Neale Harvey talks to Dave Strettle about his quest to emuate his old Sarries mates.
Dave Strettle admits winning the Champions Cup with Clermont would help exorcise the bitter pangs of jealousy he felt last May while watching his former Saracens colleagues prancing around Lyon with European rugby’s most coveted prize.
Strettle suffered Heineken Cup final misery with Saracens when they were beaten by Toulon in Cardiff in 2014, an occasion sandwiched between semi-final losses at the hands of Toulon and the ultra-ambitious Clermont side he now plays for.European Cup revenge over Toulon would taste sweet, with Strettle telling The Rugby Paper: “I was lucky enough to play for Saracens for five years and you could see they were building towards that Champions Cup success, but an opportunity came for me to play at Clermont last year and it’s one I felt I had to take, so I missed out.
“I texted the Saracens boys after they won the Champions Cup in Lyon last May and admitted that I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t jealous of them winning it. But at the same time I was really chuffed for them and I’d love to follow suit.
This story is from the April 02,2017 edition of The Rugby Paper.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the April 02,2017 edition of The Rugby Paper.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
England can find a little bit of cheer
SO HERE we are on the final day of England’s autumn international series with all of us hoping and expecting Steve Borthwick’s team to win today after three weeks of bitter disappointment.
Stop messing with Marcus - Campese
DAVID Campese believes England are going backwards under Steve Borthwick, who is ‘messing around’ with talisman Marcus Smith.
Being a Lion was the highlight of my career
I PLAYED 19 games and scored 219 points for the Lions, on the tours to South Africa in 1968 and New Zealand in 1971, but I never played in a Test and that was fair enough.
Cook's crew not fazed as they eye tilt at top half
THERE appear to be few signs of second season syndrome at Westcombe Park as captain Nick Cook reveals the group aren’t even contemplating the threat of relegation and are instead targeting a top-half finish.
Forwards pack a punch for the Reds
OLD Redcliffians produced a proud defensive effort to take a bonus-point win.
Tom 'Ailes' the achievements of inspirational skipper Riley
SEDGLEY Park No. 8 Tom Ailes says his team relish the competitive nature of National One and is confident the Tigers can rectify their rocky start to the season in weeks to come.
Strachan confident Ampthill will be firing again soon
FRASER Strachan is determined to put Ampthill’s leaky defensive showings behind them and gain some much needed confidence in the run up to Christmas.
It's a whole new ball game for Rigg
WILL Rigg’s ambition was to become a professional cricketer but it is the oval ball rather than The Oval that is his driver now.
Scarratt leads the way for Lightning
LOUGHBOROUGH won a wet and windy East Midlands Derby after having the bonus point in the bag by half-time.
Becconsall: We need to release pressure
WILL Becconsall says Exeter are not spooked by the threat of relegation as they look to turn around their Premiership campaign after starting with six straight defeats.
