Saracens suffer first defeat against 12-men

London: London Irish survived a spell with just 12 men to hand Saracens their first Premiership defeat 29-19 of the campaign in an absorbing contest on Friday night. Ollie Hassell-Collins and Chandler Cunningham-South crossed for Irish and Paddy Jackson kicked 19 points, with both sides seeing red for high tackles.

Jackson landed five penalties to punish an indisciplined Sarries and converted both scores as Irish held out. Scrappy Sarries crossed through Kapeli Pifeleti and Sean Maitland.

Exiles captain Adam Coleman went in the opening 40 when his shoulder connected with hooker Tom Woolstencroft’s head, while Saracens back-rower Ben Earl’s failure to wrap and contact with the head saw him also depart in a first half lasting about an hour.

Woolstencroft was forced off after the heavy blow but after the match director of rugby McCall said he was “up and about”.

Despite being beaten, Sarries stay 10 points clear at the top as second-placed Sale were beaten at Newcastle.

Having been narrowly edged out in defeats by Leicester, Exeter, Harlequins and Gloucester by less than five points, Declan Kidney will have been delighted to see Irish come out on the right side of the scoreboard.

This was just their third win of the season, and was the product of huge heart and resolve to knock off the league leaders and deny them a losing-bonus point of their own.

Not only did they have the red card of Coleman, but sin-bins for Rory Jennings and Rob Simmons within minutes of each other during the second half saw them go down to 12 - and they also overcame the loss of Will Joseph to injury, which left them a back short for much of the game.

They dominated the set-piece, harrying the visitors’ line-out and forcing a slew of free-kicks at the scrum, with fly-half Jackson buzzing on the back of their supremacy with incisive carries.