Imhoff’s late try ends Sarries European Cup reign
THIS is the end of the road for a Saracens side that has done it all when it comes to winning the big prizes.
But after conceding a try four minutes from time to Racing’s Juan Imhoff at the La Defense Arena in Paris, they will not feature in this year’s final – or in the European Cup again for two years.
Following their salary cap relegation they now face an uncertain future in the Championship where the RFU’s funding cuts are expected to leave their new opponents with an income of a mere £40,000 for a season which is not expected to start until January.
That will be a bitter pill to swallow, especially as Saracens, who went down fighting, could have had this semi-final wrapped up if they had made the most of two scoring chances in quick succession just before the hour involving Dom Morris and Alex Lewington.
At that stage they led 15-9, having gained the upper hand in this intense arm wrestle with Racing, and they were worth it.
However, when the Parisian club narrowed the gap to 15-12 with 13 minutes remaining after Maxime Machenaud punished a Maro Itoje infringement, there was always the possibility that with danger men like Finn Russell, Virimi Vakatawa, Teddy Thomas and Argentine winger Imhoff in the Racing backline, they could always pull a rabbit out of the hat.
The danger was compounded because by then Saracens had lost Brad Barritt, their three-time European Cup-winning captain to an HIA after a tackle on Russell. Barritt not only leads by indomitable example, but is also an outstanding defensive organiser – and as the game became looser Saracens missed his presence.
That said, even if Barrett had been on the pitch, it is unlikely he would have been able to prevent the late try which brought this chapter of the Saracens saga to a close.
It started with a beautifully-weighted chip by Russell over the advancing Saracens defensive line, and his close understanding with Vakatawa was writ large as the powerful centre raced through to gather the ball on the bounce.
As he charged deep into Saracens territory his inside offload back to Russell saw the Scottish flyhalf give Imhoff a clear run-in.
With Machenaud converting and the clock running down the pressure was all on Saracens – but there was no great escape as they conceded two late penalties and were left to wonder what might have been as the Racing celebrations began on final whistle.
They had already been given a clear warning of what Racing were capable of after a searing Vakatawa break and one-handed offload to Imhoff ten minutes from time. It would have resulted in the French side crossing the line, but for a tremendous try-saving cover tackle by the newly arrived Calum Clark.
Going into this semi-final under the roof of the La Defense Arena – which is usually described as futuristic, but is also reminiscent of a huge discotheque – Saracens held a clear psychological advantage having beaten Racing in Paris in the quarter-finals in 2015, and then followed it by beating them convincingly the 2016 final.
It was notable that Jacky Lorenzetti, Racing’s millionaire owner, did his best to even the score by doing some psychological damage of his own just before the semi-final when he claimed in an interview in the French media that Saracens’ star lock Itoje had recently scuppered his chances of securing a contract with Racing, and other leading French clubs, because he had been too greedy in contract negotiations.
It is impossible to say whether this had the desired effect, but what was evident is that Itoje had an average game by his high standards, and was not close to being as effective as he was against Leinster in last weekend’s quarter-final victory in Dublin.
In the final quarter it was Itoje’s failure to release the ball after collecting and carrying it in his own 22 which gave a turnover penalty in front of the posts to his veteran Irish opposite number Donnacha Ryan, and put Racing within three points.
However, even before that Racing had nicked two lineouts off the usually failsafe Saracens star, and neither had he managed to make his normal impact in the loose.
The first half was the tight affair that had been predicted, and the ebb and flow between the two teams was reflected in the penalty duel that unfolded between Teddy Iribaren, the Racing captain and starting scrumhalf, and Alex Goode, who continued to deputise at flyhalf for Saracens, with the same assurance he showed against Leinster.
Another Saracens player who showed great assurance, but is at the opposite end of the experience spectrum, was Morris, with the 23-year-old centre brought on after just 12 minutes when Duncan Taylor was forced to retire with an injured shoulder.
It took until the half hour for Racing to show their teeth, when an interception by Russell saw them counter-attack through the usually lethal Thomas. This time he got no change out of
Sean Maitland, who not only made the tackle, but then got to his feet to win a turnover penalty.
An exchange of penalties by Goode and Iribaren either side of that incident saw the game tied at 6-6 before Russell launched Thomas on a more successful incursion, which earned the home side a penalty on the stroke of half-time.
When Iribaren nailed the kick the stalemate was finally broken – but Saracens did not take long to level the account at 9-9 with a Goode penalty immediately after the interval.
This was the signal for Saracens to raise their game and, just as against Leinster,
they used their scrum as the lever, squeezing two successive penalties out of the tiring Racing front row, and with Goode hitting the target both times it gave them their six-point advantage going into the final quarter.
It also gave Saracens the platform to rip the game from Racing’s grasp, and when Morris, who had already caught the eye with a rattling blitz tackle on Simon Zebo, made a great break from his own half deep into the opposition 22, the Saracens support was for once too slow on the uptake to capitalise on a clear scoring chance.
Just before the hour Lewington was presented with another opportunity after a promising Racing attack orchestrated by Russell broke down.
As the ball was hacked deep into the French half Lewington was out on his own in the chase, but as he stooped to pick up the ball on the edge of the 22 he went into a forward roll, and, having lost momentum, the Racing defence was able to scramble back.
If the Saracens winger had put boot to ball rather than pick up it might have been a different story.
Instead, Saracens face having to start a new chapter in the most difficult circumstances they have faced as a professional club.