Sarries too good for Cardiff
REPORT: Wing Sean Maitland scored a try brace as Saracens beat Cardiff Rugby 40-33 on Sunday to set up a Challenge Cup quarterfinal at Gloucester.
Saracens flyhalf Owen Farrell exchanged penalties with Cardiff counterpart Rhys Priestland over much of the first half, with the hosts leading 9-6 heading into the final five minutes.
The game then sprung into life as Dominic Morris dotted down for Saracens, before Tomos Williams hit back for Cardiff in the final play of the half, leaving the Premiership outfit with a three-point advantage at the break.
Priestland was off target with a penalty five minutes into the second half, but Cardiff took the lead when Owen Lane dived over following a smart break from Williams.
Maitland then crossed for his quick-fire double, but another Priestland penalty kept the visitors within two points with 20 minutes to play.
Saracens took control, though, as Aled Davies and then Max Malins bagged tries, but a Rhys Carre score on 75 minutes handed Cardiff a lifeline as they reduced the deficit to just seven points.
But Saracens held on and booked a trip to Kingsholm in the last eight in three weeks’ time.
The scorers
For Saracens
Tries: Morris, Maitland 2, Davies, Malins
Cons: Farrell 3
Pens: Farrell 3
For Cardiff
Tries: T Williams, Lane, Carre
Cons: Priestland 2, J Evans
Pens: Priestland 2, J Evans
The teams:
Saracens: 15 Alex Goode, 14 Sean Maitland, 13 Dominic Morris, 12 Duncan Taylor, 11 Max Malins, 10 Owen Farrell (captain), 9 Aled Davies, 8 Jackson Wray, 7 Ben Earl, 6 Andrew Christie, 5 Tim Swinson, 4 Maro Itoje, 3 Alec Clarey, 2 Kapeli Pifeleti, 1 Richard Barrington.
Replacements: 16 Ethan Lewis, 17 Eroni Mawi, 18 Sam Wainwright, 19 Theo McFarland, 20 Billy Vunipola, 21 Ivan van Zyl, 22 Manu Vunipola, 23 Roti Segun.
Cardiff: 15 Hallam Amos, 14 Owen Lane, 13 Garyn Smith, 12 Max Llewellyn, 11 Aled Summerhill, 10 Rhys Priestland, 9 Tomos Williams, 8 James Botham, 7 Josh Navidi (captain), 6 Shane Lewis-Hughes, 5 Rory Thornton, 4 Seb Davies, 3 Dillon Lewis, 2 Liam Belcher, 1 Corey Domachowski.
Replacements: 16 Kristian Dacey, 17 Rhys Carre, 18 Will Davies-King, 19 Teddy Williams, 20 Will Boyde, 21 Lloyd Williams, 22 Jarrod Evans, 23 Matthew Morgan.
Referee: Pierre Brousset (France)
Assistant referees: Luc Ramos (France), Flavien Hourquet (France)
TMO: Eric Gauzins (France)
Source: ChallengeCup_
