Castaignede delighted to stay a Saracen... - Saracens vs Leicester Tigers - Friday 28th March |
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Saracens vs Leicester Tigers - Friday 28th March - Kick Off 19:45 "Friday Night Fever!" Saracens v Leicester Tigers, Friday 28th April, kick off 7.45pm, the final home game of the season - Tickets available at www.saracens.com Headlines... Castaignede delighted to stay a Saracen... Thomas Castaignede has signed a contract extension with Saracens that will keep the 31 year old at the club until the end of the 2006/07 season.The French utility back joined Saracens in 2000 from Castres, a huge coup by the club back then as a host of clubs had been courting the mercurial one's signature ever since he came to prominence following his debut for France. Since then Thomas has been delighting the crowd at Vicarage Road adding pace, vision and genius to any position in the back line as he highlighted during Saracens victory over champions Wasps a fortnight ago with a trademark virtuoso performance. "It was no secret that I wanted to stay with Saracens," confessed Thomas, "and I'm pleased to say that I have signed a new contract with the club. "Saracens is my club and I've been here such a long time, through ups and downs. I think another reason to stay for another season is the way the club are looking forward and I think a big part of me signing was when Eddie Jones arrived, he brought a new direction to the club and things look good for us. "The impact that he has had on the club cannot be underestimated and with Alan Gaffney coming in, I think things are going to keep on improving with the quality of the coaches and players that are going to be at the club next season." And new Director of Rugby Alan Gaffney is delighted that Castaignede has committed his future to the club. He said: "Thomas is one of the truly great players in world rugby. He's been playing well for the club this season which has also earned him a recall to the French side. He's an important part of the squad and we're delighted that he has extended his contract." Castaignede recently earned his 50th cap for France and it's been his form for Saracens that earned him a recall to the national side in what has been by his own admission a mixed season. "In the end it's the players that play the game and next season it will be down to us to make sure that we play for a full season and not stop and start like we did this year, we need to have continuity and be consistent. "It's been a funny season, one minute we're looking at relegation, the next we're trying to qualify for the Heineken Cup so for us, the players, everyone wants to play in the competition. This season we beat Biarritz and on our day we can beat the best as we did last week with Wasps, we just need to perform like this in every game. "If the team plays the way it has in the last four games then I'm not very scared about the future and I'm certainly going to be enjoying playing. As long as we play with the same ambition, and that is to win silverware, then things will be good. "This will be my seventh season with Saracens and I think this could be last my last so I will be giving everything to make sure that we have good one. "The club has been good to me over the years with my injuries and I still want to repay the support I have received. I want to make the supporters happy. "I came to Saracens to win a trophy and we haven't won anything in the six years I've been here. So now I've got one year left to help the club to do it. As long as the club and the supporters are happy that the crazy Frenchman is running around that makes me happy, I want to be remembered for playing well at the club and for giving it my best every time I play." Thomas' contract will take him up to the World Cup, which coincidently takes place in France next year. "The World Cup is a long way off for me and to be honest if I want to take part in the competition I have to playing well every week for Saracens and that's what I'm aiming to do." Player News... Bracken to play his last game on Friday... Kyran Bracken will run out at Vicarage Road for the last time in a competitive match when Saracens face Leicester Tigers on Friday night following his decision to retire at the end of the season. Speaking to www.saracens.com, the 34-year-old World-Cup winning scrum half, who is the featured player in Friday's Matchday Programme, explained that he will miss the weekly action of the Guinness Premiership but added that he felt it was the right time to hang up his boots after a decade with Saracens. And when he takes to the field against Leicester on Friday night, kick off 7.45pm, it will be his last league match at Vicarage Road. Bracken had considered retirement at the end of last season, but the prospect of playing in the Heineken Cup persuaded him to delay the decision for 12 months. He said: "I wanted to be involved in the Heineken Cup and be involved with a team which was doing well. I took a position as third choice scrum half to be used when needed and took the opportunity to get fit over the summer. But I've really enjoyed my last season with the club despite it not living up to our expectations and yes, there's no chance I'm going to change my mind, it's definitely the right time to hang up my boots. "I think I was very lucky to have seen both sides of the game experiencing club and international rugby as both an amateur and professional player and I have a lot of happy memories to keep me company. I've been very fortunate." Bracken joined Saracens from Bristol in 1996 and to date has played 206 times for the Men In Black in a career that also saw him win 51 caps for England. And he admits he will find it hard not meeting up with the rest of the squad for pre-season training. He said: "I know it's going to be hard over the summer, particularly when the players are meeting up again for pre-season training and not being involved in that is something that I'm going to have to deal with. "I think I'll miss the fitness side of things, the challenge of competition and battling for your place all the time. Also I've always enjoyed the tactical side, working out how to play certain teams, as no. 9 is quite technical. Also playing rugby there is always an outcome, you win, lose or draw at the end of the game whereas in the real world this doesn't happen so regularly. But I've been lucky enough to have played at the top level for a long time and I've got no complaints." But one side of the game he's not going to miss is the injuries. "Coping with injuries and putting my body under strain during playing and training is not something I'm going to miss," he confessed. "I'm looking forward to getting myself fairly injury free during the summer and then hopefully being able to pick up my kids! "To be honest this was the main driving force behind my decision to quit playing as if my back was in good nick and I was enjoying my rugby, which I am at the moment, then I think I'd probably stay. But if you watch the difference between me play now and five years ago, the bend in my back is vastly different. It effects my pass, the way I run and everything I do so I don't want to be crawling out of the game. Also it's time to give other people a go." So what does the future hold for Kyran Bracken and what are his hopes for Saracens? "They say that retirement for anyone can be quite hard particularly if you've been with your employers for a long time and I expect it to be no different for me. The challenges and change of environment is going to be really tough and really quite daunting but I'm fortunate to be in the position that allows me to find out what I want to do and not rush into things. "In my view Saracens will be the best club in England and Europe but I can't tell you when. What I do know is that everyone continues to work very hard behind the scenes to make this happen from the board all the way down and that's why I want to stay involved in some capacity with the club that I love." Other News... The black wall of defence... Saracens go into Friday's game against Leicester Tigers on the back of four successive victories having conceded the lowest amount of points in that time compared to other clubs around the Guinness Premiership. The wins have been owed to some superb defensive performances - particularly against league leaders Sale Sharks and reigning champions Wasps - and it's come on the back of the work of Head Coach Mike Ford who has been able to concentrate on that area of the game following the arrival of Eddie Jones. The Men In Black have only conceded 49 points in a spell that also included victories over Worcester Warriors and Leeds Tykes. Bristol, having conceded 64 points in their past four matches and Wasps (70) are the next two teams to have conceded the least number of points after Saracens in that spell. The most recent of Saracens victories came in the 13-12 win Wasps where the Wycombe-based side were kept tryless for only the second time this season. Mike Ford's men also prevented Sale from crossing the line when the two teams met last month. Now the squad will be looking to take that into Friday night's game against Leicester - a side who have also won their last four matches. The Tigers have conceded 73 points and scored 89 points during that spell. Community News... Summer Coaching Courses now available... As summer rapidly approaches many have already taken the opportunity to book onto some of our summer Masterclass courses. This is your chance to book early and take advantage of our online prices, offering up to 15% off normal prices. Saracens Multi Skills (6-12 years of age) Hemel Hempstead Rugby Club- Tues 30th May This ONE day multi-skills course will provide local sports mad youngsters with the chance to try out a number of different activities concentrating on the FUNdamentals elements of the long term athletic development recommendations, using fun games. The course will concentrate on; Catching and Passing, Agility, Balance & Co-ordination, Kicking, Hitting & Striking and the O2 - Kick, Pass, Run Challenge. Saracens Summer Coaching Courses (6-16 years old) OA's RFC Mon 31st July - Fri 4th August Cheshunt RFC Mon 14th - Fri 18th August These FIVE-day courses are aimed at all rugby-playing youngsters (U7-U16). It provides an opportunity for players to improve their skills under the guidance of qualified coaches and professional players. Saracens British Army Be your Best Course (14-17 years old) Bassingbourn Army Barracks Mon 28th Aug-Fri 1st Sept (Residential) We'll make sure you get the most out of your time with us on this exciting new course. As well as hours of top quality rugby coaching, there'll be unique extra activities provided by the Army. Many of these will be aimed at increasing team and leadership skills. This 5 day RESIDENTIAL Masterclass is specifically aimed at 14-17 year olds and provides an opportunity for players to improve their skills under the guidance of qualified coaches and professional players as well as taking part in excellent array of activities will run by the Army. Activities will include- · Assault Courses · Paint Balling · Team Building · Leadership Development activities · Night Navigation · Interactive Rifle Range Saracens Academy coaches will also be in attendance and those of a suitable standard maybe selected for the Academy. Why a Saracens Summer Course? Saracens coaching courses pride themselves on the excellent coaching they deliver in conjunction with Professional Players who are in attendance every day. The courses are renowned for the vast amount of give aways they supply to each Participant, including a T-Shirt and a Free Ticket our first home game for the 06/07 Season. The club is second to none. How do I Book? For more details about these unique opportunities and to book your place, please go to www.rugbycamps.com <http://www.rugbycamps.com/> and click on the SARACENS logo at the top of the page. Our online prices are currently offering up to 15% off. Saracens Foundation.... Local School claims Stadium Competition prize... Fortismere High School were winners of the HBG and Saracens Design a Stadium Competition and the successful team were presented with their prizes by Richard Hill. The Muswell Hill School's team named Design Colts, were just one of four teams who made it through to the final round of judging in the competition which is was launched as part of National Construction Week. In partnership with HBG UK Ltd, one of the biggest construction companies in the UK, the Saracens Foundation has staged the event for the past three seasons. The competition is targeted at pupils in years 9 and 10 from schools in Hertfordshire and North London as well as all London based Technology and Sports Colleges. The competition brief is to design a 'fantasy' sports stadium, in accordance with a specific design brief, that could be used by Saracens in the future. The pupils are instructed that the designs should be original, innovative, sustainable and practical, quite a challenge for any young designer! In the first phase of the competition teams were asked to submit no more than three sketches illustrating their design, supported by a short written statement explaining what they had designed and why. After a record number of entrants the judges, a selection of staff members from HBG Construction and Saracens, had the very difficult task of witling the entries down to four finalists. The four lucky teams to make it through to the second phase of the competition this year were 'The Unknown' from Finchley Catholic High School, 'Design Colts' from Fortismere High School, 'Team Bungee' from Salvatorian College (a school with a strong history in this competition!) and the strangely named 'Chicken Killers' from Woolwich Polytechnic Boys School. Phase two of the competition was the 'Design Critique' session which was held at the Saracens Training Ground at the University of Hertfordshire's Sports Village. At this session the four finalists were given the opportunity to meet and talk to designers and architects from HBG construction to find out more about the construction industry and specifically the design process. Gordon Banks, the Director of the Saracens Foundation, was also on hand to talk about the requirements of a professional sports club from a stadium, from the basic playing needs to the more complex requirements to generate commercial revenue from non-playing activity such as hospitality and merchandising. All four teams were given specific feedback on their original designs and ideas, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses and opportunities to develop their plans further and present to judges before the game on Sunday. Thanks to the sponsorship of HBG Construction the winning school will receive a framed and signed Saracens shirt as well as £500 for the schools Design and Technology Department. Each member of the winning team will also receive a signed Saracens rugby ball, a Saracens Season Ticket, some gift vouchers and thanks to the generous support of Multiplex, a tour of the new Wembley National Stadium. All finalists will receive a selection of Saracens and HBG goodies. On behalf of Saracens we would like to thank HBG UK for their continued support of this excellent competition which continues to provide young and aspiring designers with the opportunity to further develop their knowledge and maybe an interest in the construction industry. Also big thanks to Nick Brooking and his team over at the Hertfordshire Sports Village for providing us with access to their excellent facilities |
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