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The Mark McCall verdict on 'magnificent' captain Owen Farrell
Friday evening we were witness to a tight and nervy top of the table affair between Bath and Saracens at the Recreation Ground, in which only a last minute penalty from former England captain Owen Farrell separated the two sides.
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The 12 – 15 victory to the travelling Saracens side pushed them ahead of Bath in the table as the season hits crunch time. It was far from a thrilling affair, but as Bath coach Johan van Graan would later say, “It was as close to an international test match as you’ll find in the English Premiership.”
More from van Graan shortly, but first up, Saracen’s lead man, Mark McCall had a few words to say about say about the encounter. Discussing Saracens need to “rediscover that spirit”, the Saracens head coach said:
“It’s always been there, but we lost it for two or three weeks. I’m hoping [this win] could be a springboard for us because our rugby can improve and we now have that team energy, and I think it was awesome to be a part of.
“Even though it was a difficult game and a real battle, it just felt good right there and when it’s like that I think our players rise to the occasion.”
In the back of many Saracens supporter’s minds will be the exit of their fearless captain Owen Farrell at the end of the season with the flyhalf exiting the English capital for the French one, as he looks to settle into Parisian life with Racing 92. The dialogue inside camp appears to be rather different, with McCall claiming that he and his captain “Haven’t really discussed it”, with the prime focus being only on his side’s current campaign.
As Farrell edges closer towards his final few games for the club he’s been a part of for a majority of his life, the 32-year-old appears to be intent on going out with a bang.
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“I’m just so pleased that he led the team the way he did today, he was unreal and magnificent”, McCall continued.
“He competed for everything in the game and that meant his teammates just followed suit. He’s got a magnificent influence over the group when he’s in that kind of mood, especially in these sorts of games when everything’s on the line – he led incredibly well today.”
Match Summary 
0
Penalty Goals
1
2
Tries
2
1
Conversions
1
0
Drop Goals
0
140
Carries
109
2
Line Breaks
8
18
Turnovers Lost
15
4
Turnovers Won
2
Bath’s hopes to make the playoffs took a slight dent thanks to Farrell’s men, but Van Graan remained positive in his conclusion of the match, saying:
“We actually came out of this game stronger. We’re disappointed that we lost the game, but congratulations to Saracens, that’s why they are the Champions.
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“It was a titanic battle and I shook Mark’s hand afterwards and said ‘across the 80 you guys were better than us’ so no issues with that.
“For us, we came within one moment of beating them in a in a titanic game we’ll take our one point and we’re just going to keep running our own race as we’ve been doing all season.”
Saracens, who now sit in second place in the table, head into the final two rounds with important battles against playoff rivals Bristol and Sale – two must win matches otherwise they could be relying on other fixtures.
Bath, on the other hand find themselves travelling to winless Premiership strugglers Newcastle Falcons, before their vital final match at home to Northampton Saints on what Is expected to be a sellout occasion.
Comments on RugbyPass
When Sth Africa had Joost and Honiball at 9 and 10 they were almost impenetrable in and around the ruck. Even Jonah couldn't make headway in those channels so they were very hard to get in behind. They had a fantastic side who played a fast, rugged style which won them the Tri Nations during that period. That side would beat their current mob of which I have no doubt.
2 Go to commentsAwesome win by the NZ U20s. They were excellent in the 2nd half with some very patient and accurate phase play, a dominant scrum and decent lineout. Simpson controlled things very well at 10 and it was amazing to see the team maintain their composure and score points when he was in the sin bin for a very harsh yellow card.
2 Go to commentscome on Toulouse
1 Go to commentsNot unless the cartels get interested in rugby like they did w football
1 Go to commentsYes Dobbo, you were absolute crap. Start respecting the ball and possession. If you played rugby instead of basketball against the Ospreys, you would have been n the top two now, not fifth! If you attractively and entertainingly throw the ball around for 80 minutes and lose, WE DON’T FKN ENJOY IT!
1 Go to commentsWe need a system of transfer fees. A club shouldn’t just get to sign Will Harrison when he’s been funded in NSW his entire rugby life because they have more money.
84 Go to commentsThat the pain experienced by SH clubs poached mercilessly by NH friends being now felt by the non-elite NH clubs delivers me an element of schadenfreude but if it expands the amount of poachees and opens the eyes of those new to the group then it serves a purpose. In my pessimistic (realistic?) moments I see Oz clubs in the future acting solely as feeders for France and Japan. It’s a real possibility without change
84 Go to commentswhy is this garbage rival sport that’s poaching rugby talents being promoted on a rugby website backed by world rugby again?
4 Go to comments“Ou Lem” leading that ‘98 team to a 13-3 victory was the stuff of legend! Especially since we hadn’t beaten them for many years. 10/12/13 combo of Honiball, Pieter Muller & Andre Snyman were tough as nails! I remember screaming my head off in the early hours of the morning & my brother hitting a hole through one of the bedroom doors🤭😂
2 Go to commentsWhatever about 2017 - it's seven years ago and irrelevant now. In 2021 New Zealand needed a numerical advantage for 75% of the game and what was then the largest home advantage crowd in the history of the sport in order to just _barely_ beat England.
3 Go to commentsBoth cards were harsh. Yet again highlighting rugby's inconsistencies and the absurd effect of cards
2 Go to commentsExcellent game management in the last 15 or so minutes to close it out. Aussie got a bit panicky.
2 Go to commentsWhile all this is going on… I’ve been thinking more about the NFL draft system and how to make the commercial elements of the game more sustainable for SA teams who precariously live on the fringe of these developments. SA teams play in Europe now, and are welcome, because there’s a novelty to it. SA certainly doesn’t bring the bucks (like a Japan would to SR) but they bring eyes to it. But if they don’t perform (because they don’t have the money like the big clubs) - it’s easy come easy go… I think there is an element of strategic drafting going on in SA. Where the best players (assets) are sort of distributed amongst the major teams. It’s why we’re seeing Moodie at the Bulls for example and not at his homegrown Western Province. 20-30 years ago, it was all about playing for your province of birth. That has clearly changed in the modern era. Maybe Moodie couldn’t stay in the cape because at the time the Stormers were broke? Or had too many good players to fit him in? Kistchoff’s sabbatical to Ireland and back had financial benefits. Now they can afford him again (I would guess). What I am getting at is - I think SA Rugby needs to have a very strong strategy around how teams equitably share good youth players out of the youth structures. That is SA’s strong point - a good supply of good players out of our schools and varsities. It doesn’t need to be the spectacle we see out of the states, but a system where SA teams and SA rugby decide on where to draft youth, how to fund this and how to make it that it were possible for a team like the Cheetahs (for example) to end up with a team of young stars and win! This is the investment and thinking that needs to be happening at grassroots to sustain the monster meanwhile being created at the top.
84 Go to commentsGreat win - but very poor officiating yet again. Even the Aussie commentators slammed the YC decisions.
2 Go to commentsThe game where it felt like RSA was going to lose the most was the England game in my view. Heart in throat after the Farrell drop-goal…Amazing that the boks overcame 3 times in a row…not likely to be repeated ever in my view Also the boys looked emotionally spent in the England game in the 1st half That said, why was World Rugby and Beaumont allowed to stack the pools in England’s favour? Toughest opponents on that side of the draw were Fiji, Argentina (implode central) and Auckland Girls 2nd team
58 Go to commentsOnline trolls - the only ppl who the Crusaders can beat
2 Go to commentsDefinitely some greater nous by the Walleroos and it will take a bit of time for Jo Yapp to have a lasting affect. Canada are a forward dominated physical team and only the top 3 teams can match them, though not so sure about BF’s forwards. Many of Canada’s forwards earn their living in the English PWR, the breeding ground for the Red Roses amazing strength in depth. The next PAC4 matches will be interesting.
1 Go to commentsIs the Club World Cup and the World League, in combination, going to make or break world Rugby? I personally think it’s too much. Established tournaments and competitions’s significance is going to be drowned out by “the new shiney Mall built just down the street”.
84 Go to commentsLoved Carr‘s post match interview. “No, I don’t think so Jean. But thank you.” Good kid. Louw a certain feature for the Boks this year.
1 Go to comments“Where is the challenge to Leinster, Toulouse and La Rochelle likely to come from in future?” Racing 92 ? This has not been a good season for them this year, but they have a very strong squad……players like Woki, Nyakane, Kolisi, Le Roux, Lauret(these two older now), Le Garrec, Fickou, Tuisova, Arundell. With the addition next year of Owen Farrell, that is some firepower to mount a serious challenge ? And with Stuart Lancaster having a year under his belt, things should go better. Northampton will be a year wiser, more streetwise too. And I would expect one or two of the South African sides to mount a more serious challenge, but that would depend on keeping more players at home
84 Go to comments