Saracens - Rugby Union FEATURE
enough to make the move a good one, with Farrell explaining that it ensures a game is “exactly how you want it to be. It stays how you would want in bad conditions, it’s still quick and our game isn’t slowed down by heavy pitches or mud on the ball, it can only be good.”
But do the opponents enjoy it
as much? Well, it’s a double-sided coin, on the one hand you want to be welcoming to the teams that come to play you, offering them high quality facilities and a good match, but on the other hand, they are still your rivals. Farrell says: “It takes some getting used to but everyone else seems to be loving it. We personally can’t wait to play on it this year. It may be different for them when they arrive - people play in their own way and they want to try to make sure the preparation is always the same. We always offer all the other Premiership teams a captain’s run on the pitch so that they can go on it during the week to train. For me, coming from Vicarage Road, where we won some big games, and where I started my career with Saracens, I’ll always be thankful for that, but this is definitely a lot better, plus we’re filling it every week.” And that goes beyond the turf, as Farrell continues: “The big stand on the one side is incredible. There is still more development to come around the stadium, but as far as atmosphere and everything that comes with match day, it’s fantastic.” What Saracens have created is not
merely a good pitch for their side to play on, this is a stadium for the entire community to take advantage of. What was dilapidated, derelict and essentially a dumping ground, is now a home to a professional rugby team, a place for two local rugby teams to train on during the winter, a place for over-50s games to take place or, to give it its official name, Rambling
stand on the one side is incredible. There is still more development to come around the stadium, but as far as atmosphere and everything that comes with match day, it’s fantastic
The big
Rugby. Saracens have got together with the City Bridge Trust and Barnet Council to offer free, low pace, touch rugby sessions for over 50s in the area. Every Monday Allianz Park caters
for Amwell View School and Sports College, an austistic sports club that caters for pupils with severe learning difficulties aged between 2 and 19 years, and the Saracens Sports Foundation provides the youngsters with a variety of sporting and physical challenges throughout the day. Established in 2000, the Saracens Sport Foundation employs ten full time staff and 30 part time coaches now working to harness the power of sport, from a local level, to international proceeds also. Through their sports development, social
inclusion and education and training, Saracens claim to “engage with almost 70,000 unique participants annually.” For anyone worried about the legacy that the stadium would bring, Saracens were extremely keen from the outset to ensure that the stadium was one that had considered sustainability in the long run. Stadium Director, Gordon Banks explains: “The stadium, though in the green belt was in a very poor state of repair due to underinvestment in the facilities over a prolonged period. Our aim has been to regenerate the area; albeit with an element of new build to bring the facilities up to modern standards required for elite and community sport.”
“It began with the selection of the site, the design of the building, the
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