Saracens have attempted to draw on the previous dominance of Mercedes' Formula 1 team as they look to remain the Gallagher Premiership's elite outfit.
The current champions, like all of their domestic rivals, will return to action this weekend when they take on Harlequins at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The north London outfit last played in late January, seeing off the Exeter Chiefs at the Stone X Stadium.
That win left them in fourth - eight points off top spot. Saracens have made the Gallagher Premiership final in seven of the past ten years and won it on five occasions. Despite some struggles this term they remain the team to beat but centre Alex Lozowski admits finding renewed motivation is always a challenge.
His first success came back in 2018 and he's now eyeing a fourth winners' medal. Lozowski claims it is human nature that the first triumph is always the one you crave the most, but in an effort to remain on top they've turned to the likes of Mercedes, who were able to rewrite the F1 record books during their dominant era.
He told Mirror Sport: "I think naturally, you can't be as excited about winning your seventh as you can about winning your first. We spoke to some people at Mercedes' F1 team about this and it is just human nature so that you're not going to be excited. This year for example I would win my fourth and you do have to find other ways to motivate yourself. Everyone is different, we all have different reasons to try and win.
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"It is something the club do, we've had Troy Deeney come in to speak, so once a month we'll have someone come in from a different organisation to speak to the group. We were lucky enough to have a Mercedes contact and it was really good because their dominance in F1 - we've only won six Premierships so not quite as good as them.
"Red Bull have obviously now overtaken them but from our point of view it was hearing about the motivation to win seven in a row and how to avoid being overtaken, because we don't want that, we want to remain the dominant team and I think we got a lot out of that. "
Saracens have won seven of their 12 games thus far, but the gap between them and the chasing pack appears to have closed in what has been one of the most competitive seasons in years, especially at the top.
Mercedes enjoyed a dominant period in Formula 1 (PA)Premiership sponsors Gallagher are looking to get more fans watching the compelling storyline that is developing at the top with an opportunity to win 6,600 tickets to watch every team and attend the Premiership final later this year - which Saracens will be eyeing once again.
The likes of Northampton Saints, Sale Sharks and Exeter have all got the better of the current holders this term, which has left them playing catch up. It means, in the final six games of the season, that the champions are the hunters, when used to being the hunted. That presents a different dynamic but Lozowski, who is currently sidelined through injury, believes the group are relishing the challenge.
"It is obviously not one we're used to so it is a different challenge and a different way of going about our business, but everyone's really excited," he said. "One of two wins can shoot you right up the table and we're looking to have a strong end to the season to make it into the play-offs."
The centre added: "It is a bit of a shock really, being at Saracens you're expected to win. So in that sense some of the results have been a bit of a surprise, but having said that the season was quite disruptive with the World Cup, plus we've had injuries so we've lacked the cohesion we've had previously in the team."
Alex Lozowski is confident his Saracens team-mates will relish trying to hunt the teams above themLozowski believes the Six Nations break, which saw the Gallagher Premiership take a pause, came at a good time for the champions, who have been hampered by injuries. Their big names, including Owen Farrell, are set to return for their one-off clash at Tottenham's stadium this weekend.
A win could see Saracens go as high as second, leapfrogging their London rivals in the process. Moving away from their usual Stone X Stadium base has become an annual event - one that Lozowski, himself a Tottenham fan, is gutted to miss out on.
"The excitement levels for the one-off game does make it special," he said. "It is definitely one you look out for in the calendar, and playing against Harlequins is a great match up being a fantastic team and a rival. That London derby, playing at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is just fantastic. I'll be gutted to miss out this year, but I'll be in the stands."
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To enter the Right Here for Rugby competition, visit https://gallagher-righthereforrugby.sponsorworks.co.uk/. The winners will be announced within two weeks of the selected fixture. All applicants will automatically be entered into a ballot to win tickets to the 2024 Gallagher Premiership Rugby Final at Twickenham on Saturday 8 June 2024.
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