TIGERS HIT BY EL FIRE
Daly leads Sarries’ seven-try rout
Saracens 51 Leicester 18
BY ADAM HATHAWAY
ELLIOT DALY put in a World Cup audition to leave Leicester boss Steve Borthwick admitting Saracens are still top dogs.
Sarries full-back Daly scored one of seven tries and converted the last from the touchline when Owen Farrell was off as the Londoners rubbed Tigers noses in it.
And their day got worse when star summer signing Handre Pollard, the World Cup-winning Springbok, limped off 22 minutes into his debut after coming on as a half-time replacement.
Daly, Farrell, Max Malins and Alex Lozowski took Leicester to the cleaners with their attacking game and, up fron , Theo McFarland made a mess of their line out. It all added up to a chastening day for the champions who were made to look second-raters by the team they beat in June’s final.
Borthwick said: “They are the standard bearers and they have been for quite some period of time. They have got superstars throughout their squad and superstars who aren’t in their team or not been able to make the 23. They are a very difficult opposition to play against.
“They are a team packed full of power and pace.
There is a lot less power in the English game, it is very expensive and tends to go elsewhere, Sarries have got power and pace.”
Daly (inset) was electric from the back as the hosts’ new attacking game finally clicked.
The 29-year-old missed England summer’s tour of Australia and was passed over by Eddie Jones for the training squad which meets up today in London. But much more of this and
Jones will have to change his mind.
Sarries boss
Mark McCall said:
“Elliot had a great game, he was outstanding on the ball. He was involved in all that we did well from an attacking point of view. The whole backline were like that. Tompkins, Lozowski, Malins, Lewington, they all combined really well with Elliot all through the
game. He’s a good player! He’s lost his international place for the first time in a long time. He’s always been part of the squad.
“Not going on tour and not being selected in the 45-man squad it’s not easy for someone like him who has always been there. You saw his response and reaction today, and he hasn’t given up hope of going to the World Cup.
“His ability to play 15, 13 and 11 probably gives him a very good chance of going if he continues to play like that.”
Freddie Burns gave Tigers a 6-0 lead but when Lozowski latched on to Daly’s run and Ivan van Zyl’s pass, it broke the dam. Flanker Ben Earl and Malins went over before Van Zyl grabbed the bonus point score before half-time.
Leicester had their chances but fluffed six line outs in the Saracens 22 in the first hour. Freddie Steward, shifted to the wing at the break, barged over early in the second half but Sarries had too much power and Daly’s twisting finish gave them a fifth. The outstanding McFarland and Scotland’s Sean Maitland finished off the thrashing. SARACENS: Tries: Lozowski, Earl, Malins, van Zyl, Daly, McFarland, Maitland Pens: Farrell (2) Con: Farrell (4) Daly LEICESTER: Tries: Cronin, Steward Pens: Burns (2) Con: Burns