Saracens v RM92: Sarries racing out of HC
13: stays fit & wins MOTM
By Jonah (Gryff)
December 13 2010
It’s 3.30 on a Saturday afternoon so it must be time for a Saracens match with the vagaries of TV scheduling shuffling the fixture around for the 4th successive match. The Xmas rush in Watford did not seem to materialise with parking etc easy. It had been a strange week for Saracens who had been out of the media spotlight with no new grounds, DoR resignations, ERC/RFU fines or so we thought but more about that later.
Today’s visitors were Racing Metro 92 a team with many similarities to Saracens. They are 3rd in Top 14 just as Saracens are 3rd in AP, planning matches at the 80,000 national stadium, they have a billionaire backer in Jacky Lorenzetti who had been using his money since 2006 to build a team with the intention of moving to a new 30,000 stadium in La Defense on the cards many similarities to own our Nigel Wray and latterly Johan Rupert. Where Nigel’s money has, so far, failed to produce a trophy winning consistent team for Sarries the current signs are that Lorenzetti will succeed. Maybe the reason for this is until now no salary cap and even now a cap of 8m. Racing have a budget this year of 16.1m. The result of this is that they can afford a squad including such “Galacticos” as Hernandez, Bolo, Steyn, Wisniewski and Chabal.
The Sarries team to face these was dictated by injuries and the 38 strong squad, which has to be named at the begining of the HC. Rotation in front row with Gill and Du Plessis, Faz Jnr at fly half, Strettle at outside centre, James Short on the wing and the likes of Jamie George, George Kruis, Nils Mordt and Luke Baldwin covering the wing!
So to the match. Sarries started strongly from the kick off with the ball moving back and forth with some ground being made but Racing defence holding out. Racing were reduced to kicking back what little possession they had during this period. From one such kick Schalk Brits fielded the ball near our 22 and fed Chris Wyles who made a piercing run through the Racing defence feeding Brad Barritt and Andy Saull who fed Noah Cato. It looked at first that Steyn would stop Noah who many thought should have passed out to the wing but Noah escaped Steyn beat the last man to score. Owen uncharacteristically was unable to add the conversion.
A few minutes later a Sarries attack was illegally stopped with the tackler not rolling away and Owen was able to convert the penalty – Sarries 8 – 0. However, the size, experience and physicality of Racing was beginning to come to the fore and it was not long before man of the match Jonathan Wisniewski converted a penalty which was shortly followed by a monster kick from inside his own half by Steyn when a Sarries scrum had resulted in a Racing penalty following back chat. On several occasions throughout the match Sarries built pressure only to relieve it via lost throw ins, penalties, over kicks etc perhaps this was the difference in the experience in the two sides.
On 25 minutes a kick through by Bobo put the Sarries defence under pressure in the corner but Brad Barritt got there first. He had the option of sliding into touch but with the Racing attack bearing down on him decided he could flip the ball back to Chris Wyles to clear however the execution wasn’t there and he merely flipped the ball up into Hernandez hands who dropped to score. The conversion was good making the score 8 – 13 and despite a strong period of play by Racing and an attempted drop goal by Wisniewski that was the score at half time.
The fist part of the second half saw Racing attacking with width but Sarries defence staying strong and making a few good runs from the back row. Owen had first chance to score but pulled his kick wide before after 10 minutes there were widespread changes to Sarries line up with Nieto, Carstens, George, Kruis and Wigglesworth coming on. For me Mouritz Botha had stood up to the Racing physicality and as for a few times in recent weeks his substitution seemed formulaic. Immediately following the changes a Sarries scrum just inside the Racing half turned into a Racing penalty which Steyn converted - a mere 54m! Nieto was fuming at the penalty but as so often happens the substitutions took a while to settle down when Gill and Du Plessis had been holding their own and points were shipped.
However, Sarries were able to respond almost immediately and Owen pulled 3 back following an offside against Chabal who lived up to his cartoon villain billing all afternoon and did not shut up all match! A further penalty brought Sarries within 2 points but almost immediately a Faz clearance kick was charged down and in the broken field Wisniewski’s experience shone through as he slotted a drop goal to open the gap back up.
A few minutes later Bobo scored a marvellous try. He started the movement in his own 22 the ball passing several through several hands as it made it’s way up field several hands before coming back to Bobo on the Sarries 10m line. Jacques Burger seemed to have him covered but he accelerated away rounded Chris Wyles to score in the corner. The conversion was missed making the score 14 – 24.
Sarries now with 10 minutes left entered their best period of the game since the first 10 minutes. A lovely run from Strettle cutting through the Racing line came to nothing when he failed to spot or hear the supporting players inside with only the full back to beat. Sarries old boy Dan Scarborough snuffed out the danger. Sarries continued to press and eventually with 3 minutes left when Wyles released Brad Barritt to score in the corner. I was very pleased to see this as his mistake for the Hernandez try was probably preying on him but he hadn’t stopped tackling or breaking the gain line all afternoon. Andy Farrell rushed on to help Owen take a quick conversion, which was successful.
The score was 21 - 24 with just over a minute left. From the kick off Sarries attacked again but the ball was spilled and Racing played the clock down before that man Chabal hoofed the ball into touch.
Sarries had not given up but there was a sense of men against boys in terms of physicality and experience. In the three HC matches against Leinster, Clermont and Racing we could have won each match but didn’t. The experience gained in these matches and the three to come should prove invaluable in years to come. The match was probably a rude awakening for Owen Farrell but I would put money on it making him stronger.
The crowd was 6,064 about 29 more than last week against Quins. Racing brought a good, noisy and friendly band of supporters.
So to the match reports. Talk of Bobo’s “magic” try, Sarries fight back? No, of course not, it was Brendan’s non-interview. This has been discussed to death elsewhere on the forum but for me I’m in the taking the Michael corner!
Scores: 5-0 Cato (try); 8-0 Farrell (pen); 8-3 Wisniewski (pen); 8-6 Steyn (pen); 8-11 Hernandez (try); 8-13 Wisniewski (con); 8-16 Steyn (pen); 11-16 Farrell (pen); 14-16 (Farrell pen); 14-19 Wisniewski (drop goal); 14-24 Bobo (try); 19-24 Barritt (try); 21-24 Farrell (con).
Saracens: C Wyles, N Cato, D Strettle, B Barritt, J Short, O Farrell, N de Kock (R Wigglesworth 52), R Gill (D Carstens 52), S Brits (J George 52), P du Plessis (C Nieto 52), S Borthwick, M Botha (G Kruis 52), J Burger, A Saull, E Joubert
Racing Metro: J Hernandez (D Scarborough 65), S Bobo, H Chavancy, F Steyn, M Bergamasco, J Wisniewski, M Loree, A Lo Cicero, C Festuccia (B Noirot 65), J Orlandi, S Dellape, J Nailiko, J Leo’o (R Vaquin 53), J Cronjé (B Le Roux 68), S Chabal
Ref: Alain Rolland (Ire)
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2010:12:19:12:02:44 by TonyTaff.
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Seriously, thanks for an excellent report.
Maybe this was the softwares own personal take on being asked the question; "How dissapointed are you?"
(The Eds software has changed - and this gets me every time. My Fault - not Gryff.)
Quote:Convex Hull
Wow, that first paragraph is a little odd! what were you smoking Gryff?
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Seriously, thanks for an excellent report.
You should have thought about it very deeply, Convex, you would have got it. Three cheers for Gryff's report.