Saracens return to Euro stage with win

MATCH REPORT: Saracens marked their return to the Champions Cup with a bonus-point win as they defeated Edinburgh 30-26 in a thrilling encounter in London on Sunday.

First-half tries from Elliot Daly and Ben Earl along with second-half crosses from Alex Lewington and Tom Woolstencroft were enough to give Saracens a winning start, although they also needed the boot of Owen Farrell who recovered from some early misses to score two crucial penalties.

Edinburgh fought well and was more than equal to Saracens for most of the match, but crucial mistakes ultimately saw try-scorers Luan de Bruin and Wes Goosen end up on the losing side.

It was Edinburgh who drew first blood in the sixth minute when prop De Bruin forced his way over the Saracens line after a quick break from a line-out, Emiliano Boffelli kicking the extras in what would be the first of several impressive kicks from the Argentinean fullback.

But five minutes later, Saracens were back level.

Edinburgh had been on the front foot when Boffelli brilliantly took a long cross-field kick, but Saracens managed to turn the ball over and kick for touch after a penalty from a collapsed scrum, something that became a feature of the game for Edinburgh.

A cross field-kick of Saracens’ own, courtesy of Farrell, was collected by fullback Daly to dive over.

Saracens were on top, but they demonstrated a lack of discipline and when a high tackle from lock Maro Itoje was punished, Boffelli stepped up with a long-range penalty to put his side ahead. Another Saracens mistake then allowed him to put six points between the teams.

Yet seconds later, Saracens were back in the game, kicking dangerously from a penalty to put pressure on the Edinburgh defence. The resulting line-out was simple and clinical, the ball eventually planted down in the hands of flank Earl.

But Farrell missed the chance to put Saracens in the lead with the extras, and there was time left for another Boffelli penalty to ensure Edinburgh led 16-12 at the break.

After the break, however, Saracens turned up the notches. Wing Lewington crossed in the 45th minute when Daly cleverly kicked through to the on-running wing, and Farrell found his kicking boots to score two quick-fire penalties to give the hosts a 23-19 lead with an hour played, despite another Boffelli penalty.

A poorly executed Edinburgh line-out metres from their own line then allowed prop Mawi to dot down for Saracens, with replacement hooker Woolstencroft going over for the home side’s bonus-point try shortly after.

In the same phase, Edinburgh hooker McInally received a yellow card, but despite being a man down, the visitors managed to get over again, wing Goosen to set up a thrilling finale.

But after Edinburgh prop Willem Nel was sent to the sin bin for a dangerous tackle on Saracens lock Callum Hunter-Hill, Saracens closed out the game against 13 men to secure their win.

Next up for Saracens is a trip to Lyon on December 17, with Edinburgh hosting Castres Olympique on the same day.

The scorers

For Saracens
Tries: Daly, Earl, Lewington, Woolstencroft
Cons: Farrell 2
Pens: Farrell 2

For Edinburgh
Tries: De Bruin, Goosen
Cons: Boffelli 2
Pens: Boffelli 4

Yellow cards: Stuart McInally (Edinburgh, 68 – repeated infringements), Willem Nel (Edinburgh, 76 – foul play, dangerous tackle)

Teams:

Saracens: 15 Elliot Daly, 14 Alex Lewington, 13 Alex Lozowski, 12 Nick Tompkins, 11 Sean Maitland, 10 Owen Farrell (captain), 9 Ivan van Zyl, 8 Billy Vunipola, 7 Ben Earl, 6 Theo McFarland, 5 Hugh Tizard, 4 Maro Itoje, 3 Marco Riccioni, 2 Jamie George, 1 Mako Vunipola.
Replacements: 16 Tom Woolstencroft, 17 Eroni Mawi, 18 Alec Clarey, 19 Callum Hunter-Hill, 20 Andy Christie, 21 Jackson Wray, 22 Aled Davies, 23 Alex Goode.

Edinburgh: 15 Emiliano Boffelli, 14 Wes Goosen, 13 Mark Bennett, 12 James Lang, 11 Duhan van der Merwe, 10 Blair Kinghorn, 9 Ben Vellacott, 8 Viliame Mata, 7 Luke Crosbie, 6 Jamie Ritchie, 5 Grant Gilchrist, 4 Jamie Hodgson, 3 Luan de Bruin, 2 Stuart McInally, 1 Pierre Schoeman.
Replacements: 16 Patrick Harrison, 17 Boan Venter, 18 Willem Nel, 19 Marshall Sykes, 20 Ben Muncaster, 21 Charlie Shiel, 22 Charlie Savala, 23 Damien Hoyland.

Referee: Nika Amashukeli (Georgia)
Assistant referees: Vincent Blasco Baque (France), David (France)
TMO: Eric Gauzins (France)

Source: @ChampionsCup