HOW MUCH THE SEMI-FINAL WIN MEANT
“It was massive and it is an accumulation of years of frustration trying to almost get there and then finally a home semi-final and to come through that is massive for me. Massive for my family and the club I have grown up at. Everyone around me is buzzing.”
LEARNINGS FROM SEMI-FINAL DEFEAT TWO YEARS AGO
“I think it is a case of knowing your surroundings. Having been there before you know what to expect and the pressures that come with it. It obviously helps getting that home semi-final as well. The crowd were amazing and it is the best atmosphere I have seen. It really made the occasion special for us and that gave us energy on the pitch.”
HOW MUCH IT WOULD MEAN TO WIN THE FINAL?
“It would be massive for me and I know it would be also for a lot of the lads who have come through the academy as well. We have grown up supporting this team. Even back when we were 10 years old we wanted to see this team being successful and being in this squad gives us extra motivation to do it for ourselves. I hope that shows on the pitch on Saturday that we can with that extra incentive.
“I was mad keen to get involved in any capacity at this club, especially back in 2006 (he was a ball-boy at Edgeley Park) when I was in awe of the big players and superstars back in the day. It pushed me on to want to be in their shoes. It’s now about taking the opportunities they did. It is the highest score in a Premiership final. Watching it on TV it was a brilliant occasion for me, my family and the club where I was watching. That is what we want to go and replicate. We want to be up there with the names like Jason Robinson and Charlie Hodgson. We want to write our names amongst those guys.
"It’s disappointing that we didn’t kick on after 2006. The season after we weren’t quite in the same bracket. That is a big learning curve for the club. We don’t want to be a one-hit wonder and fall off next year. We want to be up there as we have proven over the last couple of years. We have been building nicely to get that top spot. It’s a one-off game at the weekend and we know we are going to have to bring it against one of the best club sides in the world. We want to be improving year on year and with the structure and players we have there is no reason why we shouldn’t be doing that."
BECOMING A FATHER FOR THE FIRST TIME
“Having a baby puts things into perspective but also gives you a new lease of energy. It is going to be his first game coming to Twickenham which is exciting for us, not that he will remember it! For the whole family it has been a brilliant few weeks and my wife has been brilliant with it all, letting me focus on the rugby and putting the details in so I can really attack the weekend. She has been taking the brunt of the sleepless nights. Before the semi-final the energy levels were sky-high, having your first child and then a couple of days later being able to play in home Premiership semi-final was amazing. The atmosphere was unreal.”
TAKING ON SARACENS
“We know it is going to be a massive battle if you look at both games against Saracens this season they were close encounters. For us it’s about that extra 10%. We know their gameplan is similar to ours so it is about adapting and making the most of our attack. Fordy has spoken a lot about it during the year about what sets us apart. Yes we have that physicality and kicking game but we also want to have that strike-fast mentality where we are able to put teams to the sword.”
COMPETITION IN THE NORTH-WEST IN SPORT
“I think we are realistic about the competition for sport in the North West. Over the years it has been growing. I think if you go to any local rugby club around here the supporters and the grassroots rugby there are fantastic. That showed in the semi-final through the support. For us it’s about providing that pathway. If they see us at the top more kids will want to follow us which is similar to my story growing up. Watching those guys have that success made me want to be in that squad. That is the privilege we have now is creating that pathway for the next generation."
THE OWNERS
“The owners are so passionate and they in all the time helping out. They don’t step on Alex’s toes but they are our friends. They provide so much for this club. We want to give them something back for the efforts they have poured in for us.”
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