2011 was always going to be a tough act to follow for Saracens.

After all it is not every day that a team wins their first ever domestic title.

But despite falling short of the incredibly high standards set by the 12 months before, it has been another memorable year for Sarries.

One area in which in which an improvement has been made in 2011, has been the team’s offering in the Heineken cup.

To be the last English team left standing was no mean feat. The display against Clermont Auvergne was disappointing however - it gave a relatively inexperienced team at that level a taste of what top class European rugby is all about.

Saracens started the 2012/13 Heineken Cup like a rocket, beating Edinburgh and Racing Metro, Racking up 8 tries in the process.

Yes, they may have hit a stumbling block away at Munster, but the importance of picking up a losing bonus point at a place like Thomand Park should not be underestimated, regardless of the expectations before the game.

Then there was Sunday's match, probably the most crucial of the pool games so far, not only a first ever win against Munster, but four points that have put Saracens' destiny in their own hands.

The end of the Premiership was not the result Saracens would have wanted, crashing out in the semi- finals to Leicester Tigers.

But the start of this season has shown that once again the Men in Black are a force to be reckoned with, sitting second, one point behind table toppers Harlequins and beating last season’s champions and fierce rivals Northampton Saints, both on the road, in the process.

In the Aviva A League, the Storm side made the final, losing to a very impressive looking Harlequins side.

2012 has been the year of the back row injury crisis, one of seismic proportions by anyone’s standards.

Losing the likes of Jacques Burger, Andy Saull, Ernst Joubert, Kelly Brown and Justin Melk would hurt any team around the country, but in true wolfpack style, Saracens have used this to their advantage.

These injuries have led to the emergence of the next generation of back rowers, Jackson Wray, Will Fraser and after his man of the match performance against Munster, George Kruis too.

This trio have not just come in and filled the gaps left by the aforementioned players but have made the positions their own, becoming some of Sarries most consistent performers in the process.

Injuries have however, once again struck, with Jackson Wray and Andy Saull who is once again taking up his position in the physio room.

Hopefully, 2013 will be a luckier year for the Back Row members at Saracens, and if this so happens, creating one almighty selection headache for Mark McCall and his coaching team.

It wouldn’t be right talking about Saracens and only talking about the rugby, after all as a team they offer so much more than that.

The past year will be remembered as a homeless one for the team, one in which they graced 11 different grounds in 11 different games.

The Premiership’s nomads took to the road, one that included Twickenham, Wembley, a trip to Brussels and Murrayfield just to name a few, not only showing that they can compete wherever but that they don’t do things by halves.

So 2012 has been a bit of a rollercoaster ride for Saracens, and looking back on it now, it makes me all the more excited to see what 2013 will bring - hopefully some silverware.