Jackson Wray believes new Gallagher Premiership champions Saracens deserve more respect for emerging from one of the bleakest episodes in the league’s history as a title-winning force once more.
Sale were defeated 35-25 in a gripping final at Twickenham on Saturday as Saracens claimed their sixth domestic crown with captain Owen Farrell producing a masterclass at fly-half.
It provided an element of redemption after they were shaded 15-12 by Leicester in last year’s showpiece, which they reached in their first season back in the Premiership having been relegated in 2020 for repeated salary cap breaches.
As part of their punishment they were fined £5.4million and while some players departed, the bulk of them – including their core of England stars – remained for the campaign spent in the Championship.
The loyalty shown has enabled Saracens to return to the summit of the English game and Wray, who is retiring after 13 years as a professional at his only club, has sounded a note of defiance.
“I don’t think people talk about this enough. It was the biggest fine in sporting history in a game where you lose money every year. Let’s just put that in perspective for a moment,” Wray said.
“And we have got through it. That says a lot more about the owners. They said, ‘we made a mistake and we will stay and put it right’.
“Together we have done it. We have done our bit as players – stayed and fought and gone against everyone.
“Even in this final. Everyone was with Sale. Every club in the land was with Sale. Do you know what? That’s how we like it. That is how we have always liked it. No one wants us to win and we don’t care.
“We want to do well for each other and well for the club because this club has given us everything. It has given me everything for 17 years and the least I can do is pull on this shirt with pride every week.”
Saracens’ celebrations spill over into Sunday, with the squad holding a retro sports shirt fancy dress event in London.
For Maro Itoje victory over Sale has placed the sight of Freddie Burns landing a last-gasp drop goal to clinch the title for Leicester 12 months earlier firmly in the rear-view mirror.
“I’m just happy. Last year we fell short, we got close, a drop goal was a painful way to lose,” Itoje said.
“I was tired of seeing that Freddie Burns drop goal every five minutes on BT Sport! Thank God I don’t have to go through another year of that. All in all, super happy!
“You can’t really hold on to the past too much but going through the pain of last year, I think it is fair to say we have been fairly consistent all throughout the season.
“Even when the internationals were away, the guys again stepped up. And obviously we have a few internationals, so those guys have been fantastic.”
Warren Gatland won’t let Wales get carried away after thrashing Australia
Warren Gatland says Wales will not start looking further down the track than necessary after they cruised into the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals with a record 40-6 win against hapless Australia.
Wales made it three successive victories in Pool C, leaving Eddie Jones’ team close to group-stage elimination.
Gatland’s men are guaranteed to top the group if they defeat Georgia next month, setting up a likely quarter-final clash against Argentina in Marseille.
But Gatland said: “We haven’t looked past anything yet, it has been one game at a time.
“Australia came into this game feeling confident about winning. We felt confident to produce a performance today. I thought we were clinical.
“Our focus will be on Georgia, a team we lost against in the autumn (last year).
“We need to rectify that and we need to make sure we don’t drop our standards. I think these players are well aware of that – they have worked incredibly hard.
“We have put a lot of work in the last four months as a team together. We are a momentum team, we build on confidence in terms of performances.
“Today was an outstanding performance in terms of what we wanted to achieve. We were blowing a bit at half-time, but I thought we went out and controlled the second half fantastically well.”
Wales overcame the early loss of injured fly-half Dan Biggar to boss Australia in every key department and coast home through tries from scrum-half Gareth Davies, centre Nick Tompkins and captain Jac Morgan, while Biggar, who kicked an early conversion, saw his replacement Gareth Anscombe boot 23 points.
It was Wales’ record win against Australia, overtaking a 25-point margin in 1975, and former England boss Jones will be left to face the music as the Wallabies lurch towards World Cup oblivion.
On Biggar, Gatland added: “Dan has stretched his pec. I haven’t spoken to the medics, but I spoke to Dan and they are saying it is probably a couple of weeks.
“We have got 13 days’ break before we take on Georgia, so that potentially rules him out of that match, just to recover. It’s not a significant injury, just a pec strain.”
Anscombe, who landed six penalties, a drop-goal and conversion after going on for Biggar in the 12th minute, said: “We talked a lot this week about family and the people we care about.
“We talk about the red wall, and to concede only six points against Australia is just remarkable.
“Dan Biggar means so much to this team, and I knew I had to just come on and do my role, and that was all I was focused on.
“The boys were really calm and we got off to a really good start. Our boys up-front were outstanding, they dominated the set-piece and I was just able to keep rolling forward.”
Eddie Jones apologises as Australia face early Rugby World Cup exit
Eddie Jones believes he is still the right person for the job after his Australia side capitulated against Wales to leave their Rugby World Cup hopes hanging by a thread.
Jones had said before the crucial Pool C clash he had no doubt his team would win the game.
But Wales rammed those words down his throat with a dominant 40-6 success in Lyon, with two Ben Donaldson penalties Australia’s only scoring acts.
The defeat, following last week’s setback against Fiji, left the Wallabies facing a humiliating pool stage exit.
Jones apologised for his side’s performance but is confident he can turn things around.
“Firstly, I would just like to apologise to all the Australian supporters. Our performance was not up to the standard that was required,” the former England boss said.
“I came back to Australia trying to help. At the moment I am not giving much help, am I? But that doesn’t mean my commitment to helping has changed.
“I am a proud Australian. I hate to see Australian rugby do as poorly as we have been doing, particularly under my reign.
“I think I have got the ability to turn things around. I was hoping we would be able to do it by now, but we haven’t been able to.
“I take full responsibility, I haven’t done a good enough job and I disappointed about that.
“A process unfortunately takes times, takes some pain. Sometimes it takes more pain than it does pleasure.
“While it looks at the moment like it’s a shambles, I can guarantee it is not.”
Warren Gatland won’t let Wales get carried away after blowing away Australia
Warren Gatland says Wales will not start looking further down the track than necessary after they cruised into the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals with a record 40-6 win against hapless Australia.
Wales made it three successive victories in Pool C, leaving Eddie Jones’ team close to group-stage elimination.
Gatland’s men are guaranteed to top the group if they defeat Georgia next month, setting up a likely quarter-final clash against Argentina in Marseille.
But Gatland said: “We haven’t looked past anything yet, it has been one game at a time.
“Australia came into this game feeling confident about winning. We felt confident to produce a performance today. I thought we were clinical.
“Our focus will be on Georgia, a team we lost against in the autumn (last year).
“We need to rectify that and we need to make sure we don’t drop our standards. I think these players are well aware of that – they have worked incredibly hard.
“We have put a lot of work in the last four months as a team together. We are a momentum team, we build on confidence in terms of performances.
“Today was an outstanding performance in terms of what we wanted to achieve. We were blowing a bit at half-time, but I thought we went out and controlled the second half fantastically well.”
Wales overcame the early loss of injured fly-half Dan Biggar to boss Australia in every key department and coast home through tries from scrum-half Gareth Davies, centre Nick Tompkins and captain Jac Morgan, while Biggar, who kicked an early conversion, saw his replacement Gareth Anscombe boot 23 points.
It was Wales’ record win against Australia, overtaking a 25-point margin in 1975, and former England boss Jones will be left to face the music as the Wallabies lurch towards World Cup oblivion.
On Biggar, Gatland added: “Dan has stretched his pec. I haven’t spoken to the medics, but I spoke to Dan and they are saying it is probably a couple of weeks.
“We have got 13 days’ break before we take on Georgia, so that potentially rules him out of that match, just to recover. It’s not a significant injury, just a pec strain.”
Anscombe, who landed six penalties, a drop-goal and conversion after going on for Biggar in the 12th minute, said: “We talked a lot this week about family and the people we care about.
“We talk about the red wall, and to concede only six points against Australia is just remarkable.
“Dan Biggar means so much to this team, and I knew I had to just come on and do my role, and that was all I was focused on.
“The boys were really calm and we got off to a really good start. Our boys up-front were outstanding, they dominated the set-piece and I was just able to keep rolling forward.”
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