By Jason Harris
February 3 2003

Saracens lost at home to Gloucester for the first time on Sunday 29-22 after they gifted the visitors two easy first half tries which ultimately decided the result. Glaws were greatly helped by outside half Ludovic Mercier's 24 points from a try, a drop goal, two conversions and four penalties. The game itself was a niggly, nasty affair with fights breaking out on several occasions. But referee Ashley Rowden flatly refused to use his yellow card until the 65th minute, but which time it was too late to stop the violence that punctuated the rather ordindary play.

Saracens were dealt a blow early on when captain Kyran Bracken had to leave the field after a vicious high shot from Glaws' Robert Todd. How the centre stayed on the field is still a matter for some debate and the incident was to set the tone for the rest of the afternoon.

After a lightning start with both sides running the ball from deep, Richard Hill opened the scoring while hundreds of supporters were still trying to take their seats in the third minute. Niki Little converted to put the Men in Black into a 7-0 lead.

Mercier and Little ecxhanged penalty goals before the Fijian nudged Sarries further ahead with his third successful kick of the afternoon to make it 13-3 to the home side.

Gloucester reduced the arrears to three points with a lucky try for Terry Fanolua. A kick ahead rebounded of a Saracens leg and sat up for Andy Gomarsall who gave the scoring pass to the unmarked cenrte. Mercer obliged with the conversion.

Mercier then gave his side the lead when he intercepted a Kevin Sorrell pass which never should have been thrown and galloped unhindered over 50 metres to score. The conversion was a formality and Glaws were somewhat surprised to be in a 17-13 lead.

Little kicked his third penalty on the stroke of half time to make it Saracens 16, Glouceter 17 and the game, though not an advertisment for champagne rugby, was enthralling the 9,000+ crowd.

No tries were scored in an ill-tempered second period which saw more sporadic illegality which still went unpunished by Rowden.

Saracens regained the lead when Little popped over penalty goal number four but it was soon cancelled out by Mercier's second. The Frenhman extended the Gloucester advanted to four points with a long-range drop goal. The scoring was completed with Niki Little's fifth and final penalty and two more from Mercier.

The last quarter degenerated into a streetfight with both sides losing their tempers as Rowden remained in denial. Though Hazell and Peacey were sin-binned a quarter of an hour from the end, it was definitely too little, too late from the man in the middle who had a poor game. Indeed, the scrapping continued after the final whistle blew which was very disappointing to see.

The Saracens performance was light years ahead of the one the previous week when a half century of points was conceded, but questions still have to be asked of the rickety scrummage and slow support play. On no fewer than three occasions, the ball was cleared from a ruck but there was no scrum half to pick it up. Meat and drink for the Gloucester back row.

Saracens can go to Northampton next week with renewed optimism and could perhaps come away with a win if the decide to punch holes in the Saints defence, instead of just punching the Saints.