Saracens ready for new adventure ahead of JAECOO Next Gen Cup final

If Saracens triumph against Trailfinders Women in the JAECOO Next Gen Cup final on Saturday, they will become the outright most successful club in its history, but for Alex Austerberry the competition represents a new dawn.

His north London club currently hold the JAECOO PWR and JAECOO Next Gen Cup titles, and he insists that is no coincidence.

There is a reason Saracens take the competition so seriously, and their league triumph last season proves it pays to do so.

“It's the start of a new adventure. We're looking to be very successful in a competition that prepares us for the league and breeds our future stars,” said Austerberry.

“It prepares us not only for the future but also for the coming season. It's something we've always put value on and taken incredibly seriously.

“It serves multiple functions for us. It's not just about blooding a young 18-year-old like Ruby Ross at tighthead, who got Player of the Match at the weekend. It's also about making sure our players who have got 100 caps are ready to perform in the PWR.

“It serves multiple purposes for us as a club. That's why, over the last three or four years, you've seen how instrumental it has been in our preparation, our readiness to perform and, ultimately, the success we've had on the field.

“The fact it says 'Next Gen'... our next generation is this coming season and, ultimately, the cycles that come after that. We've done a really good job of balancing that, not just this season but over time.”

Akina Gondwe is just one example of a player from within the Saracens set-up that has benefitted from the reintroduction to play through the JAECOO Next Gen Cup.

The 28-year-old prop will mark her 50th cap when Saracens play Trailfinders at StoneX Stadium in the decider, with the competition providing valuable minutes after an injury-ravaged season last year.

“For me, it's just about getting minutes. The league is so competitive and it's only going to get more physical. It's only going to get faster,” said Gondwe.

“It’s just nice to get a bit of confidence in my body, to know that my body is able to play in a game where there are more substitutions and more rotations.

“There's not necessarily the same onus to play at such an intensity as in the main league. It's just been good being able to trust my body and feel good playing out there.”

It will mark the second time Gondwe has made a half-century of appearances for a JAECOO PWR club, having already reached the milestone with Worcester Warriors.

And having made her first two appearances since injury against Exeter Chiefs and in their 42-26 semi-final victory over Bristol Bears, she is feeling far more prepared for the clash with Trailfinders Women.

“Exeter are a really physical team, so that was really good for my confidence, just being able to play in a physical game,” she explained.

“The semi-final was quite a fast game, so it was just great to know that physically I'm able to get through that.

“Emotionally, it's been good because when you spend so much time out, there are so many emotions that lead up to your first game. It's just been good to be around this group and play some decent rugby with them.”

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And Gondwe may well have needed that adjustment to physicality ahead of the final.

Last year, Saracens defeated London rivals Harlequins 43-33 at StoneX Stadium to draw level with Exeter on two titles each in the competition.

But there is a new kid on the block in the JAECOO PWR, with this year’s final representing something of a rematch of the 2025/26 JAECOO PWR Final.

Trailfinders offer a new London rivalry, and while Austerberry plays down any notions of possible revenge from his opponents, there is no doubt a new rivalry is brewing.

“The similarities are that it's both of us in a final again, which is a great testament to the programmes that both clubs are running. But it's not going to be, 'Oh, this gets revenge for this' or 'We're looking to double down,’” asserted the Saracens Director of Rugby.

“They've done some incredible things since coming into the league, so we want to be at our best.

“For the game to grow, to be marketable, to get bums on seats and people watching on TV, you need not only your local rivalries but also high-quality opposition. Credit to Trailfinders for becoming exactly that.

“Having competitive local rivals is fantastic because it builds something special within the locality. Historically, we've had that with Wasps, with Quins, and now to have that with Ealing and continue that rivalry with Quins is fantastic.”