Saracens take giant step down road to their redemption
Earl’s hat-trick fires fallen stars to final
THE sight of Owen Farrell, bloodied and bandaged but buoyed by victory at the final whistle, perfectly summed up the grit of Mark McCall’s Saracens in this brutal Premiership semi-final.
Success over champions Harlequins not only ended their bitter rivals’ hopes of back-to-back titles, but also took Saracens to within one game of what would be their sixth top-flight crown. This is a team that does not go quietly into the night. Here, they never took a backward step.
Led by hat-trick hero Ben Earl — who showed why he was last week named the Premiership’s player of the season — Saracens had to show warrior spirit to win. They have that in spades.
Harlequins were dominant in the first quarter, and in the second half Saracens lost Elliot Daly, Billy Vunipola and Alex Lozowski all to yellow cards for high tackles. In their absence, Saracens produced a remarkable rearguard effort.
Their defence, even when down to 13, was destructive. They will now face Leicester in Saturday’s final at Twickenham.
It means McCall’s men, relegated to the Championship in 2020 for salary cap breaches, are now just one game away from returning to the big time with a bang and at the first time of asking too.
Saracens director of rugby McCall, rarely one to show his emotions, let out his feelings at the final whistle. It will take something special from the Tigers to stop his side.
‘It’s been a tough two-and-a-half years and it [the salary cap breach] was a problem of our own making. Mistakes were made,’ McCall said.
‘But 99 per cent of the people in the organisation weren’t responsible for what happened and that’s never talked about. Every one of them, staff and players, had an excuse to leave if they wanted, but none did. That loyalty probably saved the club, to be honest.
‘We saw out on the field where that loyalty comes from and the togetherness that exists. This is a special group of players and I couldn’t be prouder.’
This last-four clash had everything on the line and a febrile atmosphere reflected as much.
Harlequins prop Joe Marler’s comments had stoked the fires and his team have been one of the strongest critics of Saracens’ foul play in the last two seasons.
But, ultimately, this game was further proof that the men from StoneX Stadium do not have to break the rules to win.
Quins head coach Tabai Matson admitted the best team won. ‘We threw the kitchen sink at them and they were courageous. Give them credit for delivering on the big occasion,’ he said.
Quins went into the break 15-12 down despite being the better side. Alex Dombrandt was driven over before Marcus Smith breezed past England team-mate Farrell and conjured a wonderful try for Danny
Care for a 12-3 lead. But Earl pulled one back for Saracens and when Quins hooker Jack Walker was the first player to be yellow-carded for a head tackle, Nick Tompkins scored another.
Two quick second-half tries from Earl and Aled Davies put Saracens in control but then came their yellow fever. Daly and Vunipola were shown cards for high hits and Cadan Murley grabbed a try back for Quins.
Replacement Lozowski then made it an unwanted hat-trick with a poor tackle on Joe Marchant, but Saracens could still not be denied with Earl going over for his third.
‘We spent the last 20 minutes with either 14 or 13 men,’ said McCall. ‘To be down a man against an attack as good as Quins for that length of time showed the fight we have.’
His opposite number Matson said: ‘It was an opportunity missed. I tip my hat to a very good team.’