MUNSTER RATINGS

MIKE HALEY 5 Tough afternoon for the former Sale Sharks full-back. Hauled off in the 51st minute.

ANDREW CONWAY 6 One superb aerial take when Munster were on the rack, but struggled to make an impact.

CHRIS FARRELL 7 Munster’s most effective ball carrier and made some intelligent reads in defence.

RORY SCANNELL 6 Typically committed, he made 12 tackles but failed to trouble Saracens with ball in hand.

DARREN SWEETNAM 6 Great finish for Munster’s only try, but the visitors sorely missed Keith Earls’ invention.

TYLER BLEYENDAAL 5 Looked to play with width and variation when afforded the chance, but influence waned.

CONOR MURRAY 6 Operating behind a beaten pack. Box kicks still not up to his high standards. Set up Sweetnam’s try.

DAVE KILCOYNE 7 With 10 carries and a massive 17 tackles. One of the few forwards capable of troubling the hosts.

NIALL SCANNELL 5 Joe Schmidt wants him to be more prominent in the loose, but failed to make an impact here.

JOHN RYAN 4 Top scrummager but needs to offer more around the park. Lost at sea for Michael Rhodes’ try.

JEAN KLEYN 4 Needed at his ultra-aggressive best, but was strangely subdued, possibly injury-related.

TADHG BEIRNE 5 Couldn’t make his trademark impact at the breakdown with some unforced errors.

PETER O’MAHONY 5 Put his body on the line with 17 tackles, but outshone by Rhodes on the opposition blindside.

JACK O’DONOGHUE 7 Led the early charge with some aggressive interventions. Made way for Arno Botha late on.

CJ STANDER 5 Looks one dimensional against top-class opposition. Billy Vunipola stole the show again.

REPLACEMENTS R Marshall 5 (for N Scannell 67), J Loughman 5 (for Kilcoyne 61), S Archer 6 (for Ryan 51) , B Holland 6 (for Kleyn 61) , A Botha 5 (for O’Donoghue 67), A Mathewson 5 (for Murray 74) , JJ Hanrahan 6 (for Bleyendaal 54), D Goggin 6 (for Haley 51)

SARACENS A Goode 8; D Strettle 8 (A Lewington 74, 6), A Lozowski 7, B Barritt 7 (capt) (N Tompkins 40, 6), L Williams 7; O Farrell 9, B Spencer 8 (R Wigglesworth 74, 6); M Vunipola 8 (R Barrington 63, 7), J George 8 (J Gray 74, 7), T Lamositele 7 (V Koch 59, 7 ); M Itoje 8, G Kruis 8; M Rhodes 8 (S Burger 74), J Wray 8 (W Skelton 59, 8), B Vunipola 9

REF: Jerome Garces (France) 4.