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LIONS WATCH: Saracens player ratings vs Nottingham
Mark McCall didn’t shy away from vehemently making his point last Sunday about the activity of his half-dozen England players at Saracens in comparison to their rivals for selection in the 2021 Lions squad that will soon be announced by Warren Gatland.
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The consensus outside Saracens for many months had been that the form of their stellar front-line cast wasn’t what it could be, their players going on a mid-winter break in between the conclusion of England’s Autumn Nations Cup campaign and the start of their ill-fated Guinness Six Nations.
With Saracens in limbo due to the delayed start of their Championship season, rival players for Lions selection were busier pre-Six Nations and it was felt they were stealing a Lions march. McCall, though, didn’t agree and he used his post-match media briefing following last Sunday’s dismissal of Ealing to back his England contingent now that they are finally back playing club rugby.
“Our players are getting more rugby than the Welsh, Scottish and Irish – they are hardly playing at all. (Wales captain) Alun Wyn Jones didn’t play for the Ospreys on Saturday,” director of rugby McCall said. “Fingers crossed we can finish our domestic season with a couple of really meaningful matches.”
With only a few Lions selection rivals in action this holiday weekend due to it being European semi-finals weekend, Saturday was an opportunity for Saracens’ domestic season to come to the fore just days before Gatland reveals his 36 picks for South Africa next Thursday.
The Bok prop has a warning for his South African teammates, who he hopes to join this summer @vincentkoch1 chats to @chrisjonespress 👨💻https://t.co/pNna2lm1wg
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) April 30, 2021
Up against winless bottom club Nottingham, who had lost all six previous games, the Londoners were more than a class above in their comfortable 56-0 win. Converted tries in the opening 35 minutes from Andy Christie, Alex Lewington and Dom Morris secured a 21-0 lead interval lead.
With Nottingham in yellow card trouble and at one stage down to 13, the contest was ended with three early second-half scores, a penalty try, Lewington’s second and another from Tom Whiteley to stretch the lead to 42 points by the 53rd minute. Tries from Eroni Mawi and Harry Sloan then rounded off the rout. Here are the Saracens player ratings from Lady Bay for the England six looking to secure Gatland’s approval next week:
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15. ELLIOT DALY – 6
A fourth Championship start for the full-back who was dropped by Eddie Jones’ following England’s loss to Wales before getting back in the starting XV for the round final defeat in Ireland. Had a quiet first-half here with most of the play revolving around the forwards and there was one loose early second-half pass, but his patience was rewarded when he blasted onto a 53rd minute Owen Farrell pass to canter clear and put Whiteley in for a try. Was much busier from there on in, but a forward pass out of the tackle on 70 was typical of his luck.
10. OWEN FARRELL – 8
The talisman returned to the bosom of his club with his reputation tarnished by a Six Nations that ended with calls for him to lose the Test captaincy. However, he has since been handed the Saracens captaincy on a long-term basis and he directed his team well in Nottingham, kicking precisely in the early stages of his third Championship start before going on to pose more of a threat with ball in hand. This was best seen in the second try, Farrell successfully handling three times in the move. Was on the receiving end of a dominant Alex Dolly tackle just before the break but he kept taking the ball flat in the second half, continuously asking questions of the defence in a game where he landed all seven of his conversion kicks.
1. MAKO VUNIPOLA – 7
His fourth Championship start went well, his penalty winning dominance at the scrum crucially in evidence on either side of the interval. Would have been criticised during the Six Nations for being a limited presence in general play, but his handling and agility were visible in Saracens’ second try, the loosehead remaining composed with a juggling ball before grasping, hitting the deck and smartly popping to keep the move going. Played for 50 minutes.
4. MARO ITOJE – 8
This was the potential 2021 Lions skipper’s fourth Championship start in recent weeks, the lock returning to the McCall set-up under the microscope after conceding too many penalties with England. He made playing at this second-tier level look easy from the moment he latched on to drive Christie over for the opening score. Applied incessant pressure throughout on the Nottingham forwards and even treated himself to a massive gain in territory with a 27th-minute carry from inside his own half.
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8. BILLY VUNIPOLA – 7
There were occasions looking at his body language during this game that he is still the player low on confidence that came back to Saracens from an England campaign where there was a cacophony of calls for Sam Simmonds to be chosen. An early penalty for not rolling away added to that impression but he eventually went on to enjoy an industrious evening in his fourth Championship start after he won a 30th-minute penalty poaching Nottingham possession. Credited with the assists for the third and eighth tries, breaking around the corner off a scrum before the interval and then peeling away from a maul just before the finish.
16. JAMIE GEORGE – 6
As with Daly, he had to swallow the bitter pill of getting dropped from the starting England XV during the Six Nations. His fifth Championship appearance arrived off the bench, the hooker appearing on 50 minutes with Nottingham already well-beaten. Tried to look busy, his best moments being a 70th-minute gallop after gathering a loose ball and then the lineout throw that led to the Sloan try that rounded off the scoring.
'Some of the hotels, especially the one in Dublin, Jesus Christ, honestly like, it was something else. Like there was silverware at the tables'
Witty, charming, unabashed; @Saracens prop & Durham lad @alecclarey is a breath of fresh air, w/ @heagneyl 👨💻https://t.co/x5ePjGRcxz
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 28, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
SBW is fast becoming a laughing stock, his misplaced comments & lack of insight Is actually pretty sad.
3 Go to commentsJust well you guys are couch 🛋 potatoes selector's, picking a team of greenhorns to play England! “What are you people smoking?” The halfbacks will be Christie, Fakatava, Perenara Props; Newell, Bower, Lomax, Tunga'fasi, Hookers; Asosa Amua when fit, Taylor, Samisoni,
11 Go to commentsQuite frankly, all this is a bit pathetic. The first time Wales get the Wooden Spoon in 21 years and everyone is on the bandwagon for a ‘play-off’ game. Wales have no obligation to Georgia and no obligation to the rest of the Six Nations to play such a game. If they want Georgia in so badly then they need to include South Africa into a Northern Hemisphere competition with 2 leagues of 4 teams with the top 2 competing for the Championship. Sadly, this will end Triple Crowns and Grand Slams forever. Is this really what you want?
4 Go to commentsI think Finau to start Blackadder to come on. Poss Prokter instead of Ioane, haven't seen much from Reiko so far this year.
11 Go to commentsJoe will have had a good chat with Dave Rennie, a smart move to begin with while it’s doubtful Fast Eddie will be consulted? Plenty of Aus players hitting top form so they should go OK.
3 Go to commentsMmm. Not sure I like this article or see it as necessary.
3 Go to commentsBlackadder but no Finau! 😀 It’s Razor so you are probably right, plus Taylor at 2…
11 Go to commentsThe strongest possible AB side would actually include Aaron Smith, Bodie Retallick, Sam Whitelock, Leicester Fainga'anuku, Shannon Frizzel.. don’t get me started on the rest of the injury hit brigade that got flung on the heap so left. Many a whole not getting filled as of yet.
11 Go to commentsI don’t think anyone knows what Schmidt will do, one thing is certain it ain’t gonna be all the picks we on the keyboard will think. My impression of him is that he will be looking at who can step up and what is the best combination. He will ignore individuals as he looks for guys who can build a powerful team and not just guys who can make a flashy run or ignore the winger as they want to score themselves.
3 Go to commentsSome dumb selections there. Not Porecki Not Donaldson Not Gordon Not Lonegran - both Not Nic White - Fines instead Not Liam Wright Not Paisami Definitely not Vunivalu Other than that not bad.
3 Go to commentsI've never been convinced that Patty T is a test match all black. Otherwise I probably agree it's the best side available to beat the poms. Caveat that Codie Taylor is yet to be seen and could very likely warrant selection by June. I hope that Razor brings the young loosies, half backs and locks into the training squad and develops/ selects the best
11 Go to commentsYou doing the same thing I disliked about the example of Samisoni Taukei'aho, Nick. He’s great the way he is, you’re trying to do what modern-day coaches frustrate me doing, turning everyone into the perfect athlete. Next thing you’ll be telling me you’ll bench him until he’s hit that arbitrary marker, and can’t overtake the current guy who’s doing all his workons. He’s a young Kieran Read, through and through, plays wide and has threat, mainly (and evident in your clips) through his two hand carry and speed. Just let him work on that, or whatever he wants, and determine his own future. Play God and you risk the players going sideways, like Read did, instead of being a Toutai Kefu. I mean I was in the same camp for a while, wanting our tight five to have the size, and carry ability, as the teams they were getting beat by. Now I’m starting to believe those teams just have better skilled and practiced individuals, bigger by upwards of 5kg sometimes, sure, but more influentially they have those intrinsic skills of trust and awareness. Basically our guys just didn’t know wtf they were doing. Don’t think I’m trying to prove a point here but hasn’t Caleb Clarke been in much better form this year, or does he just ‘look’ better now that he’s not always trying to use his size?
44 Go to commentsThe pack lacks a little in height for the line out and I wouldn’t be completely convinced by some of the combinations till we see it in action.
11 Go to commentsThe side is good but lacks experience. International playing bona fides udually trumps super rugby form for good reason. And incumbents are usually stuck with. Codie Taylor should start or come off the bench. B Barrett will start at fullback. Blackadder has not earned the position, Finau has. TJs experience and competitiveness earns him a starting role, Christie or Ratima off the bench
11 Go to commentsPretty good side. Scott Barrett should be the captain. Ethan Blackadder a great choice at blindside. He is going to go from strength to strength having made a couple of starts for the Crusaders. Scott Robertson rates him highly. Perenara could start a no 9.
11 Go to commentsI question and with respect. Was enough done over the last few years to bring through new blood knowing the Whitelocks and co couldn’t last forever. There should have been more done to future proof the team. New squad new coach, he and they weren’t set up well. IMO
6 Go to commentsJacobsen will definitely be in the 23
11 Go to commentsLots of discussion points, Ben, but two glaring follies IMO: 1. Blackadder at 6. Has done nothing so far this season to justify his selection. Did you see him going backwards in contact at the weekend? Simply has not got the physical presence at 6: we need a Scott Barrett or a Finau (or wildcard Ah Kuoi), beasts who are big enough to play lock, like Frizzell. If Barret played at 6, Paddy could be joined at lock by Vai’i or one of the young giants we need to promote, like Darry or Lord (if he ever gets on the field). Blackadder best left to join the queue for 7. 2. Not even a mention for Christie? Ratima gets caught at crucial times at the back of the ruck when he hesitates on the pass. The only way he starts would be if Christie and TJ are injured.
11 Go to commentsWhat a dagg in more ways than one
6 Go to commentsRegroup come back next year but sack some of the coaching team and don't be like the ABs last minute sacking. If Crusaders don't do well ABs don't do well.
5 Go to comments