SARRIES BIG MAC IS LOVIN’ IT AGAIN
Mccall delight at eight-try haul
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55 36 SARACENS boss Mark Mccall warned there is more where that came from as Saracens returned to winning ways and got their European campaign on track.
Sarries were humbled by Northampton in the league two weeks ago and went down 27-16 in their Champions Cup opener against the Bulls last week.
But they ran in eight scores here – with Jamie George and centre Olly Hartley both getting two – to put their stamp on Pool One.
They rallied from 17-8 down after half an hour to put the Irish to the sword, with Hartley and Argentine flanker Juan Martin Gonzalez outstanding.
The Londoners did concede a couple of soft tries, but they kept the visitors at bay, with Mccall warning there is more in the tank ahead of Friday’s Premiership trip to leaders Sale.
Mccall (right) said: “Today was a good step in the right direction but there is a lot more in us.
“We had plenty of territory and possession, they defended well and there is a wearing-down process that has to happen against any good team – and Connacht are a good team.
“Two of their tries came cheaply and we are going to have to get better in that area. Our defence outside of that was really good – it is a strange thing to say when you concede that number of points, and we gave them a try at the end, but we were having a go.
“We were 17-8 down and, given the two weeks previously, the reaction was excellent.
“We had a really good, strong finish to the first half, a really good,
strong start to the second, and took control of the game from then on.”
That strong start to the second half came courtesy of Hartley’s first score when he latched onto a neat chip through from Alex Goode to grab the bonus point.
And the 21-year-old showed he is one for the future by standing his ground in his head-to-head battle with British & Irish Lions centre Bundee Aki in his first outing in the Champions Cup.
Mccall added: “He defended really strongly and attacked really well. To jump into your first European Cup game and you are against Bundee Aki, you see if someone is ready or not – but he showed us all he is ready.”
Saracens lost Maro Itoje to the sinbin in the second half after he was involved in a head-on-head collision with Connacht No.8 Paul Boyle and leaked a couple of tries, but were never in danger. Sean Maitland scored from a long Owen Farrell pass and wing Lucio Cinti, a Puma and former London Irish player like Gonzalez, made the most of a Nick Tompkins pass. The Wales centre kicked through for Hartley’s second and hooker Theo Dan, on for George, shoved over from a driving maul. Connacht scored in added time when their stand-out player, flanker Cian Prendergast, ran through the Saracens defence. But, by then, the three-time champions had taken their foot off the gas with the game safe. SARACENS: Tries: Gonzalez, George (2), Hartley (2), Maitland, Cinti, Dan Pens: Farrell (3) Cons: Farrell (3) CONNACHT: Tries: Aki, Blade, Hanrahan, Joyce, Prendergast Pens: Carty Cons: Carty (2), Hanrahan (2)