrPartridge]

Well done Saints and good to see most on the forum putting their bias aside.

I received a fair bit of criticism on this forum last year when I noted the ambition Saints were showing by signing the likes of North, Corbisiero, etc. Lots of 'but we have a better squad'. Some even suggested North wasn't up to it!

Roll on a year and Saints are polishing two items of silverware and have shown in their last three games what a tough and class act they are. It might be Saints but you have to admire their comebacks in all three matches.

Of course Tigers have had injuries this season, but our long-term recruitment strategy worries me a little. We have unearthed some gems in the likes of Goneva, Gibson and Williams lately, but if we are the biggest club in England then we should be bringing in more marquee signings. And the academy seems to be struggling of late to bring through any real talent. We have undoubtedly slipped back in the last 12 months.

I'm glad Saints won because if nothing else that should really spur us on next year…

As a footnote: congratulations to the officials and the TMO. If in doubt give the try and promote attacking rugby - I'll happily support that decision every time.

[Smurphswillgetya]

Well done Saints and good to see most on the forum putting their bias aside.

I received a fair bit of criticism on this forum last year when I noted the ambition Saints were showing by signing the likes of North, Corbisiero, etc. Lots of 'but we have a better squad'. Some even suggested North wasn't up to it!

Roll on a year and Saints are polishing two items of silverware and have shown in their last three games what a tough and class act they are. It might be Saints but you have to admire their comebacks in all three matches.

Of course Tigers have had injuries this season, but our long-term recruitment strategy worries me a little. We have unearthed some gems in the likes of Goneva, Gibson and Williams lately, but if we are the biggest club in England then we should be bringing in more marquee signings. And the academy seems to be struggling of late to bring through any real talent. We have undoubtedly slipped back in the last 12 months.

I'm glad Saints won because if nothing else that should really spur us on next year…

As a footnote: congratulations to the officials and the TMO. If in doubt give the try and promote attacking rugby - I'll happily support that decision every time.

You brush off Tigers injuries as if they are of no consequence. Within the Salary cap how many marquee signings do you want. I would suggest that the Youngs brothers, Tuilagi, Parling, Croft and Cole would be marquee signings for most clubs and most of these have missed massive chunks of the season. It seems that this love fest for Saints is mostly from people who are always quick to see the negatives and only grudgingly give praise to the Tigers.

If we stay relatively injury free next season and don't perform then there may be an argument for saying we have gone backwards.

[Noddy555]

Yes overall I think Saints deserved to win, a lot of Sarries passes in open play were forward and they got away with it on at least 3 occasions. Anyway the Saints win merely confirms the fact that the Heart of English Rugby is in the East Midlands. So stick that up your craw you cocky londoners.

[Smurphswillgetya]

So stick that up your craw you cocky londoners.

Well said!

[Mersey Tiger]

What strikes me as a little amusing - particularly in view of how the London-based national press has gone into raptures about the "Wolf Pack", etc etc - is how the "Something Special" is not quite as "Special" as everyone at Sarries would wish.

The "Something Special" started just before 2010, and has continued ever since. During this time what have Sarries won? One Premiership (in 2011).

I know that they have finished top of the table ahead of the Play-offs and that they have been narrowly beaten in both Premiership and Heineken Cup finals during this time. But if Tigers had the same record over this time then forum members would be calling them "chokers" and similar.

Having a glance at the domestic trophies (Premiership and Anglo Welsh Cup) winners since 2006/2007 - a good year to begin I am sure everyone will agree - we see that over the eight seasons Tigers have won six trophies (4 Prem + 2 AW); Saints have won two (1 Prem + 1 AW); Quins have won two (1 Prem + 1 AW); the other six trophies have been shared out one a piece - Glaws (AW); Exeter (AW); Wasps (Prem) and SARRIES (Prem). [The other two AWs went to the Ospreys and Cardiff].

So - not quite as special as the media and Sarries themselves would have us believe.

Having said this I believe that having several clubs competing for the main trophies is healthy for the sport, and likely to help it develop and attract fans. In this regard, a little (microscopic) bit of me welcomes the efforts that Sarries have put in to raise their profile and that of rugby. I suppose its the media hype that they invite and nurture gets up my nose.

What will be really interesting is the impact that losing two finals in two weeks will have on the psychology of the Sarries players. Given their home Play-off defeats in recent years following their finishing top of the table, I anticipate that players' minds will be moving to one of "we always manage to snatch defeat out of the jaws of victory". Of course, this will be denied, but I just wonder ............

Finally, I must admit to a bit of Schadenfreude for poor little Chris Ashton. He leaves Saints to Sarries to be sure of winning trophies. Since then Saints have won the Premiership and the Amlin, and Sarries have won . Good call Chris - it couldn't happen to anyone nicer

[MrPartridge]

It seems that this love fest for Saints is mostly from people who are always quick to see the negatives and only grudgingly give praise to the Tigers.

Of course the beauty of a forum is you are entitled to your opinion. My simple rule of thumb is if Tigers play well I praise them, if they don't, I won't.

I acknowledged in my post that injuries have hurt us this season… but equally that is a huge part of modern day rugby.

In response to your question, 'how many marquee signings do I want?'… 1 would be nice to add to what we have. I guess Freddie Burns or AN OTHER could be that man so we will see. I simply point out Saints showed ambition in the off-season last year and it paid off handsomely!

My question back would be: are you saying Tigers moved forward in the 2013-14 season?

[The Boy Dave]

http://www1.skysports.com/rugby-union/n ... -extension
From where they were they have done remarkably well and to deny it is denial at it's dimmest level!
Who is on the way up and who is on the way down is the ultimate question but if you had told me in 1990 that Liverpool FC would not win another English league title in football for at least 25 years I would have told you that you were totally mad!

[ourla]

Purely based on the basic facts of finishing positions in the HC group and Prem, and the subsequent close QF and semi final losses you would say Tigers have gone backwards slightly from last season. However, if you take into account the context of injuries, loss of a major coach, how close we were in terms of getting a home HC SF and beating Saints, I would say we performed aswell as last year. I don't think we should be or are indeed pleased about it. We should have beaten Ulster and secured a home QF. We should have beaten Saints. In both cases we did the hard part and then frittered away a lead. But IMO there is NO downward trend. And indeed with the coach appointment announced today and the squad assembled already for next season I believe we have the potential to do better. This was indeed Saints year. And I have no problem with it. They have a great side. But after their wins in 2011 and 2012 both Sarries and Quins were talking about legacies and creating a Tigers like dominance of the big trophies. Neither has backed up the win and I wouldn't be surprised if Saints don't either. Not saying they won't but the HC is more competitive than ever and the Prem has at least 3 strong contenders. I think we still start from a position of higher expectation and I think in the long term we still have the personnel to deliver. But sport wouldn't be sport if that comes with no guarantees whatsover!