Saracens player ratings vs Stade Francais | Investec Champions Cup

Saracens player ratings: Saracens claimed a hard-fought 28-17 Champions Cup victory over Stade Français in Paris, although they were helped by some brain-rot ill-discipline from the home side.

Here’s how they rated:

1. Rhys Carre – 6
A mixed bag from the 132kg loosehead. Conceded a yellow card for leading with the elbow with a carry, but made his presence felt in the scrum before his departure.

2. Jamie George – 8
Rumbled over from a maul with all the subtlety of a bulldozer at a flower show. Led the pack with his trademark physicality and rugby IQ.

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3. Marco Riccioni – 6.5
Solidish at the scrum. A quietly effective performance from the Italian tighthead.

4. Maro Itoje – 7
A thorn in Stade’s side at the breakdown and reliable in the lineout. Was certainly a nuisance although, with three penalties to his name, he may have pushed the envelope a little too much.

5. Nick Isiekwe – 7
Put in a tireless shift, working hard in the tight exchanges and carrying with intent. Combined well with Itoje to dominate the lineout.

6. Theo McFarland – 8
Leapt like a salmon and carried like a runaway train. Stade must have felt like they were tackling a moving house every time he got the ball.

7. Ben Earl – 5.5
Sloppy. Tackled like a starving wolf but five turnovers conceded overshadowed his efforts. Unlucky to have a try ruled out but this was a little unrefined from the England ace.

8. Tom Willis – 8.5
A beast of a performance from Willis. The big No.8 made a crucial early tap tackle to stop a Stade break and carried relentlessly, racking up an impressive 57 metres. Played like a man who had mistaken Stade Jean Bouin for his personal playground.

9. Ivan van Zyl – 6.5
Provided quick service and took a heavy hit that led to Macalou’s red card. Kept the tempo high, ensuring Sarries took full advantage of their extra man.

10. Fergus Burke – 8
The architect of Saracens’ victory. Kicked brilliantly from the tee and controlled the game with poise. The Kiwi’s calmness under pressure was impressive.

11. Rotimi Segun – 7.5
Superb in the air and constantly harassed Stade’s backfield. Won key moments, including drawing the yellow card that led to Saracens’ second-half dominance.

12. Nick Tompkins – 7
A livewire in midfield, constantly testing Stade’s defence with his competent carries and dynamic running lines. Inches away from scoring a try after stretching for the line.

13. Lucio Cinti – 6.5
Didn’t have too many opportunities with ball in hand but was solid defensively, keeping Stade’s midfield threats under wraps.

14. Liam Williams – 8.5
Marked his return to Saracens with a brilliant try, finishing Daly’s superb pass with a touch of class. Threatened constantly on the wing and was unlucky to have an earlier effort ruled out.

15. Elliot Daly – 7.5
Recovered well from an early charged-down kick to play a key role in Saracens’ attacking moments. His pinpoint left-handed pass set up Williams’ try, and he was dependable in the backfield.

REPLACEMENTS:

16. Theo Dan – 8
Made a significant impact off the bench, scoring the final try to seal the game.

17. Phil Brantingham – 6.5
Held his own in the scrum and worked hard in the loose.

18. Alec Clarey – 6.5
Made his presence felt with a few key tackles and solid scrummaging late on.

19. Harry Wilson – NA

20. Juan Martin Gonzalez – 7
Brought energy to the breakdown and helped Saracens maintain a physical edge.

21. Gareth Simpson – 6.5
Provided reliable service off the bench to close out the game.

22. Tiff Eden – NA.

23. Olly Hartley – 5
Didn’t have much time to make an impact but held his own in defence.