Owen’s tackle is one too Farr
JONES LEFT SWEATING OVER CROCKED ACE AND COWAN-DICKIE
Exeter 20
By ADAM HATHAWAY
OWEN FARRELL was part of a double injury scare for England and faces a race against time to be ready for the first autumn Test after a sickening head knock.
Farrell’s replacement, Alex Goode, came off the bench to win the game with a penalty at the finish, but it was more gloom for England boss Eddie Jones.
Exeter hooker Luke CowanDickie (right) was taken off at half-time with a knee injury.
The pair had been due to join up with England in Jersey tomorrow.
England playmaker Farrell got a nasty knee in the head trying to tackle Joe Simmonds and went straight off after an hour. He was seen on the pitch after the match, but was being assessed last night with doubts
Saracens 22
over whether he will make it to Jersey or the opener against Argentina on November 6.
Saracens boss Mark McCall said: “Owen is with the doctors now, but obviously he went off for a head injury assessment and normal procedure is a
12-day stand down, but hopefully it will allow him enough time to play in the first Test.”
Farrell was sin-binned after six minutes for a trip on Jack Nowell and got booed off by the crowd before his head blow.
Cowan-Dickie was injured in a maul just before the break and did not come out for the second half. That means England, after injuries to Jonny May and Henry Arundell on Friday, could lose 15 players who went to Australia in the summer. Exeter head coach Ali Hepher said: “He couldn’t continue, he was injured. He has got a knee injury, the medical teams will look after both.”
Goode equalled Kris Chesney’s Saracens appearance record of 338 when he came on for Farrell and 20 minutes later knocked over a penalty from 40 metres with the clock dead.
Saracens had led 16-10 when Goode arrived and looked to have taken the sting out of the game after surviving Farrell’s yellow card and one for Mako Vunipola.
But a converted try for Chiefs back-rower Jacques Vermeulen, with nine minutes left, saw the hosts two behind and Henry Slade’s penalty, with four minutes left, looked to have nicked it.
But Saracens got back up the other end of the field and won a scrum penalty about 40m and to the left of the posts. Elliot Daly, who had already kicked two penalties, wanted the shot, but Goode took over – and nailed it.
McCall added: “I think it might have been his first kick of the season and Elliot was keen. It tells you a lot about Alex Goode that he was prepared to take the responsibility on his shoulders.” EXETER CHIEFS: Tries:
Vermuelen, Penalty
Con: Slade Pens: Slade 2 SARACENS: Tries: McFarland
Con: Farrell Pens: Daly 2, Farrell 2, Goode