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Saracens - Rugby Union FEATURE


selection of materials, the construction process and then, probably most importantly, the occupation and operation of the facility”. This includes a 25 per cent


improvement on the already stringent London Plan Building Regulations for carbon emissions – a target that the club have beaten – as well as achieving a BREEAM (the environmental assessment method and rating system for buildings) “excellent” rating, the fi rst UK sports stadium to do so. Saracens met this target, and have even surpassed the mandatory fi gure aforementioned, clocking up a 28 per cent improvement in emissions. In and around the area everything


looks good, and the aims that they have made have not only been met, but in most case, surpassed. The “festival-feel” that they have created on a match day is something that they feel makes the club stand out from the rest and goes a long way to attracting residents that may not have considered going to watch their local side play. Fans can walk up to the ground – a short walk from Mill Hill Broadway railway station, or a couple of underground stations, and soak up the trails of stalls, and shops that set up on match day. There is a huge, bright LED scoreboard and fans can keep track of statistics and look at replays on their mobile devices by logging onto the stadium’s wifi and downloading the Saracens app. This is a club for the future, laying


the groundwork, quite literally in some instances, for a community hub. And the side are just as confi dent that matters on the pitch will be just as successful. Having won the Premiership title in 2011, Saracens managed to reach the semi-fi nals of both the Premiership and Heineken Cup last season, but unfortunately missed out in both competitions, now is the time to remedy that. For Fraser, this is key: “Everyone knows it was very disappointing at the end of last year – to make two major semi-fi nals and not get to at least one fi nal was gutting for everyone involved. To massively coin a cliché, we will go week by week and see how we get on. If you look too far ahead you stop concentrating on the little things along the way.” But there is a personal score to settle, also: “The injury I’ve got now happened just before the Toulon game (Fraser tore his left latissimus dorsi muscle – the muscle from the side of your back to under your arm – from the bone, just before the Heineken Cup semi-fi nal) so to miss out on that was hard to take. I want to make up for it this year for sure.” And how is the injury? “Everything is going really well,


single game we’re involved in, and we do that by


preparing as best we can


hopefully I’ll be back playing again in November.” From the impression we are


given, this is a club raring to go. They moved into their new home midway through last season, and while both the players we spoke to said it had had no negative effects moving halfway through the season due to their previously nomadic nature, they also sighted how good it is to now have a base. “We take every game as


it comes, we really do do that.” Farrell continues, “Whatever game it is, we pride ourselves on turning up every week and trying to win every single game we’re involved in, and we do that by preparing as best we can. Now, everyone it just itching to get that fi rst game underway.” For the rest of the league and


Europe, you have been warned, what has been a big club for a number of years now, is only getting bigger.


PROFILES:


OWEN FARRELL Position: Centre / Fly Half


Born: 24 Sep 1991 Height:


6ſt 2in (1.88m) Weight:


15st 2lb (96kg) Date Joined: 01 Jul 2007


Previous Clubs: Harpenden, Wigan RL


Honours: British Lions, England (16 caps)


Debut: vs Llanelli Scarlets (5/10/08) Total Appearances: 73


WILL FRASER Position: Back Row Born: 29 Oct 1989 Height: 6ſt 2ins (1.88m) Weight: 16st 3lb (102kg) Date Joined: 01 Jul 2005 Previous Clubs: Dulwich College, Fullerians Honours: England Saxons Debut: 09.11.10 vs USA Total Appearances: 43


www.activinstinct.com 45


turning up every week and trying to win every


Whatever game it is, we pride ourselves on


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