Saracens beaten for the second time in three weeks by Ealing
2019 Gallagher Premiership and Heineken Cup champions Saracens have been beaten for the second time in recent weeks by Ealing in the Trailfinders Cup, this time going down 39-26 at home at the Stonex Stadium.
The north-west London club, automatically relegated from the Premiership for repeated salary cap breaches, were beaten 27-26 at Vallis Way when the sides first met on January 16.
That was a match in which Billy Vunipola started for Saracens in front of England coach Eddie Jones. Three weeks, later, with England busy on Guinness Six Nations duty against Scotland, Ealing enjoyed a more generous margin of victory.
Dom Morris scored a pair of tries in the opening 16 minutes to give Saracens a promising start but Ealing eventually settled and they fought back to lead 15-12 at the break following tries from Rayn Smith and Will Davis.
Saracens regained the lead soon after the restart, Rotimi Segun scoring, but Ealing then retook the initiative with tries on 51 and 64 minutes from Dean Hammond and Pat Howard. A Shaun Malton try on 76 minutes then confirmed the win before Saracens struck for a consolation score through Kapeli Pifeleti.
How we all feel right now ? pic.twitter.com/HzQK66Zx7r
— Ealing Trailfinders (@ealingtfrugby) February 6, 2021
It was Saracens’ third loss in the tournament as they also had to concede their away match with Doncaster through not being able to field a team, and they will now look to pick up the pieces when they host the Knights in London next weekend. The three-team tournament is serving as a pre-season warm-up for the Championship season which is due to start next month.
Saracens are favourites to win promotion to the 2021/22 Premiership but the build-up to the second-tier league has been affected by concerns that not all twelve Championship clubs will participate in a tournament supposed to be made up of two conferences of six teams each.
'Ever since then the club backed me and I backed the club. Loyalty swings both ways.'
2 try @ealingtfrugby hero Alun Walker was thrust into the rugby limelight after his performance against Sarries & rumours soon followed for the Scot.
w/ @heagneyl ???https://t.co/BWY25cD417
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) January 24, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
2 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
2 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
2 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
37 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
2 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
1 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
5 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
33 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
4 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
5 Go to comments