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BBC News
26-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Saracens full-back Goode to retire with 'no regrets'
Saracens legend Alex Goode said he will retire at the end of this season with "no regrets", 17 years since making his professional debut for the 37-year-old – who has won six Premiership titles – reached the milestone of 400 appearances for Sarries earlier this helped the team win European Champions Cups in 2016, 2017 and 2019, scoring a try in the second of those has also played 21 times for England, having been part of Stuart Lancaster's World Cup squad in 2015."Nothing prepares you for this moment, it's overwhelming," he told the club website., external"Never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd have the privilege of playing for my country and representing this club over 400 times."To do something you love and call it a job is unique, and I feel so lucky for that experience." 'An unreal ride' Goode's other achievements include being named European Player of the Year in 2019."To the coaches and all the backroom staff, you are the core of the club, you have supported me always and I can't thank you enough for your time and energy," he said."To my team-mates, past and present, it's been an unreal ride, and I'll carry those memories and bonds with me for the rest of my life."To the fans, you've stood by us through glory and heartbreak with unwavering faith. To hear your roar on my 400th game, seeing those faces, means more than you'll ever know."I leave the field with no regrets, only gratitude. Saracens will always be in my blood."Director of Rugby Mark McCall added: "There are few words left to truly capture the impact someone like Alex Goode has had not just at Saracens, but on the game of rugby as a whole."He will undoubtedly go down as one of the most successful players of the professional era."Goodey will always be remembered as a great team man, someone who went out of his way to help and support his teammates. Our younger players have benefitted enormously from his wisdom and guidance."Saracens, who are sixth in the Premiership table, face Bath at home on Saturday in their final game of the league season.
BBC News
08-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Goode set for 400th Saracens appearance
Alex Goode believes his competitive nature has been a key factor in his full-back, 37, is set to make his 400th appearance for Saracens in Saturday's Premiership match against Newcastle (15:00 BST).Goode, who has played 21 times for England, joined Sarries' academy in 2006 and has been at the club for his entire career, aside from a season on loan at Japanese side NEC Green Rockets."I think the love of the game plays a big part," Goode told BBC Radio London."I love rugby. I love being out there. I love competition. The want to win and finding a way to win - I love to win and be part of that competition. That's really helped me."I do look after myself well. I do prepare well and always try improve and make sure I don't stand still."I constantly keep working at my kicking, my balls, my speed, my strength, my passing, offloading, short kicking - never sit still, because otherwise you just get found out."Constantly evolving and having different layers to my game has probably helped me stay in it as long as possible."That competitiveness, want to win and love for the game have probably been the keys."Goode has enjoyed huge success at the London club, winning six Premiership titles and three European Champions 2019 he was named European Player of the there have been low points as well - not least when Saracens were relegated from the top flight in 2020, having been deducted 35 points following persistent salary cap led to Goode's move to Japan and he returned after Sarries were promoted back to the Premiership. All his silverware, starting with a 2011 Premiership triumph, has come under head of rugby Mark McCall, who took over from Brendan Venter halfway through that has presided over unprecedented success for the club, including their promotion from the Championship in 2021, but Venter has been widely credited with laying the foundations."I'm very lucky. I'm one of the few who saw the darker days of Saracens when it wasn't a very good club - we were underachievers and had a very poor culture," added Goode."While I didn't know that at at the time, looking back I can really see how apparent that was. Then the change was drastic."We found a wonderful way - and I now see how important that is and see other clubs who perhaps don't have that as much or who struggle to have that continually."It's such a special thing to put what Brendan has in place. And it is hard to replicate that day in and day out. You do need time with players and cohesion." 'An amazing achievement' Goode has been hampered by injury problems this season - he suffered a quadricep tear in November and had surgery before returning to action in he has remained an important presence in the dressing room, helping Saracens' younger explained: "I don't go out of my way to tell people how it should be or what it was like in my day."But when they come to me and ask about this or that, or 'what do you do in this situation?' or 'how do you get past that?', then I try and give the experiences we went through as a group before we had success."McCall, whose side are sixth in the table, said: "We're all very privileged to share this week with Goody."It's not just that he's played, it's the influence that he's had, the level that he's played at throughout his career."It's an amazing achievement. He's been an exceptional person and player for such a long time and we're very lucky to have shared his journey with him."
