Saracens sink sorry Saints again
What better tonic for Saracens to recover their European hangover than a trip to Northampton, their favourite whipping boys?
For the fourth time this season, the Saints were routed by Saracens conceding a record nine tries, at Franklin’s Gardens, all to different try scorers, bringing the cumulative scoreline between the clubs this season to a barely credible 237-64. In the second half, Northampton simply disintegrated, shipping 48 points without reply.
This once proud institution is now a shell of a club, broken in spirit and bereft of direction until Chris Boyd arrives from the Hurricanes as their new director of rugby. “The second half was almost like ‘give them the ball’ and I don’t quite understand why,” Alan Dickens, the interim head coach, said. “There is an element of embarrassment throughout the whole squad and the coaches.”
Saracens, after their beating at the hands of Leinster, were utterly ruthless and moved to within three points of leaders Exeter.
Perhaps the most interesting development from director of rugby Mark McCall’s perspective was the man-ofthe-match performance of
Alex Lozowski at outside centre. It was his try that gave Saracens an early lead, finishing an excellent team move featuring Owen Farrell, Liam Williams and Sean Maitland. Saracens went in narrow 15-13 leaders at half-time, but that gave way to a training run after the break. “It’s pleasing to win that second half 48-0 and to play the rugby we did was great,” McCall said. Scoring 0-5 Lozowski try; 0-7 Farrell con; 3-7 Myler pen; 3-10 Farrell pen; 8-10 Marshall try; 10-10 Myler con; 13-10 Myler pen; 13-15 Brits try; 13-20 Spencer try; 13-25 Vunipola try; 13-27 Farrell con; 13-30 Farrell pen; 13-35 Williams try; 13-37 Farrell con; 13-42 Wyles try; 13-44 Farrell con; 13-49 Maitland try; 13-51 Farrell con; 13-56 Wray try; 13-58 Farrell con; 13-63 Earle try. Northampton A Tuala (B Foden 72); N Tuitavake, R Horne, P Francis, G North (T Collins 59); S Myler, C Reinach (A Mitchell 55); C Ma’afu (F van Wyk 67), R Marshall (C Clare 67), K Brookes (E Painter 59), A Raituniyarawa (M Paterson, 59), C Day, D Ribbans (B Nutley, 19), J Gibson, T Harrison. Saracens L Williams; S Maitland, A Lozowski, B Barritt (D Taylor, 48), C Wyles (N Earle, 65); O Farrell, B Spencer (R Wigglesworth 53); M Vunipola (R Barrington), S Brits (J George 53), J Figallo (K Longbottom 63), M Itoje, G Kruis, N Isiekwe, B Cowan (S Burger, 63), J Wray (B Cowan, 74). Referee Craig Maxwell-Keys (Sutton Coldfield).