Toothless

By Josh Black
February 8 2011

If Mark McCall is to be believed, Saracens didn’t know that the Newport-Gwent Dragons’ victory earlier in the day had made LV Cup qualification impossible. That this produced a performance of such effort and exuberance as to be unprecedented this season was a double benefit to supporters of the Men in Black, who not only witnessed an eight-try victory but will feel that last season’s sprint finish might begin a little earlier this year.

For Sale Sharks, and Steve Diamond in his return to Vicarage Road, the result might be more than a bit concerning, particularly as their new Director of Rugby will no doubt remember when the visiting team would come away with a half-century.

Saracens opted for a strong team, hoping for a boost in confidence and with an outside chance of progressing to a semi-final. Sale were without several first-team players and failed to establish themselves after three tries in fifteen minutes and with no foothold in either the scrum or the loose. Had Chris Wyles not scored a fortuitous hat trick, Matt Stevens would comfortably have stolen the show.

When Saracens last made the trip to Greater Manchester, they were dealt with in a ruthless manner, so it was more than a relief that the game began in perfect fashion. David Strettle, chasing the kick off, unsettled the Sale number six enough to cause him to knock on and from the turnover Saracens went though the phases at a blistering pace before Wyles, starting on the wing, went over in the corner. The American was also on hand a few moments later when a move started by a quick throw-in by Alex Goode saw Jackson Wray and Matt Stevens both punch holes in the defence before Ernst Joubert made the most of a half-gap and gave the scoring pass.

Sale were not yet out of the game, and a Charlie Hodgson chip with the outside of his boot nearly released Chris Bell, showing Saracens something of what they will have to look forward to next season. Sale also threatened to get back into the game when Goode took too long over a clearing kick and the chargedown allowed Nick McLeod to be played in by Sisa Koyamibole.

However, much of the pre-match debate had surrounded a certain well-coiffured centre. As it happens, Nils Mordt had his best game in a Sarries shirt, combining well with Strettle both to launch a long-range counter-attack and holding his man to give the winger the half yard on Rhys Crane to pop the ball out to Wray for the third try. Then again, it was not so much the try that finished off Sale as the mauling their forwards were given by our pack. Jacques Burger, Hayden Smith, Ernst Joubert and Jackson Wray led the way in forcing turnovers, but the front row gave Sarries an edge in the scrum that they have long missed, rampaging a good fifteen metres when Sale were penalised for being offside at the kick off.

The ubiquity of Saracens’ big ball carriers was also causing Sale huge problems. One storming effort from Mauritz Botha saw the lock collect the ball from a short kick off and carve through the first wave of tacklers. Another saw Ernst Joubert breaking two tackles on the wing to earn good field position five metres out. Saracens were gifted a scrum, from which they earned a penalty. Farrell kicked to the corner and the forwards formed a tight maul to drive over, with Jamie George the delighted recipient of the try.

At half time Saracens led 26-7; three early tries giving way to a series of penalties and rounded off by the bonus-point. Perhaps the only source of frustration was the kicking of Owen Farrell, who after missing two conversions and a penalty handed over to Alex Goode. The full back missed his first attempt, but rediscovered his form later in the game, with two penalties from in front of the posts in addition.  Sale took Hodgson off at half time, perhaps as a precaution, perhaps pre-planned, but with the distinct impression given that they were surrendering.

The second half also started promisingly, albeit at a slower pace. Chris Wyles put his hat trick to bed with a fine individual try; after another devastating scrum, Goode came into the line outside Farrell, straightened up, and spun the ball out to Wyles, who chipped the defender and raced onto the ball to score.

The game quietened down significantly as the two props and Hayden Smith made way. Owen Farrell remained at fly half for much of the match, with Goode frequently racing into the line just outside him, or acting receiver off second phase ball. The nineteen-year-old Farrell undoubtedly suffered by the comparison to a player raring to get at the opposition defence, but should not get to hung up on a poor kicking performance that was eclipsed by the good work he did in chasing kicks and defending himself. Goode had twenty-five minutes at ten and spread the ball slightly more efficiently, but whether he starts in that position against Northampton will depend on whether the coaches feel that he adds more unpredictability from a less encumbered role.

Sitting in the North Stand proved to be a disadvantage when the game finally came back to life in the last seven minutes, but given that all three tries originated from some thirty metres out, the Saracens backs did an able job of pulling Sale out of shape. Ernst Joubert and Justin Melck both had easy run-ins, and Rodd Penney was able to reprise his match-winning score against Bath last year with a fifty-metre clear dash.

Cementing the fifty-point mark will no doubt add to a growing confidence in the Saracens camp, built on some dogged performances over the winter. Above all, this was a game in which Saracens worked hard to give Sale no quarter, but one which they were destined to win from early on. Northampton Saints will feel less like a practice run, but Sarries have a great opportunity to win when their closest rivals are missing Ashton, Foden, Lawes, Hartley and Wood (not to mention Ansbro, Ed) – pretty much the backbone of their team. A slightly anarchic attacking style is coming together at Saracens, and on top of a similar performance by the forwards, the same might just be enough but the next step will be a slightly more sophisticated approach to contact and a few more offloads. Sarries might just steal the second half of the season, but would do well to remember that a damp squib of a performance against Northampton was what ultimately cost them a cup semi-final place this year.

Saracens: Goode; Strettle, Penney, Mordt, Wyles; Farrell, de Kock; Gill, George, Stevens; Smith, Botha; Wray, Burger, Joubert.
Replacements: Staff for Strettle (65), Cato for Farrell (55), Wigglesworth for de Kock (50), Saunders for Gill (55), Reynecke for George (60), Nieto for Stevens (55), Vyvyan for Smith (44), Melck for Burger (50).

Sale: MacLeod; Crane, Bell, Thornley, Mulchrone; Hodgson, Cliff; Croall, M Jones, Imiolek; C Jones, Ormsby; Cox, Fearns, Koyamaibole.
Replacements: Miller for Hodgson (41), Leck for Cliff (61), B Roberts for M. Jones (41), Rouse for Ormsby (30), Brightwell for Fearns (61). Not Used: Allen, McIntyre, Cohen.

Att: 5,014

Ref: Leighton Hodges (RFU).