Saracens cruise to comfortable Champions Cup win at subdued Allianz Park
Saracens overwhelmed the Ospreys 44-3 but their first home match since the salary cap scandal broke was played amid a subdued atmosphere at Allianz Park.
It was a return to winning ways for the Champions Cup holders after they launched their defence with a frustrating defeat at Racing 92 and their performance was a vast improvement on the opener six days earlier.
Elliot Daly’ Saracens debut was full of creative devilry and the England full-back, playing his first match since the World Cup final on November 2, set-up two tries for lightning-fast wing Rotimi Segun.
Mako Vunipola and George Kruis also returned to action after helping Eddie Jones’ squad reach the Japan showpiece and the tight five trio made substantial contributions to a superb bonus-point victory.
Singleton went over for Saracens’ first try and was eventually replaced by Jamie George, while captain Brad Barritt made a successful comeback after six weeks out because of concussion.
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The Ospreys were missing their Wales stars and Mark McCall’s men ruthlessly dismantled weakened opposition who fought manfully but lacked the firepower to cause any real damage.
Saracens have now won two of their three matches since being docked 35 points in the Gallager Premiership and fined £5.36million for breaching salary cap regulations and this victory keeps them in the hunt for a European quarter-final.
Daly’s first meaningful act in a Saracens jersey was to land a long-range penalty that sailed well beyond the target and although Ospreys had made a solid start, they fell further behind when Manu Vunipola was also successful from the kicking tee. And another of Jones’ World Cup squad was among the points when Singleton was driven over from an attacking line-out.
'Saracens have become a toxic brand and only time can get them back to where they want to be'
– @chrisjonespress hears one sponsorship expert voice grave concern for the Saracens brand in the marketplace https://t.co/fUYy7BBLSV— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 19, 2019
James Hook landed a penalty for Ospreys to eat into the deficit but their response was short-lived as a scrum move continued by an instinctive volley from half-back Tom Whiteley found Daly who drew the last defender to send Segun screaming over.
A dummy and charge from Mako Vunipola sent the Ospreys backwards and when play swept to the opposite wing Segun was present to supply Alex Lewington with the scoring pass.
‘Honesty, fight, work ethic, togetherness, a good place to work… those values and characteristics are coming to the fore again’
– Allen Clarke tells @heagneyl about his determination to turn @ospreys back into a success story https://t.co/3P0IUvGxl7— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 15, 2019
The outstanding Daly combined with Segun once against for the try that secured the bonus point as he slipped the ball out of the tackle for the jet-heeled wing to score in the right corner.
The Ospreys continued to wilt before Saracens’ power and when they were shoved backwards at a five-metre scrum they were breached for a fifth time with referee Mathieu Raynal awarding a penalty try.
And when waves of black shirts renewed the attack, it was replacement prop Richard Barrington who barrelled over to complete the rout.
– Press Association
WATCH: The Rugby Pod reacts to Saracens not appealing the 35-point deduction and fine for breaching Premiership Rugby salary cap regulations
Comments on RugbyPass
Wonderful insightful interview with Crusader Johnny McNicoll. He was exceptional in the wins over the Chiefs and Rebels and I am sure he will get a contract again for 2025. He was an excitement machine for Canterbury and the Crusaders in 2011-16 and he still is. He has added to the attack particularly. Had a fine career with Wales in the intervening years.
1 Go to commentsAmazing what decent coaching can do! I always felt Folau never improved much as a player and never had a great coach using his talents. Suli seems different at qld this year.
6 Go to commentsI’m sick to death of waiting 3 years for league players to become half decent. It cripples Australian rugby in the meantime. The Reds actually looked half competent without Vunivalu not starting last week. He’s just a liability of errors. Paisami is looking better than he has in previous years but I’d have Kerevi back in a flash. A kiwi wont tho …...
6 Go to commentsExcellent analysis Nick as we have come to expect. I was not really aware that NFL strategies have been adopted by rugby teams, especially in defence. One point I would make is that the Northhampton attacking player on the end of the chain in the video examples has not maintained the correct depth to be effective. In the footage shown the outside player is too flat to make the best of the opportunity his inside players have provided. In each case they have to reduce speed and turn their body backwards to secure the ball, losing all momentum and giving the impressive scrambling defence the chance to shut down the threat.
1 Go to commentsMorning, John. Do you think that it may be a good idea to rest both teams from the Madrid comp leading in to the Olympics
2 Go to comments« I am preparing myself for much more, something much bigger. I’m focussing on the next cycle, » You don’t say…
1 Go to commentsGeez plenty of time to come right before test season starts. Dont panic mr Mannering!!!!!
1 Go to commentsGreat read Nick. The Reds really have been great to watch this year, and the improvement of not only the players you mention, but the squad in general has been obvious. The Reds 10/12 play making axis is a nice counterpoint to the 10/15 partnership at the Brumbies and Rebels. If Schmidt was to pick say, Lolesio, Paisami and Wright / Kellaway, would this be too many play makers? I notice in a lot of those clips Tim Ryan playing across the field in support of Vunivalu. Is this a feature of Kiss’s structure?
6 Go to commentsSo sad, god rest him. Too young to be gone. RIP
2 Go to commentsRIP big man 🙏
2 Go to commentsThe GB coach. “Just because we don’t get together as much as other teams we don’t use that as an excuse for performances when we don’t hit the mark”. Why mention it at all then?
1 Go to commentsNo mention of the yellow card for Harlequins which really cost them.
3 Go to commentsThought you’d left us Nick. Good to have you back writing for us. So hunter ikitau works? I reckon wright kellaway as two of the back 3. Tim Ryan and Toole looking good for strike winger but I still want the power of korobeiti and figure our forwards still need him to help them out. Million dollar question is who plays 10? I’m thinking Noah for his kicking and combo with wright. Reckon the pair adds up to an attack and kellaway will help. Can you comment on Zac Lucas in Japan? How is he going?
6 Go to commentsMack Hansen, Ethan Roots, Taine Plumbtree, Louis Lynagh, Emmanuel Meafou? Which country do you want to pick your Barbarians from?
3 Go to commentsInstead of apologising, try to act like an adult, fcknut.
3 Go to commentsLooks like the Force twisted his leg…ahem arm
7 Go to commentsScotland should change their name to the Barbarians
3 Go to commentsThe game was already over leave the bloke alone ….from a Welsh fan 😀👍
3 Go to commentsShamefully the Toulouse players acted like footballers, falling down feigning injury at the slightest knock. About time refs penalised this play acting.
8 Go to commentsAnother non Scot for the anti Scot Townsend. Soon there will be no Scottish born and bred players in the National team.
3 Go to comments