Farrell on form as Saracens make inroads into points deduction
England captain Owen Farrell kicked 20 points on his return to club duty as Saracens began to chip away at their daunting Gallagher Premiership points deduction with a 25-12 win at Bath.
The champions came to the Rec at near full strength for the first time since accepting their 35-point deduction and £5.4million fine for breaching salary cap rules. Bath had plenty of territory but lacked the kind of quality possession that Saracens created for the game’s only try, finished off by wing Sean Maitland on 33 minutes.
Maro Itoje and Billy Vunipola were also making their first appearances for Saracens since the final on November 2, while Elliot Daly made his debut at full-back following his move from Wasps in the summer.
The home side, hampered by knee injuries to skipper Charlie Ewels, England wing Anthony Watson and number eight Zach Mercer, handed the captaincy to World Cup winner Francois Louw. Sam Underhill, another of the tournament’s eye-catching performers, joined him in the back row.
Disappointing in the first two rounds of the Heineken Champions Cup, they were looking to recover the form that yielded morale-boosting home wins over Exeter and Northampton. They had won the last three meetings in the league against Saracens.
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Priestland kicked Bath into an early lead after Mako Vunipola was penalised at a Saracens scrum put-in. Farrell levelled the scores on 10 minutes only for Priestland to kick his side back in front from short range. With referee Karl Dickens strictly policing encroachments on the offside line, Farrell made it 6-6 on 17 minutes.
Bath generated a lot of the steam rising off the two packs in the cold night air. They won plenty of rucks but never slickly enough and the only reward for a long spell of pressure was a third penalty for
Priestland after Daly’s no-arms tackle on Semesa Rokoduguni.
The 9-6 lead was short-lived as Saracens suddenly added power and pace to their game and Itoje made a telling burst in midfield. Quick ruck ball found Maitland in space on the left wing and the Scotland international touched down after a sublime sidestep.
'Saracens have become a toxic brand and only time can get them back to where they want to be'
– @chrisjonespress hears one sponsorship expert voice grave concern for the Saracens brand in the marketplace https://t.co/fUYy7BBLSV— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 19, 2019
Farrell converted and added a 40-metre penalty which gave the visitors a 16-9 advantage at the break.
There was a lucky escape for Bath soon after the restart as they tried to run the ball out from their own line and Rokoduguni’s clearance kick was charged down. Saracens kept the pressure on and Farrell landed his fourth penalty.
Full-back Tom Homer offered a glimpse of attacking potential with a searing 60-metre break but Saracens scrambled back to kill the threat. Priestland and Farrell then swapped penalties again to make it 22-12.
‘It means a huge amount. I first watched the club when I was ten, above the ground looking into it on the bridge above, and dreamt one day playing for them’
– New director of rugby Stuart Hooper tells @heagneyl exactly why @bathrugby is so special to himhttps://t.co/Dg1KXa83VA— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 14, 2019
A tiring Bath were being regularly penalised at the breakdown, whether in possession or defending, and Farrell landed a sixth penalty.
A yellow card for cynical play ruled Itoje out of the last nine minutes but Bath could not earn even a losing bonus point.
– Press Association
WATCH: Going Pro, the RugbyPass documentary on Saracens Women’s rugby team as they defend their Premiership title
Comments on RugbyPass
SBW’s bro’town commentary and lazy default to hyperbole should be ignored, a technical analyst he is not. Sotutu is a good player when games get goosey loosey, high skill set that fans of Zinzan recall with starry eyes. But you need power and mongrel at no8 in the Test arena and Sotutu gets found wanting there, much like Akira Ioane. No8’s like Zinzan and Ardie have bucketloads of mongrel and power and tenacity which allow the skill sets to flourish.
11 Go to commentsAn inside pass to attacker on the angle can make a drift defence look lead footed. Relies on fleet footed forward/s to get across from the breakdown. An argument for the smaller faster 7 perhaps?
3 Go to commentsSensational tackle. The reds one was late and rightly penalised. The other two were simultaneous with the pass. If nitpicking TMOs can’t find fault there clearly isn’t any.
1 Go to commentsBrumbies fully deserved their win on the back of their physicality and desire to control the ball. Xavier Numia, Asafo Aumua and Tyrel Lomax should be the ABs starting front row when we start our test schedule. They have “come of age” and have bested all they have faced as well as been dominant with ball in hand in making the gainline. With De Groot, Tamaiti Williams and Fletcher Newell backed up by Taukei'aho and Cody Taylor there's not an international front row that can trouble us. Can't wait to face the Boks over there, won't be no one point game this time.
5 Go to commentsKinda strange that he wasn’t with a premiership team or a higher level of rugby? Start playing late or something? With that kind of size and athleticism you’d think someone would have picked him up?
2 Go to commentsShows how much attitude matters. Last week the Brumbies got done, this week they dominated the tournament leaders, who were likely thinking they could cruise to victory.
5 Go to commentsA Turtle has more pace and leg drive than Owen Franks, so it’s a good thing he only had to run 90 metres for that try.
2 Go to commentsOh Tamati Tua was in the vastly over-rated Leon MacDonalds Blues system? Well, no wonder he was wasted, much like Emoni Narawa and Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens under MacDonald. now look at them. Good thing Tua isn’t eligible, the Aussies latch on to any player who isn’t tied down.
5 Go to commentsMark Telea is a lot of things, but a defensive juggernaut has never been one of them. There will be far bigger tests in that regard for the youngster.
11 Go to commentsLove and respect to Fiji but not a chance outside of 7s
4 Go to commentsGood summation Ned. Agree the Canes were out-muscled for once (except at the scrum!) by a focused Brumbies outfit. Tua deserves consideration for higher honors after the way he humbled Jordie and the Canes defense. Thankfully, his lack of eligibility for Oz keeps him from Joe’s plans. While I also agree the injuries affected the Canes performance, some players seemed to lack focus and intensity for this match. Perhaps after the Blues demolished the Brumbies, they thought it was going to be easy? A good reminder that any slip up in preparation can have a big affect on the result. Brumbies deserved that win.
5 Go to commentsKarl Dixon should never have been appointed this fixture, absolute disgrace, He’s not much of a referee anyway, didn't have the balls to send his mate care off
5 Go to commentsBrilliant article! Harry of 8/9
3 Go to comments‘UK athletes' have been in the NFL from the start.
2 Go to commentsIt’s going to be Scott Barrett. He’s the coaches mate and captain of a previously elite team. Ardie a great option but scooter has worked with the coach and Ardie still as big a leader as needed.
23 Go to commentsI commend Colin Scotts bio All Balls. He was the first Aussie to make it to NFL. But he was poached and did a full apprenticeship at the University of Hawaii. He was 130kgs surfed played 1st grade cricket etc. big guy by normal but not NFL standards and a top athlete. Even then the nfl were picking up Tongans and Samoans for their natural size and explosive power. They want explosive power not cardio from the big boys so a guy like Taniela Tupou would have been good if picked up young enough. He has fast twitch and they’d bulk the little lad up and give him something to do. soccer teams set up academies and look for Over Sara’s talent eg Messi was at Barcelona since a teenager and harry kewell went to Leeds as a teenager like 16 or something.
11 Go to commentsThe article alludes to the fact that this isn’t about picking a captain. But picking a great captain. So who would make for a great All Black captain - not just an obvious or safe shoo-in? I’m not sure Ardie’s the guy and Barret doesn’t stand out either.
23 Go to commentsI guess we may all agree on the fact, that the ABs and Boks are the two in contest for No 1 in rugby history (the triple-A sort of) …. the Wallabies, England and France are the next tier, with Ireland being the new kid in town (AA) …. in my view it makes little sense creating imaginary competitions (unless you have too much time to waste)
45 Go to commentsWhat a joke. Total joke and the pundits commentating, all of whom know a bit about the game, could barely disguise their contempt. Reaching for the card then pulling back when he realised a red card would carry further match suspensions is simply not his decision to make. A clear and obvious influence on the outcome of this match and indeed, the championship path.
5 Go to commentsI like the idea, in NZ the Ranfurly Shield and NPC coexist, both having their own bragging rights. The World Cup would be the pinnacle, but the competition and travels of these trophies would be interesting.
45 Go to comments