Press Notes | Alex Austerberry (PWR Rd 12)

Director of Rugby Alex Austerberry believes that his side head into the first game of 2025 with a spring in their step, following a superb pre-Christmas victory over Bristol Bears.

That result catapulted Saracens back into the play-off picture, with Austerberry explaining that the win and the break had come at a good time for his side.

“That game against Bristol set the tone for the Christmas break. It was a much-needed result and has given us a spring in our step. It’s given us the momentum we needed after a stop-start second block of games. We’ve had a bit of downtime, but there’s now a real bounce in everyone’s step. We’re in a really good position now to make sure we take control of our own destiny at the end of the season.”

It's been one of the closest seasons in recent memory, with very little separating the teams in the league. Austerberry admitted that his side had had a bit of a mixed season so far and highlighted the importance of keeping the momentum going over the next few weeks.

“It’s been a bit of an odd season. We got off to a good start but then lost back-to-back games. This league is very tight, and we can’t afford to lose games when it’s as tight as it is. Every game is pivotal at the moment and there is still a lot we need to learn and do if we want to be where we believe we can be at the end of the season.”

Lightning ran Saracens incredibly close earlier in the season at StoneX Stadium and have been ever improving throughout the campaign. With the league as tight as it is, Austerberry explained that whilst it was great for fans, it made it more stressful for him and his coaching team!

“Loughborough are a team that are going to have a big say in how the top four looks. It’s a big challenge for us going to face them in the first game after Christmas. You look at the league table and then how close the results are across the board; the league is ever improving which is what we want. Fans want to tight games that go down to the wire. As a coach, I absolutely hate it, it’s not good for the nerves! But when you do come out on the right side of it like we did last time out against Bristol, it’s a great feeling.”

Loughborough will be wanting to put on a show at the weekend as part of a double-header fixture. Austerberry highlighted the threats that Sunday’s hosts will pose across the field, but insisted that his side needed to concentrate on their own performance to ensure they secured a positive result.

“We played them three games ago in a very tight game that went down to the wire. They are a very good team who can hurt you in a lot of ways. We need to make sure we take care of business. Ultimately, we need to focus on how we perform against them. In the last few seasons, it’s always been a tight affair when we’ve faced them, so we need to make sure that we come out on the right side of it this weekend. We need to play well and do it consistently for a full 80-minutes.”