CHECK MAIT
Maitland drives Sarries to smash Toulon home fortress
Moneybags Toulon could have nicked it after they closed the gap to five points but Owen Farrell – playing his first game since June after injury – held his nerve to nail a conclusive three-pointer.
Barritt said: “Over the last couple of seasons this team has prided itself on doing things that have not been done before and it was a huge motivating factor for us going into this game. Everybody clicked.”
Boss Mark McCall said: “There is probably a reason why they have never been beaten at home in European games before.
“For us it was a performance that had everything. In the first half we played some beautiful rugby and showed resilience in the second half when we went down to 14 men twice.”
If the All Blacks had played some of the rugby Saracens did in the first 40 minutes the world and his wife would be raving. The Vunipola brothersb – Mako anda Billy – and J Jamie George l looked as good as a anything the K Kiwis can p produce as they d delivered an allsinging, all - dancing game.
The Sarries sprinted to a 2 25-6 lead at the b break and Toulon hardly had a look in.
Scotland wing Sean Maitland produced a poacher’s finish for the first try after brilliant work from George, and Richard Wigglesworth got the second when he was put away by the hooker.
Farrell’s boot kept the scoreboard ticking and when Chris Wyles got on the end of a sweeping move it finished one of the finest ever halves of rugby by an English team.
But when Itoje was binned for needlessly killing the ball Toulon sniffed a comeback and the lock’s absence cost Saracens 14 points as the hosts went over twice.
The crowd were going bonkers at 28-23 and it looked game over when Burger became the second Sarrie to see yellow.
But Farrell’s penalty two minutes from time got the champions home, denied Toulon a bonus point – sparking a walkout by the home crowd and a night of celebrations by the seaside for the Saracens fans.