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Next Home Game…
Saracens v Bristol
Sunday 18th March
3.00pm
Want to learn from the best...
Saracens are currently pushing for trophies on two counts as they go into the final games of the season and with some of the inform players in the Premiership due to attend Saracens Premier Rugby Camps during April - this is an opportunity not to be missed.
The 2 day camps are specifically aimed at youngsters engaging in contact (U9-U16) for players to develop under the guidance of qualified coaches and professional Saracens players such as Andy Farrell, Richard Hill and the Guinness Premierships leading point’s scorer Glen Jackson. The professional, fun and enjoyable environment that Saracens creates has allowed the club to establish one of the best reputations in the country for the delivery of Rugby Camps.
Saracens will be hosting a variety of 2 day camps during Easter at various venues including:
Oakland's College; Smallford Campus (St Albans) 2nd - 3rd April
Hitchin RFC (North Herts) 4th - 5th April
Fullerians RFC (Watford) 10th - 11th April
Saracens Amateurs RFC (Southgate N14) 12th - 13th April
During February alone over 220 children attended a Saracens Premier Rugby Camp, all of which were sold out!! We recommend you book early to avoid disappointment and to guarantee your place. There is limited space on all of our camps this Easter.
For more information or to book please visit www.rugbycamps.com/saracensSunday Celebrations…
At this Sunday’s game against Bristol Shoguns, Saracens are delighted to be hosting the Presentation Ceremonies for the Winners of the Saracens Herts Middlesex Junior Leagues.
The 2006-7 Season was once again closely fought, with a number of leagues being decided by the results on the last day of the season.
The competition (which is now in its second season) sees teams from all over Hertfordshire and Middlesex competing in leagues from U13s age groups up to Colts (U19).
At this weekend’s game Winners from the U13-U15s will receive their trophies and parade around the pitch at half time. The winning teams from the older age groups (U16s-Colts) will have their chance at the Saracens vs NEC Harlequins match on Sunday 15th April.
There are 174 teams playing in the league structure, which equates to somewhere in the region of 3500 young players who now benefit from regular competitive fixtures. The season runs from September until April, with promotion and relegation between the leagues in each age group.
U13-U15 Winners – who have been invited on Sunday include…
U13 League 1 Winners – Saracens
U13 League 2 Winners – Bishop’s Stortford
U13 League 3 Winners - Barnet
U13 League 4 Winners - Grasshoppers
U13 League 5 Winners – Ealing B
U14 League 1 Winners – Wasps
U14 League 2 Winners – TBC
U14 League 3 Winners - Grasshoppers
U14 League 4 Winners – Bishop’s Stortford B
U15 League 1 Winners - Fullerians
U15 League 2 Winners - Hertford
U15 League 3 Winners – TBC
U15 League 4 Winners – Bishop’s Stortford B
Congratulations to the winning teams, and all the teams involved for providing a fantastic season of Junior Rugby.Raiwalui to take it step by step…
Saracens captain Simon Raiwalui has called on his players to just concentrate on one game at a time as the club looks to secure a place in the Guinness Premiership play-offs.
After seeing his side defeated by Newcastle Falcons last weekend, Raiwalui wants the squad to put that behind them and focus all their attention on the visit of high-flyers Bristol to Vicarage Road on Sunday, kick off 3pm.
And while there are a number of teams fighting it out for a top four spot, he believes that the side can’t afford to get ahead of themselves or spend too much time focusing on what other teams may be doing.
“We can’t afford to look too much about what is happening around the rest of the league,” he explained. “I believe one of the reasons we have had a decent year this season is because we’ve taken it step-by-step. Concentrating too much on what might happen could have cost us the game on Friday night. We were looking at the ladder before we’d played the game and didn’t show Newcastle enough respect. So from now on, we just take it a game at a time.
“We were very disappointed with that result at Newcastle as we’ve put in a lot of hard work in the last few months. That should take nothing away from Newcastle who played well on the night, but we didn’t perform to the standards we set ourselves. We didn’t control the ball or more importantly, get the quick ball we’d been getting in recent weeks and when that happens you are always going to struggle – especially away from home.”
But Raiwalui believes that the visit of Bristol this weekend is the perfect opportunity for the Men in Black to get things back on track – but knows it won’t be easy.
He added: “We’ve got a huge task against Bristol this weekend. They have been in and around the top two all of this season so we know it’s not going to be an easy game. But we’re playing at home and it’s an ideal chance to get things back on track.
“They have a good forward pack and can control the game and I’ve not doubt that they are in the Premiership title race for the long haul. There are six or seven teams in with a shout of finishing in the top four and if we are going to be realistic about it, we have to perform each week and that starts on Sunday.”
Saracens launch Community Report…
Saracens flying winger Richard Haughton joined Saracens Foundation staff and Minister for Sport the Rt Hon Richard Caborn MP at Westminster this week to help Premier Rugby launch their “Professional Rugby in the Community” report. This report highlights the commitment of all 12 Premiership clubs to their communities and Saracens, as winners of the 2006 Premier Rugby Parliamentary Citizenship Award were asked to represent the other 11 clubs at today’s launch.
The Minster for Sport was particularly interested in the new Saracens Dance Programme and Community Dance Coach Amy Elms was on hand with Watford and Three Rivers Partnership Development Manager Chris Hambleton to talk about the huge response that the Saracens Foundation has had from schools in Rickmansworth to the programme. The Minister agreed that dance was a fantastic way to get children and young people active, particularly those not interested in traditional team sports.
The Saracens Dance Programme is just one example of the many projects that Saracens and the other Premiership clubs deliver within their communities. Last season clubs visited just under 2,000 schools to conduct over 7,000 programmes, totalling 100,000 man hours of work. Premier Rugby and the Premiership clubs invest over 7% of their combined turnover into community programmes. For the second year running, Business in the Community (BITC) has awarded Premier Rugby its % Club standard, acknowledging the 12 Premiership clubs' substantial community investment. Eight of the 12 Premiership clubs participate in Business in the Community's 'Clubs that Count' programme, demonstrating their commitment to tackling local and national education, health and social issues.
Saracens Foundation Director Gordon Banks said 'The Premier Rugby Community Report highlights the significant amount of community based work the Premiership rugby clubs are delivering across the country. Saracens, through our charity the Saracens Foundation, has become a significant service provider within Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and North London, delivering programmes across several agendas, including sport, health and social inclusion. We are delighted that this work, and the work of the other eleven professional rugby clubs being recognised by the Minister for Sport.'Bracken set for final Showdown…
Saracens favourite Kyran Bracken goes into this Saturday’s final of ITV’s Dancing on Ice at 6.30pm against former boy band member Duncan James and actress Claire Buckfield and says he needs the club’s supporters behind him more than ever!
With Kyran consistently the top performer over the last few weeks – and with him gaining the highest score from the judges given in both series last Saturday with four 6s and a 5.5! – it’s obvious that the judges recognise his talents. But this week it really is the public who have the final say.
The three skating couples will firstly each perform a routine which sees the celebrities flying through the air on harnesses and Kyran and celebrity skating partner Melanie will be performing to the rather apt “Fly Me To The Moon” by Frank Sinatra.
“It’s been a bit tough with the old back problems, but I’m used to training carrying injuries, so I guess from that perspective, as an athlete, I’m lucky as I’m used to it.”
The couples then get to perform their favourite routine from the series and for Kyran and Melanie it was an obvious choice. “Our second routine will be to Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol. Mel and I really, really enjoyed that routine and felt really comfortable with it, so we’re both really excited to have the opportunity to perform it again – although this time we’ve made it a bit faster – and bit more dangerous – so fingers crossed it goes as well as last time.”
The first part of the show will then end and the public vote will open. When the second part of the show returns at 8.50pm, it will be the two couples with the highest votes who will go on to the final, to perform their own interpretation of the piece that earned Torvill & Dean their Olympic Gold Medal in 1984 with their 12 ‘Perfect Sixes’ – The Bolero. Kyran said “I’d really love to have the opportunity to skate The Bolero – and pick up the first (but not the only!) Trophy that Saracens will win this season, so I’d really appreciate the continued support of the fans. They’ve been fantastic and I really do appreciate people’s efforts in voting for me.”
Whilst Kyran’s team-mates are all impressed with his skating skills, it’s his outfits that are attracting more comments over the Training Centre and it was noted that in the training footage shown on last week’s show, when Kyran presumably got to choose his own clothes, he even had sequins on his tee shirt! When broached on the subject the World Cup Winner showed not a hint of shame: “Well, when you skate past all those sequins that have fallen off people’s outfits and you pick them up, you’ve got to put them somewhere!”
Kyran, it seems, is very comfortable in this reincarnation, so please, show your support, Vote Kyran, and make him The Ice King this Saturday!End the season in style…
Saracens’ Awards Dinner
Saturday 5th May 2007Saracens are now over halfway through the season, and, sitting fifth in the Guinness Premiership and having qualified for the quarter final of the European Challenge Cup, it looks like the 06/07 campaign will give us plenty of high points to look back on.
And that’s just what we’ll be doing at the Saracens Awards Dinner on Saturday 5th May at The Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane. This popular black tie event is a great opportunity to mingle with the Saracens squad, as well as your fellow supporters – and the evening will once again be hosted by Saracens’ (and ITV’s Dancing on Ice’s!) very own Kyran Bracken, who is proving to be a most entertaining MC!
The evening will include a champagne drinks reception, three course dinner and plenty of lively entertainment with live band ‘The Bogus Brothers’ to dance the night away to. And the highlight of the evening, the presentation of the Players’ Awards, for which there will certainly be no shortage of candidates this season.
Individual places are available for £150 + vat per person, or for those of you who may wish to join together and sit with friends, tables start at £1500 + vat.
For further details and bookings, please contact Louise Allen on 01923 204604 or email louiseallen@saracens.net