By Big H
September 26 2005

‘Disappointment, disappointment, disappointment’. It’s all that I could think as I trudged back down Vicarage Road last night. Don’t get me wrong, Sunday’s clash with Sale was a cracker of a game and there were positives but some of Sarries’ defensive work (?) yesterday was terrible. Of the 4 tries scored by our Northern Branch yesterday, only one came about due to the defensive system being wrong; Mark Cueto’s fantastic finish after some great build-up work with Charlie Hodgson down the Sarries blind-side which secured the 5 points. Seveali’i’s two and Chabal’s trademark rampage should not have happened, Sarries’ first-up tackling handed the visitors the game.

A spirited fight-back could have stolen the game for Sarries in the last quarter as barn-storming sub Kris Chesney, new boy Adam Powell and Dan Scarbrough added to Kevin Sorrell’s first half effort had Sarries back within 8 points at the end of the game and secured the 4 try bonus point. Glen Jackson, whose kicking off the floor had been good throughout the game, missed the conversion of Scabs’ effort and Sayul kept the ball tight to hold out for their first win at Vicarage Road in 9 visits.

The big disappointments of the day for me were the Sarries open-sides. Sale old boy Sanderson showed his normal aggression and ferocity but was guilty of slipping off tackles in the first half as was his second-half replacement Dave Seymour who, even though very busy, looked a bit more ‘head-less chicken’ than head-hunting open-side.

Played 4, won 1. Not the start Sarries were looking for, and as we take a break from GP action and focus shifts to Powergen/Anglo-Welsh matches, the Sarries coaching staff will hope that the players can use the next couple of games to play themselves out of their funk. Only early-season whipping boys Leeds Tykes have conceded more points. Considering Sarries defensive form last season, it’s a bitter pill to swallow.

So roll on Cardiff, London Irish and Bristol. We’ll want to get it right over the course of these games otherwise Sarries could be on the wrong end of another 40-pointer when Biarritz arrive at the start of our Heineken Cup campaign.

My MOTM – Taine Randell. Fantastic defence of the rolling maul and some great handling from the former All Black captain.

SCORERS: Saracens: Tries: Sorrell (21min), Chesney (55), Powell (68), Scarbrough (79). Conversions: Jackson 3. Penalty goals: Jackson 2 (34, 62). Sale Sharks: Tries: Seveali’i 2 (35, 52), Chabal (49), Cueto (73). Conversions: Hodgson 4. Penalty goals: Hodgson 4 (5, 26, 40+1, 72).

SCORING SEQUENCE (Saracens first): 0-3, 7-3, 7-6, 10-6, 10-13, 10-16 (half-time), 10-23. 10-30, 17-30, 20-30, 27-30, 27-33, 27-40, 32-40.

SARACENS: D Scarbrough; R Haughton (rep: A Powell, 32), T Castaignède, K Sorrell, P Bailey; G Jackson, A Dickens (rep: M Rauluni, 73); N Lloyd (rep: K Yates, 53), S Byrne (rep: M Cairns, 53), B Broster, I Fullarton (rep: K Chesney, 53), H Vyvyan (rep: S Raiwalui, 68), T Randell, A Sanderson (rep: D Seymour, 41), B Skirving.

SALE SHARKS: D Larrachea; M Cueto, M Taylor (rep: R Todd, 60), E Seveali’i, J Robinson; C Hodgson, V Courrent (rep: R Wigglesworth, 48); A Sheridan, A Titterrell, S Turner (rep: B Stewart, 47), C Jones, D Schofield, J White, M Lund, S Chabal (rep: C Day, 65) Referee: C White.
Attendance 7,132