Saracens consider Fulham groundshare

07 January 2009 11:31
Sarries, last season's Heineken Cup semi-finalists, have spent 11 years sharing grounds with Watford, but believe a move to Craven Cottage would enable them to double average crowds to 15,000. [LNB]Their lease at Vicarage Road still has 18 months to run, so the likely timing of a move is for the start of the 2010-11 season. [LNB]With Wasps having moved to High Wycombe and London Irish playing in Reading, Saracens clearly hope to exploit the desire to watch top-flight rugby in the capital. [LNB]Nigel Wray, the man responsible for transforming Saracens into title-challenging club, said: "Whether we like it or not, rugby will go the same way as soccer. [LNB]"That means you will need substantial resources to play at the top table and if you are not at the top table, you are probably nowhere."[LNB]With 1995 World Cup winning captain Francois Pienaar and team manager Morne du Plessis on the club's board, Sarries will look into tapping into a market that includes an estimated 750,000 expatriate South Africans. [LNB]Reports even suggest that plans are being drawn up for deals to sign Scahlke Burger and Bryan Habana on loan, providing they gain approval from the SARFU. [LNB]

Source: Telegraph