Saracens Rugby Club is an English Rugby Union team located in Watford, Hertfordshire. Royal motto: Dieu et mon droit (French: God and my right) Englands location within the UK Official language English de facto Capital London de facto Largest city London Area  - Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population  - Total (2001)  - Density Ranked 1st UK 49,138,831 377/km² Religion... Two Austrailian players make a heavy tackle on an England player Rugby union is a team sport that was (according to legend) developed from the rules used to play football at Rugby School in England. ... Watford is a town and district (styled as borough) in Hertfordshire, England about 20 miles northwest of the centre of London. ... Hertfordshire (pronounced Hartfordshire and abbreviated as Herts) is an inland county in the United Kingdom, officially part of the East of England Government region. ...

History

Saracens were founded in 1876 by the Old Boys of the Philological School in Marylebone, London (later to become Marylebone Grammar School). 1876 is a leap year starting on Saturday. ... Marylebone (sometimes written St. ... The Clock Tower of the Palace of Westminster which contains Big Ben London is the capital city of the United Kingdom and of England. ...

The team plays at Vicarage Road, a stadium they share with Watford F.C. Watford Football Club is an English Football League team located in Watford, Hertfordshire. ...

In 1892 Saracens moved from Crown Lane, Southgate, to Firs Farm, N.21 then played on nine different grounds before the move to Bramley Rd for the 1939/40 season (although the war actually prevented them from playing there until 1945).

The club has enjoyed fixtures with the leading clubs for many years and enjoyed a particularly successful time in the 1970s when they reached the semi-finals of the National Cup (now the Tetley Bitter Cup). Special games played at Bramley Rd during this period include the 1971 match against a select International XV. It was a fantastic occasion, as a 5,000 strong crowd (the largest ever to watch a game in North London at the time) came to watch a magnificent contest, ending Saracens 34 International XV 34.

After some bleak years in the early 1980's, the club responded to the challenge of the Courage Leagues, and with Alex Leay as captain and Tony Russ as coach, they won the second division in 1989 with a 100% record. The next year in the first division they surprised many by finishing fourth in the league behind Wasps, Gloucester and Bath. London Wasps is an English rugby union team. ... Gloucester RFC is an English rugby union team which plays in the Zurich Premiership. ... Bath Rugby is an English rugby union team. ...

The 1992/93 season saw the leagues restructured with Saracens, along with three other clubs, being relegated to the second division. In 1993/94 Saracens finished third and narrowly missed out on promotion but the following year they finished as champions and were again back in the top flight. Saracens seesaw existence over the nineties was about to continue in 1995/96 where they again found themselves at the wrong end of the table along with West Hartlepool but they were saved by a reversal of the rules that had seen them lose out a few years earlier. National Division One is the second tier of the English Rugby Union leagues. ... West Hartlepool refers to the western part of the modern borough of Hartlepool in north-east England. ...

In November of 1995 Saracens gained the financial backing of Nigel Wray and this enabled the club to recruit the likes of Michael Lynagh, Philippe Sella, Francois Pienaar and Kyran Bracken. Saracens moved again to Enfield FC's ground and they started the new season with a victory over title favourites Leicester but only finished seventh just missing out on Heineken Cup qualification. Francois Pienaar (born 25 January 1967) is a South African rugby player (in the flank position), captain and coach. ... Kyran Bracken (born 22 November 1971 in Dublin, Ireland) is a former English rugby union footballer. ... Leicester Football Club (nicknamed Leicester Tigers) is an English Rugby Union club that plays in the Zurich Premiership. ... The Heineken Cup sponsored by Heineken (known as the H Cup in France due to alcohol advertising laws) is an annual rugby union competition involving leading club, regional and provincial teams from England, France, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, and Italy. ...

The 1997/98 season, was a landmark year. They began a ground share with Watford F.C. and their 22,000 all seater Vicarage Road Stadium. The appointment of Peter Deakin as Marketing Director saw Saracens splashed all over the broadsheets, tabloids, magazines and T.V. and with the help of a small band of be-fezzed followers that had been following the club for a number of years, the year of the Fez began. Watford Football Club is an English Football League team located in Watford, Hertfordshire. ...

Close season signings like Danny Grewcock, Roberto Grau, Gavin Johnson and Ryan Constable now joined forces with the home grown talent of Tony Diprose, Richard Hill and Steve Ravenscroft to form a side that would prove a significant force during the season losing only 3 games during the season to finish second in the Premiership. Danny Grewcock - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ... Richard Hill (born 23 May 1973) is a rugby union footballer who plays at flanker for Saracens and England. ...

Now in December Saracens lost to third from bottom London Scottish in a shock defeat at home but a win against Bedford and West Hartlepool and a draw with Wasps still saw them in touch with leaders Leicester. The last half of the season was a roller coaster ride with Saracens going from eighth and out of European contention after a run of four loses, to eventually finishing third as London's top club. London Scottish Football Club is a Rugby Union team in England. ... Bedford Blues is a rugby union club in the town of Bedford, England. ... West Hartlepool refers to the western part of the modern borough of Hartlepool in north-east England. ... London Wasps is an English rugby union team. ... Leicester Football Club (nicknamed Leicester Tigers) is an English Rugby Union club that plays in the Zurich Premiership. ...

The following season saw more stars flock to Vicarage Road with Mark Mapletoft, Thierry Lacroix, Scott Murray and Dan Luger joining the club along with Darragh O'Mahony and the up and coming Julian White. With the squad ravaged by World Cup duty and then injury the club's first attempt at the Heineken Cup was not a happy one. They lost 3 games by a couple of points in the last seconds of the game and didn't make the quarter finals. With a few games left they were looking at a possible failure to qualify for Europe again, but Kyran Bracken returned from a ten month injury to inspire Saracens into fourth place and Heineken Cup qualification. Formerly with Saracens (rugby club) in London, Murray now plays professional rugby with Edinburgh Rugby . ... Born: 11th January 1975 Dan Luger is an English rugby union player, most famous for two things: Scoring a last minute try in an England versus Australia match. ... Darragh OMahony (born 18 August 1973) is a rugby union player who played on the Wing for Saracens and Ireland. ... Julian White MBE (born 14 May 1973) is a rugby union footballer who plays tighthead prop for Leicester Tigers and England. ... The Heineken Cup sponsored by Heineken (known as the H Cup in France due to alcohol advertising laws) is an annual rugby union competition involving leading club, regional and provincial teams from England, France, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, and Italy. ... Kyran Bracken (born 22 November 1971 in Dublin, Ireland) is a former English rugby union footballer. ... The Heineken Cup sponsored by Heineken (known as the H Cup in France due to alcohol advertising laws) is an annual rugby union competition involving leading club, regional and provincial teams from England, France, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, and Italy. ...

However come October and Saracens had effectively crashed out of the Heineken Cup with back to back defeats to Cardiff and with the team shorn of internationals due to the Autumn Tests the final blow was dealt when Thomas Castaignede suffered an Achilles injury. The results went downhill fast and a 5th place finish saw the club miss out on the final Heineken Cup place. The Heineken Cup sponsored by Heineken (known as the H Cup in France due to alcohol advertising laws) is an annual rugby union competition involving leading club, regional and provincial teams from England, France, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, and Italy. ... The Heineken Cup sponsored by Heineken (known as the H Cup in France due to alcohol advertising laws) is an annual rugby union competition involving leading club, regional and provincial teams from England, France, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, and Italy. ...

Saracens is the only English premiership club so far to have toured Japan, and has a relationship with Fukuoka Sanix Bombs. Fukuoka Sanix Blues (formerly Fukuoka Sanix Bombs) is a Japanese rugby union team based in Fukuoka prefecture, Kyushu, Japan. ...

Current England elite squad

• Richard Hill
• Alex Sanderson
• Dan Scarbrough
• Hugh Vyvyan

Richard Hill (born 23 May 1973) is a rugby union footballer who plays at flanker for Saracens and England. ... Alex Sanderson was born in 7. ... Dan Scarbrough (born 16 February 1978) is a rugby union player who plays on the Wing or Fullback for Saracens. ... Hugh Donnithorne Vyvyan was born in 08. ...

Club honours

• Pilkington Cup 1998

For the Rugby League Powergen Challenge Cup see Challenge Cup The Powergen Cup (centre) seen in the London Irish clubhouse at Sunbury in 2002. ...

External links

• Official site (http://www.saracens.com)
• Fansite (http://www.thesaracens.co.uk)
• Datas, Statitics, Squad and others about Saracens (in English and in French) (http://www.itsrugby.com/modules/site/team.php?lang=gb&id_team=54)