Gallagher unfazed by the arrival of Daly
Matt Gallagher did not have the air of a worried man after helping Saracens to the top of the Premiership, despite the potential logjam of full-backs at the club next season which could block his progress.
Gallagher was man of the match here as Saracens claimed the bonus-point win that took them above Exeter, despite the absence of their internationals. The champions have Alex Goode and Wales international Liam Williams on their books, and England’s current No15, Elliot Daly, will join from Wasps next season.
That is hardly the sort of stuff to have a 22-year-old making his way in the game feeling secure in his job, but Gallagher dismissed it, saying he is relishing the opportunity of working with Daly.
“It is just another person to learn from,” he said. “Alex Goode said it previously because Liam got signed, there is still that rotation policy and that trust that we have all got. If you are playing well you get your opportunity.
“It is always class having worldclass players around. They are experienced guys and they know what they are talking about, so any clip, or anything during the week in training or in any match I have played, I can go through it with one of those guys and they can say what I have done well or what I could do to improve and that reflects in my performances.”
Gallagher, a Junior World Cup winner in 2016 with England was watched by his father, John, who won the Webb Ellis Cup with the All Blacks in 1987. Gallagher Snr is a regular at games, but he may be seeing a changed Saracens back line next season, with Marcelo Bosch and David Strettle among those tipped to leave the club.
However, director of rugby Mark Mccall laughed when it was suggested that Goode, who played at No 10 on Saturday, might be another one making way. “Are you crazy? Alex is 31 years old so of course not,” he said. “But there are players here who have given unbelievable service to the club who won’t be here next year.”
Saracens’ England contingent, including Maro Itoje, who was doing rehab on a knee at the club on Saturday, were in the crowd to watch their colleagues continue their impressive season. They did not have it all their own way as Leicester led 10-5 at half-time, despite having little possession, before Saracens got their finishing boots on in the final quarter.
Tries from Tom Woolstencroft, Ben Spencer and Strettle, to add to Richard Wigglesworth’s first-half effort, secured the extra point, condemned Leicester to their eighth league defeat of the season and left them in ninth place.
Leicester head coach Geordan Murphy said: “When we were one score down if we could have nicked something there it might have been a grandstand finish, but it went the other way. We looked dead on our feet – poor coverage in the backfield letting the ball bounce, giving away cheap penalties and, as a result, Saracens kill you.”