Venter confident of title success
The Saracens director of rugby, Brendan Venter, says he is very confident about the club's chances of winning the Premiership title this season.
Sarries are one of the strongest clubs in the country and Venter has said that the players are fitter than they have ever been and are chomping at the bit to play their first game.
Venter is not afraid to wear his heart on his sleeve and has become a very popular figure at the club. He says the title play-off defeat to Leicester at the end of last season badly hurt the side and they will do whatever it takes to win the title when the season starts.
In order to judge whether a side are going to win a domestic title it's important to consider both the strengths and the weaknesses of the team. The club will also be hoping that Venter can behave this year after getting himself suspended towards the end of last season.
Saracens' strengths
Saracens have a great deal going for them and it's important to consider what impact that play-off defeat had on the side. Venter has said the side look more motivated than ever before in training. This means there are players who will still be suffering from that defeat and they are likely to use it as an inspiration this season.
Saracens are well known for their fast paced and inventive rugby. The coaches in the team try to get the players in the side moving the ball very quickly. This means they can switch the play from one area to another in no time at all, which is very difficult to defend against.
The side have a tremendous amount of experience and a solid leader in Steve Borthwick. Borthwick has just been dropped from the England squad and this means he's likely to lead by example and play out of his skin to get back in to the international set-up.
Venter said: "Things are going exceptionally well. We have the base of last season to build on along with some exciting new faces joining the squad. The players have come back in terrific shape with some phenomenal results in the first few days of fitness testing and they continue to prove they are an exciting group of players."
Saracens' weaknesses
Saracens have a very big squad and this means that many players do not get a very long run in the side. Squad rotation is a common policy in many forms of sport but it could be very frustrating for a player to find himself out of the side after winning a game for the team.
The side have been very quiet during the close season while others have been making solid additions to their squads. This means the standard is likely to be higher than ever before. The club lack a little bit of quality in one or two areas, which will be vital by the end of the season.
He added: "We have a squad system at Saracens so actually, when you work it out, the players will be getting around three and a half games each."
Betting advice
Saracens are a good bet for the Premiership title but a lot depends on how they start the season. Other sides are likely to get off to a flying start and it's important that Sarries manage to do the same.
The best option is to wait a couple of games to see how things are shaping up. If the side pick up an impressive win during their first one or two games then get some cash on them before the odds shorten.
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