Sarries make statement with Worcester rout
PREMIERSHIP REPORT: Saracens bounced back from their defeat at Exeter last week to claim a precious bonus-point victory in their pursuit of survival after routing Worcester 62-5 .
Rooted to the foot of the table after being docked 35 points for breaching salary cap regulations, the champions ran in 10 tries against outclassed opponents at Allianz Park.
* Did you miss any of the action? To recap all the drama, CLICK HERE!
Rotimi Segun crossed in each half while Ben Earl, Brad Barritt, Mako Vunipola, Richard Barrington, Maro Itoje, Duncan Taylor, Jackson Wray and Elliot Daly also touched down.
Vunipola’s try on the half-hour mark secured the bonus point but he suffered a shoulder injury when illegally cleared out at a ruck and was substituted at half-time.
The resounding victory restored Saracens to winning ways after they lost to arch-rivals Exeter last Sunday and has come in the week that owner Nigel Wray stepped down as chairman following the salary cap scandal.
“We talked about playing with some real intensity and high work-rate and I think that’s what happened really, so an enjoyable performance,” Saracens Director of Rugby Mark McCall said.
“It’s really important as we go through these months ahead that we enjoy our rugby and I thought there was a real joy in the players, especially in the first half.”
The match, which spanned 126 minutes, was overshadowed by a suspected neck injury to Worcester’s replacement lock Michael Fatialofa.
Play was halted for 15 minutes as Fatialofa, who had only just replaced Graham Kitchener, received medical attention before he was carried from the pitch on a stretcher with his neck in a brace.
He was taken to a hospital in central London.
Victory leaves McCall’s reigning champions on -7 points, still 18 points from safety following second-bottom Leicester’s 31-18 win over Bristol earlier on Saturday.
Everyone at Saracens would like to wish @WorcsWarriors’ Michael Fatialofa a speedy recovery.
We hope to see him back on the field soon 🙏 pic.twitter.com/RuFGPx3d3U
— Saracens Rugby Club (@Saracens) January 4, 2020
The scorers
For Saracens:
Tries: Earl, Segun 2, Barritt, Vunipola, Barrington, Itoje, Taylor, Wray, Daly
Cons: Farrell
For Worcester Warriors:
Try: Fidow
Yellow card: Anton Bresler (Worcester Warriors, 40)
Teams:
Saracens: 15 Elliot Daly, 14 Sean Maitland, 13 Alex Lozowski, 12 Brad Barritt (captain), 11 Alex Lewington, 10 Owen Farrell, 9 Richard Wigglesworth, 8 Billy Vunipola, 7 Ben Earl, 6 Nick Isiekwe, 5 Will Skelton, 4 Maro Itoje, 3 Titi Lamositele, 2 Jamie George, 1 Mako Vunipola.
Replacements: 16 Jack Singleton, 17 Richard Barrington, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Joel Kpoku, 20 Jackson Wray, 21 Ben Spencer, 22 Manu Vunipola, 23 Duncan Taylor.
Worcester: 15 Jamie Shillcock, 14 Ed Fidow, 13 Ashley Beck, 12 Ryan Mills, 11 Tom Howe, 10 Jono Lance, 9 Michael Heaney, 8 GJ van Velze, 7 Sam Lewis, 6 Ted Hill, 5 Graham Kitchener, 4 Anton Bresler, 3 Richard Palframan, 2 Matt Moulds (captain), 1 Callum Black.
Replacements: 16 Joe Taufete’e, 17 Ryan Bower, 18 Conor Carey, 19 Michael Fatialofa, 20 Marco Mama, 21 Francois Hougaard, 22 Scott van Breda, 23 Ollie Lawrence.
Referee: Craig Maxwell-Keys
Assistant referees: Adam Leal & Philip Watters.
TMO: Claire Hodnett.
* Also read: The real legacy of Nigel Wray
