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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.
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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.
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'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
Completely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
3 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
54 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
3 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
10 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
54 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
10 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
54 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
3 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
54 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
54 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
54 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
54 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
54 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
54 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to comments