By Nick Mullins BBC Sport rugby union commentator

It is one of those rugby questions that foxes bar rooms, press rooms and probably changing rooms from Kingston Park to Kingsholm.

How come Saracens never win anything?

In almost every respect, the north Londoners are an inspirational example of what professionalism has made possible.

Nigel Wray is one of the game's most enlightened and eloquent benefactors.

Aussie great Horan is one of Saracen's all-star cast

The business team he employs to run the club are highly-motivated, highly-imaginative and have marketed Saracens beyond anything that had previously been thought possible.

Indeed, anyone cryogenically frozen a decade ago on one of those cold January days at the old Bramley Road ground would hardly recognise the club today if they were thawed back to life and plonked in a bright, plastic seat at Vicarage Road.

And imagine if our defrosted Fez Head had been wheeled up to Leicester last Saturday. What would he have made of his team?

Was that really a genuine Aussie legend partnering the skipper and England scrum-half?

Here were the names of three French greats from recent times, and there was a home-grown back-rower now regarded by many as the best in the world.

And just imagine, all this talent coached by someone who never has to buy his own beers back in New Zealand.

Yet for all the Horans and Brackens, the Castaignedes, Benazzis and Califanos, the Hills and Buck Shelfords, there is something missing.

For all the shiny stadiums and shiny marketing ploys, where are the shiny trophies?

The Tetley Cup was as good as it got for Pienaar

It is now five years since Saracens enjoyed a taste of their potential.

Back in 1998 they were on course to win the league until Newcastle pipped them by just one point.

Consolation came in the Cup when a team constructed around Grade A superstars like Michael Lynagh, Philippe Sella and Francois Pienaar dismantled Wasps at Twickenham.

It was a false dawn. Lynagh retired and while Alain Penaud proved a more than handy replacement, he left at the end of the next season.

Pienaar's tenure ended in frustration, while local talent like Danny Grewcock and Tony Diprose went in search of fresh challenges.

The magic dust had been mislaid and to a certain extent - on the pitch at least - Saracens are still searching for it.

It was instructive then to spend some time with the players before the game against Leicester.

To be with them on a cold, wet Wednesday morning at Bramley Road was to get an impression of the application needed for success.

Shelford is hoping to unlock Saracens' potential

They still use the ramshackle ground as their training base. Yet while faded shirts decorating the bar echoed of yesterdays, Wayne Shelford's intensive training regime was all about todays and tomorrows.

Analysis was the first order of the day. The squad poured over an hour's worth of Leicester moves on video tape.

Then - in driving rain - they repaired to an all-weather pitch nearby to put plans into practice.

Lunch was followed by a session on the scrum machine and then time in the gym.

It might console fans frustrated by five barren years to hear these are no part-time professionals. Mediocrity need not be permanent.

It had not been light for long when the players clocked on for the day and it was dark before they clocked off.

But the empty space in the trophy cabinet and the look of frustration on captain Bracken's face outside the away dressing room on Saturday evening told their own stories.

It may take some time yet before our cryogenic Man In Black raises his frozen Fez in celebration.