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Kris Chesney
Final push: veteran Kris Chesney has been a fixture at Saracens for 14 years but is now preparing for his swansong with the club

Kris Chesney bids to give fans a happy ending

Chris Jones
17 Apr 2009


After 14 years with Saracens, Kris Chesney will play in front of the home fans for the last time on Sunday and he is determined to give English rugby's perennial under achievers some success before signing off.

The versatile forward will embark on a new career with Toulon in France next season but at the moment he is focussed on two goals with Sarries.

Victory against Leicester on Sunday -his 205th home Guinness Premiership game for Saracens - will keep the club on course for next season's Heineken Cup. After the final league game at Bath next week, the focus will turn to the European Challenge Cup semi-final against Northampton on 1 May.

Saracens' last trophy was the domestic cup in 1998 and Chesney said: "We have had the talent to be more successful over the years and the bottom line is that we haven't delivered on the pitch for supporters who have been there year after year, dealing with some pretty horrible defeats.

"I'd love to help the club qualify for the Heineken Cup and win the European Challenge Cup in my final season because it's been a very long time without a trophy."

Chesney (right) is one of the few players to be leaving Saracens this summer through his own choice.

The 35-year-old had already agreed his move before Saracens announced in February 18 players would be axed this summer and that Brendan Venter, the ex-Springbok centre, would be director of rugby next season.

The changes by Saracens' South African's backers sent shockwaves through the club. Chesney said: "I was lucky to have already signed for Toulon but there is still a lot of emotion around the club following the events of Black Monday when Brendan Venter met the players and explained who would be going. Some players still don't know if they are staying or leaving.

"Despite what happened, the squad is still very tight and we are all focussing on achieving something this season. There are a lot of big characters in this team who have been around the game for a long time everyone is playing for each other which is fantastic.

"I have seen these changes before at Sarries with big clear outs and new men in charge and it always takes time for things to gel and that could be the case for Brendan."

Chesney has been used to upheaval at Saracens and although it hasn't helped the club on the pitch, it has kept things fresh for the player.

He said: "There have been times when a few of us old timers have sat down and worked out how many different outside halves we have played with and it's now reached 15. People have asked why I haven't moved club earlier in my career, but with so many new players and coaches arriving on such a regular basis it's been like we have turned into a new club on a regular basis."

Harlequins are at Sale tonight and have put scrum-half Danny Care and centre Jordan Turner-Hall on the replacements bench following the 6-5 Heineken Cup quarter-final loss to Leinster. Both need a break handing Andy Gomarsall and De Wet Barry starts while Waisea Luveniyali replaces the injured Nick Evans at No10. London Wasps travel to relegated Bristol on Sunday.

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