'It's f***in' bleak... Saracens will get a shock': Gary Graham on what life will be like for the relegated Londoners in the Championship
Scotland back row Gary Graham has provided a no-nonsense insight into what life is really like in the Championship in England, the Newcastle forward adding that Saracens will be left gobsmacked by some of the experiences they will encounter if the second-tier league eventually gets started in 2021.
Automatically relegated from the Premiership last January following repeated breaches of the salary cap, Saracens have yet to play a match in the Championship as the start of the 2020/21 season was delayed due to the pandemic.
It is now currently set to begin in March and Graham, who played five matches last term in the Championship in a truncated title-winning season with Newcastle, believes an eye-opening journey awaits Saracens going by what the Falcons experienced in 2019/20.
“It’s f***in’ bleak,” said Graham when asked about life in the Championship during an appearance on the latest episode of The Rugby Pod. “I started off here at Jersey (2014 to 2017), but like going from the Prem down into that (with Newcastle)… Cornish Pirates want you to get changed in a f***in’ two-metre square portakabin in the wet, wind and rain and the ground is a quagmire as it is.
“I didn’t play at Ampthill but basically you have got to do a mile trek to get to the pitch. I wasn’t playing in that game, but it’s horrible. Especially playing against those teams, it’s the cup final for everyone. Everyone is flying into it and you have got young lads now that want to take your head off every opportunity. Sarries will get a shock if they ever do eventually play in it.”
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Newcastle have been flying since their return to the Premiership, sitting in second after five wins in six games (four victories on the pitch and another in the boardroom due to a cancellation). However, the process of getting to there wasn’t straightforward, the Falcons left without a match for eight months in between seasons because of the lockdown.
The layoff hit Graham hard. “At the start of lockdown you weren’t allowed to go to gyms, you weren’t allowed to go to the club. There was one day where the club opened up and let us steal a few weights and then I had just bought a house and was renovating it.
“It was a building site and when you are waking up in dust trying to do a bench press in some dog s***, it’s not a very good motivation. Luckily a few of us started to join together and we started a little running group at Blaydon and we’d run there together.
“And Seb de Chaves, who is away in America now, he would come to my house and he was my motivation to get up as he would want to use my weights. At times it was bleak. You’d rather sit in the house with red wine than doing some bench press on a bench in the f***in’ cold.”
"The only upside to not being in the Premiership is u win a lot more but look at the crowds, they are 1/2 or even a 1/3 of what they normally are"@MickHogan2 on the truth abt the Championship, the rebuild myth & why it's time to ringfence w/@heagneyl ???https://t.co/bUlQ5X26aK
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 15, 2020
Comments on RugbyPass
Well said Mils. It is a big boost at last having Fergus Burke back at 10 for the Crusaders. Had a great season last year as the article says. Mils is also right about captain Codie Taylor’s performance in his return to the Crusaders last week. He was all class.
4 Go to commentsLet’s make them both Capt. I think we'd get the best of both of them and it would help alleviate some of the pressures of the role. They'd have to confer over on field decisions which should lead to “ learnings “ for both. They are our two best consistent performers.
16 Go to commentsOur best player by far..but not a good Captain..poor tactician cost the AB'S and Canes games by not taking the easy points and going for tries when the lineouts were a shambles..can he read a game? And his throat slitting gesture should disqualify him from the AB Captaincy..it is not the appropriate behaviour of an AB Captain.
16 Go to commentsForget what was said or how many players said it. TONY BROWN IS THE NEW ATTACK COACH. That’s the only story worth freaking out over. The springboks are going to grow their game an awful lot over the next cycle and it’s not just the 19 disgustingly arrogant Irish players who refused to shake Ebens hand and said “see you in the final if you can cheat your way past France” who will find that out first hand.
121 Go to commentsOn one hand I think it's a bit ridiculous that this gar into the season and with only 2 wins the Crusaders may make the finals. On the other hand if it was only top 4 or 5, then that last several weeks may be mainly dead rubbers. Nope, 8th place after round robin shouldn't be able to lift the trophy.
4 Go to commentsI do think the media in NZ treated him badly. Sam is a legend. He is humble, a great rugby mind and leader. What happened in the final could happen to anyone. The margins is so fine these days. I lay blame at the feet of the coaching staff and NZ rugby. The stats tell’s all. The AB’s was the worst disciplined side in the WC with more red and yellow cards than anyone else. Problem is NZ rugby is not training their players to play safer. And thats the danger a fast game brings. More yellow and red cards. But Sam Cane in my eye was and still is a great ambassador for the game, that just had a stroke of bad luck.
5 Go to commentsI hope Jim and co. Add this to their list of icebreaker questions they can ask all their guests going forward. So we can eventually hear what everyone thinks about this subject. “What do you think Ireland meant…”
121 Go to commentsHe’s a dominant personality. That might be both a good and bad thing in team dynamics. Certainly it ruined Smith’s first crack at 10 with Owen at 12. BTW, Bristol flatter to deceive. When things really matter, they tend to deliver less rather than more. Farrell would have been good for them
36 Go to commentsGot a lot of over the top abuse from Crusader fans, in particular, who thought every 7 they had was miles better. Now we will see if anyone is better? Laid his body on the line every game so finishing early makes sense. A lot of life left after rugby.
5 Go to commentsA poor decision to appoint Carley as not only is Pearce a better referee but also importantly speaks French.
2 Go to commentsHe is 100 % on the mark. Malicious arrogance with a lack of respect for the other teams mostly the south. they must learn from True rugby nations like the Boks and Kiwis
121 Go to commentsThis Outiniqua boy has played sublime rugby and deserves a spot in BI LIONS team. Well played son
4 Go to commentsI don’t like to see players miss big matches but this ban looks to be tailored to allow him to compete in the final. In principle a suspension for a very dangerous tackle in a semi should warrant missing the relevant final. Done now. One the flip side having both teams with very strong squads/teams available for the final will add to the occassion hopefully.
1 Go to commentsTalent to burn and a huge engine..hope he gets a shot at higher honours
2 Go to commentsIf anything like his dad he has a bright future, Soane was the best ball carrying props ive ever seen using a combination of pace power and footwork.
1 Go to commentsThose who saw Sharks vs Clermont and Ox N'Che vs Rabah Slimani should have a good idea of the best scrumagers… May be not the best props…
2 Go to commentsIt's been an unusual era of unpopular, highly competitive, domineering, fairly big fly halves in the home nations with Farrell, Sexton and Biggar. Russell is different in personality and player I think. I'd rank Sexton first of the three because he is just as good a game controller but also has a great passing game. And his competitiveness never seems to cause problems with refs.
36 Go to commentsThank goodness he wasn't born in Scotland, he'd have been a great candidate for the Scottish Barbarians. I wouldn't put it past them to push for a “where the player was conceived” rule 😂
2 Go to commentsOwen Farrell is one of the most polarising figures in the game. His entire attitude on the field (and sometimes off of it) smacks of arrogance and he is about as brash as Donald Trump in a political debate. Yet behind that facade is a calculating, determined and powerful leader who drives any team forward with an Iron will. You are right in that he gets better in the heat of battle and in the face of overwhelming odds. He develops a narrow focus and he delivers his best in a way that few others can. He is one of Englands great performers who sacrificed alot for the team and who often bears the weight of responsibility of leadership alone on the field and in front of the media. Despite what many think of him he is a fantastic game manager with a good rugby brain. He will be sorely missed from the international stage
36 Go to commentsAlways proud of the effort, Sam. The All blacks never stop fighting, never just roll over. He didn’t get anywhere near the respect he earned, but that’s due to results, not commitment to the cause. Have fun dominating in Japan!
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