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'One or two of the players have already apologised to their team-mates'
Saracens boss Mark McCall was left to reflect on “highly costly” and “frustrating” discipline lapses after his team suffered an 18-15 Gallagher Premiership defeat against fierce rivals Exeter.
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Saracens were penalised on four separate occasions by referee Luke Pearce for dissent, with England international Billy Vunipola guilty on two quickfire occasions that saw Saracens marched back 20 metres following a penalty award.
“We were let down today by inaccuracy and ill-discipline,” Saracens rugby director McCall said. “We were marched back three times, which is not good enough.
“It’s not just frustrating, it’s highly costly.
“It cost us points and it cost us decisions later because you are on the wrong side of the referee and things you deserve you don’t get.
“Maro (Itoje) was over the ball a couple of times on the halfway line and we got nothing, which is probably because of how we had behaved earlier.
“I can’t (put my finger on it). One or two of the players, which I won’t name, have already apologised to their team-mates afterwards because they recognise that it’s not what we need.”
While the eagerly-awaited contest fell below expectations in terms of its overall quality, Exeter took charge at key moments to inflict only a second Premiership defeat this season on Saracens.
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Luke Pearce taking control at Sandy Park. #EXEvSARhttps://t.co/cz7EwVfx3c
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) December 4, 2021
Wing Tom O’Flaherty and hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie scored tries for Exeter as they remained firmly in play-off contention, with fly-half Joe Simmonds kicking two penalties and a conversion.
Centre Alex Lozowski supplied all of Saracens’ points through five penalties, but a losing bonus point was all his team collected.
McCall added: “Physically, we were great. Our collision work in defence was outstanding.
“Our defensive set towards the end of the game was special, but we want to be more than a physical team, and we didn’t use the ball well enough, especially in the first half.”
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The game had been billed in some quarters as a grudge match, with Saracens making a first trip to Devon since returning to English rugby’s top flight after being relegated last year and fined more than £5million for persistent salary cap breaches.
Exeter lost the 2018 and 2019 Premiership finals to Saracens at Twickenham, and they did not hold back in subsequent criticism of their fierce rivals as the full salary-cap saga unfolded.
It raised the ante for a sold-out showdown, but it was more workmanlike than spectacular throughout the 80 minutes as Exeter prevailed.
Asked about Saracens’ indiscipline, Exeter rugby director Rob Baxter said: “I wasn’t listening to the referee’s comments, but any opposition frustration during the game normally comes from feeling under pressure.
“They don’t need to complain if things are going their way. That’s what you’ve got to do – create a pressure game of rugby.
“If you do, you give yourself a chance to come out on the right side of things.”
Reflecting on the victory, Baxter added: “It felt like a proper Premiership game of rugby.
“Both teams went hammer and tongs and were probably a little bit afraid to lose it, but were both desperate to win.
“I am just proud of the guys and that little bit of fight they had in everything they did. That ultimately made the difference.
“It was a step up in everything from us. We made plenty of errors, as did Saracens, but we had the determination to bounce back from disappointment and keep working hard.
“I know a lot of people want to drive the Exeter versus Saracens thing, but for me it was important to play well against one of the teams who are going to be in or around the Premiership top-four all the season.
“We’ve got to show we can knock those guys over.”
Comments on RugbyPass
The rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
76 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
9 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
9 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
9 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
9 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
9 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
41 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
2 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
3 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to comments