Owen throws big spanner in the works
FARRELL RED ROCKS SARRIES
JUST when Saracens thought their season could not get any worse Owen Farrell popped up to put the tin lid on it.
Salary- cap scandal, a 105- point deduction, relegation to the Championship and now Farrell is sent off with two weeks to go until their biggest game of the season.
Farrell’s dismissal on the hour in Saturday’s defeat by Wasps, with his side level at 15- 15, has just increased the odds against them pulling off a smash- andgrab raid in the European Champions Cup in Dublin.
Saracens play Leinster in the quarter- final on September 19 but Farrell can surely book the weekend off as he will be hauled up in front of a disciplinary hearing tomorrow.
The England captain was shown a red card for a high and reckless tackle on Wasps replacement Charlie Atkinson, 18, and his actions could have sent his club’s season into a tailspin. Farrell knew immediately he was in hot water but stayed on the touchline after his dismissal to apologise to Atkinson once he had got back on his feet after treatment.
Farrell’s crime overshadowed a 23- point performance from Wasps fly- half Jimmy Gopperth, a New Zealander who has been around the block and sympathised with his opposite number.
Gopperth said: “It wasn’t great. We know that. And to be fair to Owen Farrell he was very sorry straight away.
But you don’t like to see that happen to the young kid. Charlie said to me at the end, ‘ That wasn’t in the script’.
“He will bounce back. He’s a great young kid and has shown a lot of promise. He will be fighting and ready to go when he’s called on next.”
This was supposed to be the last time Saracens’ big guns played together before the Dublin date. Superstars Maro Itoje, Billy Vunipola, Jamie George and Elliot Daly – and Farrell – were not due to be in action against Sale on Wednesday or Exeter next Sunday.
That was the theory, but it may have changed after this slapdash showing. They were ahead with a training- ground try by Daly – against his old club
– after three minutes, then lost their way. Wasps harried them but, despite cutting through the Wolf Pack defence, could not get over the line.
Gopperth’s boot, which landed seven penalties and a conversion, kept Wasps in the hunt and, when Farrell was sent off, they killed the game through a try by flanker Tom Willis. The win keeps Wasps in the hunt for a play- off spot and is another boost to the CV of head coach Lee Blackett, who has only one loss on his resume since taking over in February. He did this with a virtual shadow team.
Gopperth, after his 100th game for the club, added: “The boys were absolutely buzzing.
“We talked about this thing being a smash and grab. We were down here at 12.30, we’re going to smash it, grab the points and b**** r off back up to Coventry.
“We’ve done what we set out to do and the boys are buzzing. To come down to their home patch, with a team of British & Irish Lions and England players, and put up a gritty performance like that – it was fun.”
SARACENS – Tries: Daly, Maitland. Con: Farrell. Pens: Farrell, Goode. WASPS – Try: Willis. Con: Gopperth. Pens: Gopperth ( 7).