Wray: How we conquered adversity to return Saracens to English rugby summit
Jackson Wray revealed the fuel Saracens used to power their way to Premiership glory after ending his playing career on the highest high.
A come-from-behind victory over Sale saw the Londoners crowned English champions for the sixth time in 13 years.
Wray left to a standing ovation and before embarking on his personal mission “to get drunk for a week” lifted the lid on what it had taken to return Saracens to the summit.
“I don’t think people talk about this enough,” said the No.8, reflecting on the £5.4 million fine which accompanied Saracens’ humiliating relegation for multiple salary cap breaches in 2020.
“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. And we have got through it.
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“Together we have done it. The owners said, ‘We made a mistake and we will stay and put it right’. And we have done our bit as players; stayed and fought and gone against everyone. Even today.
Wray breaks with ball on his 309th and final Saracens appearance (Getty Images)“Everyone was with Sale. Every club in the land was with Sale. Do you know what? That is how we like it. That is how we have always liked it. No-one wants us to win and we don’t care.”
This is a club which has needed that thick skin simply to survive. There is no question such adversity would have killed others. Saracens absorbed it then turned it to their advantage.
“I remember,” added Wray. “We sat down as players and said ‘we are going to get back to the top of the game. We don’t know when but we will get there’.
Final was stopped in first half due to a protest by Just Stop Oil (AFP via Getty Images)“That hit me as soon as the whistle went. I thought about what a journey it’s been to get here. No-one has given us anything.”
Nobody epitomised that fight more than captain Owen Farrell, who set the tone with his battle cry then went out and led the charge of the white brigade.
“Unbelievable player, unbelievable leader,” said Wray. “He drives everything we do.
Owen Farrell celebrates Ivan Van Zyl's match-winning try at Twickenham (Getty Images)“His message to us was, ’You have got to go out and win this. They ain’t going to give it to us, if we want this we have got to go and take it’.
“He was out there melting people, putting kicks in, controlling the game, adding tempo. There is never any doubt in my mind he is England’s No.10.”
Sale, in their first final for 17 years, let nobody down. A blistering third quarter turned a 20-13 half-time deficit into a 25-23 lead.
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Wray: 'No-one wants us to win and we don’t care' (PA)But Saracens had endured too much for too long to fall away. With Farrell’s words ringing in their ears they rallied, went out and won it.
Maro Itoje had spent the past year tormented by re-runs of Freddie Burns’ last-gasp winning drop goal for Leicester in the 2022 final.
“I was tired of seeing that every five minutes,” he said. “Thank god I don’t have to go through another year of that.”
SARACENS - Tries: Penalty, Malins, Daly, van Zyl. Cons: Farrell 2. Pens: Farrell 3.
SALE - Tries: Van der Merwe, Roebuck, Rudd. Cons: Ford 2. Pens: Ford 2.
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