A first-time visitor to Saracens was told they had chosen a pretty good week to spend at the club – the team beat South Africa on the Tuesday before 47,000 spectators at Wembley and gave away £250,000 to a lucky supporter who hit the crossbar from30 metres, earning worldwide media coverage, and then the team defeated rivals Wasps to post an eight successive Premiership win and extend their lead at the top of the table to six points.

“It seems to have been a good week,” said the visitor.

“It’s been better than that,” said the staff member. “It might just have been the greatest week in the 133-year history of the club.”

Tuesday November 17th, 2009 was a night to remember. Before a record attendance, Saracens found themselves trailing 18-3 to a Springbok team determined to avoid a third consecutive defeat on tour. Back in the changing room at half time, Brendan Venter asked his players if they felt could win the match. The response was ‘yes’.
While they spoke, 24-year Stuart Tinner was executing the kick of his life, delighting the ground and earning global notoriety.



“Unbelievable,” bellowed Francois Pienaar, Master of Ceremonies. It was becoming that kind of night... the impossible became possible.

The players returned to the field with Wembley still buzzing with excitement at what they had witnessed during the interval, and the players set to work: Ernst Joubert charged down a kick and scored. Bradley Barritt wrestled over the line from close range. Derick Hougaard then landed the dropgoal to clinch a 24-23 victory.

Saracens have been sustained this season by a steady stream character and spirit; the stream became a flood at Wembley on November 17th.

Five days later, back at Vicarage Road, some wondered whether the players could lift themselves again to meet the substantial challenge of Wasps, local rivals and lying third in the Premiership table.

Dominant in the scrums and lineouts, Saracens clinically squeezed the life out of their visitors and posted an emphatic 22-6 victory. Defeat for their closest rivals London Irish, at home to Newcastle, completed a satisfactory afternoon as the squad turned its focus towards the next challenge: a tough Premiership match away at Worcester on Friday evening.

Venter concluded: “It has been an incredible week for the club, but we have to keep looking forward and we have to keep working.”