Sarries leave Ulster behind
Having put Toulouse to the sword at Allianz Park in Round One, the English champions ran out 27-9 winners over an Ulster side that hadn't lost at home since Toulon beat them in October last year.
It means Mark McCall's men have started their European campaign with a bang and now lead two of their biggest rivals, Toulouse and Ulster, by nine points with Oyonnax yet to play. Having reached the semifinals and the final in the past three seasons then maybe this is going to be their year.
Ulster had first use of the big wind and led 9-5 at the break. Paddy Jackson kicked two penalties and a drop goal, but it was the visitors who came up with the first try when Owen Farrell's delightful cut-out pass was carried on by Alex Goode and then turned into a score by Chris Wyles.
The home fans thought there was a case for a red card against Saracens South African flank Michael Rhodes when he hit Andrew Trimble in the air, but Romain Poite determined that it was only a yellow card after consulting with his TMO.
That came in the fourth minute and Billy Vunipola picked up a second card for a no arms tackle after the break. Significantly, the visitors didn't conceded any points when they were reduced to 14 men and have now stretched their unbeaten record this season to six matches.
With the wind at their backs, Saracens dominated territory in the second half, but it still took them a further 20 minutes to break down the Ulster defence and take the lead. It was an Alex Goode kick that created the position from which the first try came and it was his chip over the top of the defence that made the second.
Duncan Taylor picked up the kind bounce and then threw a brilliant inside pass to the supporting Goode who strolled over for a try which Owen Farrell converted to put the English champions ahead for the first time.
Farrell then accelerated through a gap on the blindside of a ruck on the home 22 to send Taylor in for a third try. The outside half added a penalty to extend the lead and the coup de grace came with a driving line-out try from Billy Vunipola that brought up the bonus point.
Charlie Hodgson kicked the conversion and Ulster were dead and buried.
The scorers:
For Ulster:
Pens: Jackson 2
DG: Jackson
For Saracens:
Tries: Wyles, Goode, Taylor, B Vunipola
Cons: Farrell, Hodgson
Pen: Farrell
Teams:
Ulster: 15 Louis Ludik, 14 Andrew Trimble, 13 Darren Cave, 12 Stuart McCloskey, 11 Craig Gilroy, 10 Paddy Jackson, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Nick Williams, 7 Chris Henry, 6 Iain Henderson, 5 Franco van der Merwe, 4 Dan Tuohy, 3 Wiehahn Herbst, 2 Rory Best (captain), 1 Callum Black.
Replacements: 16 Kyle McCall, 17 Rob Herring, 18 Ricky Lutton, 19 Robbie Diack, 20 Roger Wilson, 21 Paul Marshall, 22 Ian Humphreys, 23 Peter Nelson.
Saracens: 15 Alex Goode, 14 Chris Ashton, 13 Duncan Taylor, 12 Brad Barritt (captain), 11 Chris Wyles, 10 Owen Farrell, 9 Richard Wigglesworth, 8 Billy Vunipola, 7 Jacques Burger, 6 Michael Rhodes, 5 Maro Itoje, 4 George Kruis, 3 Petrus du Plessis, 2 Schalk Brits, 1 Mako Vunipola.
Replacements: 16 Jamie George, 17 Rhys Gill, 18 Juan Figallo, 19 Alistair Hargreaves, 20 Jackson Wray, 21 Neil De Kock, 22 Charlie Hodgson, 23 Marcelo Bosch.
Referee: Romain Poite (France)
Assistant referees: Cyril Lafon (France), Pierre Brousset (France)
TMO: Eric Gauzins (France)
