Chiefs Scalping Party Goes Empty Handed

For some of the 8,000 or so supporters, including a welcome visitation from some of the always enthusiastic, always knowledgeable Chiefs, the weather seemed ominously similar to the conditions at Allianz Park a fortnight ago, when Sarries faced London Irish.

The wind was a little less forceful, the skies marginally less grey, but there was enough to give a feeling that another large, physical raiding party, this time from Exeter, would fancy taking a few scalps home with them.

The first two and a half minutes produced one of the longest periods of uninterrupted play that I’ve seen in the professional game. A prolonged outbreak of aerial ping-pong delivered nothing to either side as the opposing kickers tested the wind and their opposite numbers’ safe hands. It was something of a relief to rest our constantly swivelling necks to take in the first infringement, a scrum to Chiefs. The substantial Chiefs’ second and back row pushed through strongly, and James Johnson was penalised for bringing down the set piece.

We now had what for this observer was the defining passage of the game, because of its longer-term effects on the Chiefs’ game. Chiefs used a series of attacking waves, calling on their second row, back row and centres in particular to exert territorial and physical pressure on the Sarries line. Sarries defence was uncharacteristically poor, with several first tackles missed or brushed aside by the rampart Chiefs. Smart hands by Chiefs 10, Gareth Steenson, close to the line, Ben Ransom drawn in to cover a man already marked, and Ian Whitten, almost always a danger with ball in hand, was given the easiest of finishes out wide. Steenson had the most difficult of kicks with the wind diagonally across the pitch and tending to draw the ball away from the posts, but an excellent result gave him the two points, and Chiefs had opened their account.

Two marked changes followed this score: Chiefs had poured intense effort into their first ten minutes, and we began to see signs that the speed was beginning to drain out of their attacks, whilst Sarries seemed to begin to wake up to the unpalatable possibility of a second successive home defeat against physical but otherwise limited opposition. I cannot say that Sarries actually raised their playing quality by much. They were knocking on, still missing tackles and just not playing to their standards. Schalk Brits, in particular was having one of his worst games, missing tackles that he would have nailed any day of the week, seeming to go for the starry options in attack when plain grunt was needed, and all too often caught out in the guard positions in defence.

Sarries were gradually back into the picture, and signs were clearer that the Chiefs heavy attackers had left too much on the field in the first ten minutes. Sarries tightened up in defence and began to work both wind and touchline effectively. In my last report I noted that Charlie Hodgson had not been effective in any aspect of play against the Irish; in this game he was back to his best. His kicking from hand was an example of how to play the wind, whether behind him, as in the first half, or in his face in the second. Some deft distribution had Chiefs defenders grasping at the air, but too frequently had Sarries players unready to receive, causing a few missed opportunities. He did miss one penalty that for him, wind or no, was a relative sitter, but in the battle of the distribution game he was the clear master. One delightfully weighted penalty into the corner led to a cleanly taken lineout. Some slick handling followed, moving the point of attack right across the field. A couple of quick recycles saw James Johnson with a pick-up five metres out with only three close-in defenders to beat, and the weight of MoBo at his shoulder to help in the drive. The result was the second most predictable moment of the afternoon, a try close to the posts and the added points by Hodgson. Neither side had much to offer for the next eight minutes and we went in for the break at seven points apiece.

Throughout the half, every scrum had seemed more of a lottery than usual. Chiefs loosehead Ben Moon is listed as tipping the scales at 110 kg, a perfectly respectable size even in these times, but he was 28 kg lighter than his opposing man, Johnson, and it showed in the set piece. I wonder whether natural sympathy for the down-trodden man was responsible for Wayne Barnes not noticing the risible sight of Moon inhaling the AzP playing surface at scrum after scrum without the sanctions with which many referees would have ended Moon’s afternoon earlier. If the game had been played in mud Mr Barnes might have noticed that Moon’s face seemed to be wearing a lot of it.

At half time I had hoped to discover one of the JJ’s Pies limited edition. No luck there; on today’s form he needed all that energy himself.

The second half produced Chiefs’ second score, a simple Steenson penalty after Mr Barnes decided that Sarries had taken the decision to collapse a scrum in kickable range and with no obvious reason to want to do so. From where I was seated, it looked more like a Chiefs prop turning in and down, but what do I know?

We then enjoyed a brief moment of uncertainty. Chiefs had the wind advantage and perhaps some chance to consolidate their recovered lead. However, a minute or two later, Hodgson eschewed what looked like a fairly safe three points and kicked a peach onto the five metre line for a line-out. The ball was well taken, the drive switched and a powerful drive to the line began. For some supporters the sight of a 12-man driving maul is about as much fun as the view of the flying winger touching down after a fifty-metre break. Hodgson was first to join the forwards, with Brad Barritt and Joel Tomkins close behind. Brits was actually the scorer, and every man of the dozen involved can claim some part of that try. For the first time it began to feel probable that Sarries had the winning of this one.

Nobody ever wants to see a player miss his positioning in the tackle and be clearly out cold before he lands on the ground. MoBo had been playing another excellent game, in attack and defence, when the opportunity arose to put in a huge hit on Chiefs 8, Dave Ewers. Fractional mistiming was enough to cause the damage. Mr Barnes was now seen at his best. He recognised the danger instantly, stopped play and it looked as though he was administering emergency first aid, perhaps releasing a swallowed tongue. A very prolonged pause followed, with the usual medical support very fast on the scene. It was a relief to learn over the PA system a little later that MoBo was conscious and smiling. We understand that precautionary tests are under way in hospital tonight.

Replacements began to trickle on for both teams, Steve Borthwick for MoBo, Neil de Kock for Richard Wigglesworth, Jamie George for Brits, Petrus du Plessis for Johnson, Jacques Burger for Ernst Joubert, Tim Streather for Joel Tomkins, Marcelo Bosch for Barritt. These replacements produced mixed achievements. Borthwick played well, du Plessis put in a good but short shift, and George was unlikely to follow Brits’ less than exceptional game plan. However, de Kock has been strangely off-form recently, and today his judgement let him down a couple of times. One lapse caused him to field a huge kick from a mark by Steenson, when leaving it would have seen the ball clear over the dead ball line. Another Steenson kick should have been fielded, but leaving it gave Chiefs a chance to attack the Sarries line-out inside Sarries’ 22. Jacques Burger came and left some impressive tackles in his usual style, stopping some promising Chiefs moves before they could develop. He was disappointed to have been adjudged worthy of yellow for a high tackle, when his timing meant that his target was probably slightly crouching downward to absorb the landing shock

As the game went on, and Chiefs visibly lost momentum, their shapes began to falter, and a couple of simple penalties gave Hodgson two more converted penalties. The game had clearly gone from Chief’s grasp, and indeed even a losing bonus point was clearly slipping away as well.

In this game of two halves, the score lines record the picture: 7-7 during the first half, 16-3 in the second.

I have not mentioned two players who contributed to the day’s success. Chris Wyles, on the wing again today, really is Mr Dependable. He’s secure in defence, sensible in attack and always aware of the need to get into the comfort blanket of support before going down with the ball. Ben Ransom was not perfect, a couple of momentary lapses will have caught the coaches’ attention, but he was asked to handle a great deal of aerial artillery, and came thorough well, making good ground out of defence rather than simply hoofing the ball back. Our returning England contingent, Barritt and Chris Ashton will not be unhappy with their work. Barritt’s defensive solidity was much in evidence in his channel, filled with heavyweight carriers and whilst Ashton is often criticised in defence, today he was valued and held his wing well against some pretty heavy traffic in the form of the Chiefs’ substantial presence out wide, including Fetu’u Vainikolo, a considerable runner and ball-player. MotM was given as James Johnson, and although he deserved the accolade, nobody would have cavilled if the nomination had gone to Chris Wyles

And finally, Mr Barnes. Thinking about the game, I suggest that today he was not best-served by his assistants. If the referee is one side of the scrum, he should be able to rely on a good call from the touchline if necessary, and he certainly should be able to rely on calls for some of the petulant pushing and jostling taking place behind his back. Officials need to work as teams, but there was little evidence of that esprit de corps today.

Tonight the table feels a little different. Saints seem to be driving hard for top spot at the end of 22 games. Sarries are perhaps doing enough to keep second, but Bath, and the ever-ominous Tigers, will pounce on any lapse by those above them. The Rec beckons for next weekend, and our last game of the 22 is at Welford Road. A home semi-final is still in our hands, but less securely than a month ago.

Saracens: Ben Ransom; Chris Ashton, Joel Tomkins, Brad Barritt, Chris Wyles; Charlie Hodgson, Richard Wigglesworth; Richard Barrington, Schalk Brits, James Johnston; George Kruis, Mouritz Botha; Jackson Wray, Kelly Brown, Ernst Joubert.

Replacements: Tim Streather for Joel Tomkins (72), Marcelo Bosch for Brad Barritt (78), Neil de Kock for Richard Wigglesworth (50), Jamie George for Schalk Brits (72), Steve Borthwick for Mouritz Botha (50), Jacques Burger for Kelly Brown (50).

Not Used: Nic Auterac, Matt Stevens.

Sin Bin: Burger (71).

Exeter: Dollman; Vainikolo, Whitten, Slade, Jess; Steenson, Lewis; Moon, Yeandle, Tui; Mumm, Welch; Johnson, B. White, Ewers.

Replacements: Thomas for Lewis (64), Rimmer for Moon (64), L. Cowan-Dickie for Yeandle (21), Brown for Tui (43), Horstmann for Johnson (72), Armand for B. White (63).

Not Used: Sweeney, Shoemark.

Att: 8,114

Ref: Wayne Barnes (RFU)