SEYMOUR HOPING TO REMEDY SARRIES TURMOIL
There may be turmoil off the field at Vicarage Road, but Saracens flanker David Seymour is hoping to put an end to the problems on the pitch by defeating play-off rivals Bath at home on Sunday in the Guinness Premiership.
If they fail to win this weekend, director of rugby Eddie Jones, and the 15 players – including Seymour – who will be exiting with him in May, can kiss goodbye the chance of winning silverware in Sarries colours. They currently sit in seventh on 37 points – 10 behind fourth-placed Sale – with six games to play.
The 24-year-old Seymour, who made his Saracens bow in 2003 and is back in the team after overcoming a knee injury he sustained at the start of the season, admits that since the club’s South African owners announced their intentions to wield the axe three weeks ago, it has been difficult for the players to focus on their on-field jobs.
“The last couple of weeks have been interesting to say the least,” says the blond England Sevens star, who chopped off his trademark ponytail before the season began. “But we are professionals and our job until the end of the season is to finish well and to reach our goals.
“Our main focus is to pick up some wins in the next couple of weeks against the sides that are vying for a top four play-off place, too. We've really got to start to put things to one side and concentrate on our rugby – it's tough but it's got to be done.”
Seymour played in last weekend’s 21-15 loss to Harlequins at the Stoop, a game after which Jones said he had been “very concerned” by his team’s lack of cohesion. “The first forty minutes were a bit flat, really,” concedes Seymour. “In the second half we managed to pick it up a bit, but it was not enough. We've lost quite a few close games like that. That's a frustrating point that we're losing such close games.
“There have been a few games recently that we've been leading at half time but just haven't been able to finish off in the second-half – and last week it went the opposite way around. We're looking forward to putting that right at the weekend against Bath – it is going to be a massive game for the club.
“For the rest of the season we are playing teams who are all above us, bar Worcester, so every one is an important game. If we lose against Bath it is going to make things a whole lot harder, that’s for sure.
“We haven't made easier for ourselves by losing to teams in the last few weeks but we're confident we can pick up a win here and move on and push for that top four.”
Seymour’s team have lost only once in eight games in the league at home – to Gloucester back in November – and he hopes that that record will mean something on Sunday. But he knows with Bath, with South African international Butch James pulling the strings at fly-half, will be in confident mood after burying local rivals Bristol 45-8 last weekend.
He said of the team on equal points as second-placed Leicester Tigers: “Bath are not at the top of the table for nothing – they've been strong and they're obviously on a high after the Bristol result.
“As it stands our record away from home is poor, but we seem to be doing OK at home. And we are in front of our own crowd on Sunday and we want to have a good win for them as much as ourselves. So it's important that for the rest of the season we win all our home games and try and pick points up along the road.
“With James at No10, and with their extremely strong back row pack it's going to be a big challenge against Bath. It’s definitely going to be a tough game but if we can get a win from that, then we're moving in the right direction.”
There may be turmoil off the field at Vicarage Road, but Saracens flanker David Seymour is hoping to put an end to the problems on the pitch by defeating play-off rivals Bath at home on Sunday in the Guinness Premiership.
If they fail to win this weekend, director of rugby Eddie Jones, and the 15 players – including Seymour – who will be exiting with him in May, can kiss goodbye the chance of winning silverware in Sarries colours. They currently sit in seventh on 37 points – 10 behind fourth-placed Sale – with six games to play.
The 24-year-old Seymour, who made his Saracens bow in 2003 and is back in the team after overcoming a knee injury he sustained at the start of the season, admits that since the club’s South African owners announced their intentions to wield the axe three weeks ago, it has been difficult for the players to focus on their on-field jobs.
“The last couple of weeks have been interesting to say the least,” says the blond England Sevens star, who chopped off his trademark ponytail before the season began. “But we are professionals and our job until the end of the season is to finish well and to reach our goals.
“Our main focus is to pick up some wins in the next couple of weeks against the sides that are vying for a top four play-off place, too. We've really got to start to put things to one side and concentrate on our rugby – it's tough but it's got to be done.”
Seymour played in last weekend’s 21-15 loss to Harlequins at the Stoop, a game after which Jones said he had been “very concerned” by his team’s lack of cohesion. “The first forty minutes were a bit flat, really,” concedes Seymour. “In the second half we managed to pick it up a bit, but it was not enough. We've lost quite a few close games like that. That's a frustrating point that we're losing such close games.
“There have been a few games recently that we've been leading at half time but just haven't been able to finish off in the second-half – and last week it went the opposite way around. We're looking forward to putting that right at the weekend against Bath – it is going to be a massive game for the club.
“For the rest of the season we are playing teams who are all above us, bar Worcester, so every one is an important game. If we lose against Bath it is going to make things a whole lot harder, that’s for sure.
“We haven't made easier for ourselves by losing to teams in the last few weeks but we're confident we can pick up a win here and move on and push for that top four.”
Seymour’s team have lost only once in eight games in the league at home – to Gloucester back in November – and he hopes that that record will mean something on Sunday. But he knows with Bath, with South African international Butch James pulling the strings at fly-half, will be in confident mood after burying local rivals Bristol 45-8 last weekend.
He said of the team on equal points as second-placed Leicester Tigers: “Bath are not at the top of the table for nothing – they've been strong and they're obviously on a high after the Bristol result.
“As it stands our record away from home is poor, but we seem to be doing OK at home. And we are in front of our own crowd on Sunday and we want to have a good win for them as much as ourselves. So it's important that for the rest of the season we win all our home games and try and pick points up along the road.
“With James at No10, and with their extremely strong back row pack it's going to be a big challenge against Bath. It’s definitely going to be a tough game but if we can get a win from that, then we're moving in the right direction.”
Labels: Dave Seymour, Guinness Premiership, London Harlequins, Saracens
