Peerless Pearson helps his ‘special’ Exiles top their pool
TOM Pearson is “loving” his time wearing the green jersey after becoming an instant hit with Irish fans since his summer switch from Cardiff Metropolitan.
The young graduate showed against Sarries just why the Irish coaches believe they have a back row diamond on their hands as he defied an arm injury to help the side make it two wins from two in the Premiership Cup.
Flanker Pearson, 22, joined the Irish senior academy during the summer having shown enough promise and potential for them to throw him straight into Premiership battle in the fine win at Exeter Chiefs last month.
He produced a skilful and determined ball-carrying and tackling performance at Brentford Community Stadium as Irish overcame a second half Sarries fightback to top Pool 3.
And Pearson, who deserved his man of the match award, admitted: “I’m loving the time I’m getting on the field here. I’m a young player trying to go hard each week and show I deserve to wear the green jersey. We have some fantastic players so it’s easy to learn and improve my game. The spirit and togetherness at this club makes it a special place.”
Irish forwards coach Jonathan Fisher said: “Tom came to us from the University path way. He is a young lad with ambition and I was so pleased he got the rewards here having worked so hard on his game since he joined us.”
Pearson shrugged off hurting his arm in early contact to show as much mental resilience as he did physical prowess as Irish’s most experienced side overcame a young Sarries outfit.
He added: “We managed to stop their phases early and that killed their momentum. We wanted to stay on their throats and stay on top of them in the second half but, as usual, made hard work for ourselves. It was a little worrying when they began to claw away at our lead but we backed ourselves to get the job done.”
Both sides entered the contest on the back of victories but Sarries paid a heavy price at being slow out the blocks and trailed 21-0 at the break with Irish running in three fine tries.
Pearson made the decisive break through the middle for the opening try, ably supposed by captain Matt Williams who was dragged down short of the line. But the alert Ollie Hassell-Collins pounced to ground the ball.
Rory Jennings converted, and was doing the same shortly after Sarries were reduced to 14 men with fullback Elliott Obatoyinbo sent to the sin bin for deliberately knocking on Ben White’s pass and denying the hosts a possible second try. But that score came moments later with centre Terrence Hepetema forcing his way through a couple of attempted Sarries tacklers.
Jennings was successful with his kick, and sent over a third conversion after powerful flanker Steve Mafi shrugged off a trio of Sarries defenders to rampage over the line. Sarries desperately needed to fly out the second half blocks, and did so with young wing Rotimi Segun clutching a long pass out wide to cross in the corner.
Irish responded in style when wing Cillian Redmond, a late replacement for James Stokes, burst over for the fourth try and the hosts must have felt the job was done.
Instead, the impressive Ben Harris dashed over in each corner for a brace of well-taken tries to give Irish some worrying moments. Manu Vunipola’s penalty drew the visitors to within six points but, after hitting a post with one kick, Jennings put the game to rest with a penalty at the death.
Saracens coach Kelly Brownsaid: “We were not quite on it in the first half. We had a young, inexperienced team against a more experienced one but the lads really fronted up in the second half.”