Back in Black.....

By Jonny Browne
September 14 2021

Sarries’ pre-season fixture at the Honourable Artillery Company grounds – I was going to say “annual fixture” but due to other circumstances this is of course the first one since we played Ospreys in 2018 – does tend to divide opinion, with some seeing the event as an opportunity just to rake in some cash from corporate paying guests who have food, drink and business chat in hospitality tents with a bit of rugby going on in the background; I don’t quite see it that way.. The HAC fixture – pricy as even the cheapest behind-the-posts tickets are (£50 this year, albeit slightly offset by a drink voucher) – is unique in rugby and probably in sport: to watch, at close quarters, Sarries playing on a pitch located in the heart of the City of London surrounded on three sides by office buildings plus an array of cannon and statues to admire, really is quite an experience and it’s something I’d urge anyone who hasn’t been to the HAC to try just once: to be fair, my view may be tinged with a little nostalgia as I spent 11 very happy years working in the City and love the area.    Sarries are of course playing Ulster for the second time in six days, having beaten the Northern Irish province 45-21 at Ravenhill six days ago; as Innings has admirably reported, Sarries, recovering from 7-0 down then a strong mid-match fightback by Ulster, won handsomely due in no small part to a hat-trick by our very own Olympian, the lightning-quick Ben Harris.

The Sarries starting XV for this game is slightly reshuffled from last Friday, notably with Sean Maitland stepping into the starting line-up at full-back, replacing Elliot Obatoyinbo who steps back to the bench, while Alex Lozowski comes in for Alex Goode (not featuring at all this week) at fly-half.

Youngster ( there’s an old man’s word for you) Sam Bryan comes into the 30 (or is it 31?) to replace the now-suspended Ivan Van Zyl, while Josh Hallett and uber-Sarrie Richard Barrington also feature on the bench; as I note at the end of this piece, the actual line-up is not entirely clear…

Ulster have also made some changes, and clearly mean business this time around by bringing in their internationals so we’re being treated to the likes of Billy (Irish-capped brother of England-capped Freddie) Burns, James Humes, Nick Timoney and Robert Baloucoune treading the City turf.

We spend our beer vouchers, try and make ourselves as comfortable as we can in the thoughtfully provided but hard pitch-side chairs, and watch the Ulster squad warming up – yep, they mean business alright……a lot of them have a glint of business-meaning intent in their eye and the sense is that this game will be a bit more competitive than the encounter at Ravenhill.

The teams amble across the grass and onto a very lush pitch – Ulster are resplendent in a new gold and black away kit while Sarries sport the excellent but as yet unavailable new Castore kit. I muse that if the red “V” was a bit higher up the front of the shirt it would resemble a Rugby League strip.

 Billy Burns gets proceedings underway, with Swinson safely gathering the first kick of the match and the first meaningful action is a lineout to Sarries. who drive forward, winnng a scrum after the maul breaks down for knock on near the Ulster 22. From the exit, Davies works the ball inside then Lozowski sets Segun up to surge forward but Ulster cover the move and knock the ball into touch for another Sarries lineout from which, this time, we drive forward and push to the line, then it’s a penalty to Sarries after Ulster collapse an ensuing scrum.

Sarries continue to press forward and get to the line but we’re held up and for the first time we see the consequences of the recent law changes with Ulster being awarded a goal-line dropout. To Mrs Jonny’s slight bewilderment I’m irrationally excited to see one in real life - must be the beer taking effect……

Back come Sarries, looking lively so far. Earl is getting involved and Lozowski’s working well at fly-half, clearly benefitting from his run in the no. 10 shirt at Montpellier.

Billy Vunipola goes in hard and it’s a penalty to Sarries which Lozowski kicks to touch, but the lineout is scrappy and an Ulster scrum ensues which allows them to push forward and win another scrum.

Sarries pick up possession and Tompkins goes forward, followed by good work from Morris, Wray and Lozowski combing well; Earl then tries to make something happen but Ulster turn it over and kick very long – indeed, it’s a 50-22!!!! Ulster take the lineout, but the ball is then knocked on and the ensuing Sarries scrum results in a penalty to Ulster.

Isiekwe is yellow carded for trying to impede a tap-and-go penalty, and we see Ulster starting to gain a foothold in the match.

The penalty is this time kicked to the corner and Ulster rumble forward - Roberts is driven back but then Timoney evades Davies to go over at 12 mins. Cooney makes I it 7-0 with a high looping conversion that from where I was sitting looked to have gone wide.

Ulster pick up Lozowski’s restart but Sarries pick up and try to drive forward. An Ulster scrum sets up a nice passage of play; the classy Burns has a kicking exchange with Maitland and Ulster go again as their hold on the game grows with Sarries starting to look a little bit frustrated. 

An Ulster penalty (high tackle) is kicked long to Sarries’ 22. The excellent and hard-working Roberts goes again, some good work from Moore and then Burns sets up Gilroy to go over on 18 minutes – it did look like a double movement to me, but there you go. It is Karl Dickson after all - some say he’s a superb ref, some say not. Cooney converts with another ballooning kick and it’s 14-0.

Isiekwe returns to the fray shortly after Gilroy’s try.

The next action of note is a penalty to Sarries which unfortunately is overthrown by Woolstencroft and back come Ulster with Balocoune showing well, but Sarries turn it over with Lewington doing well, and there’s an exchange of possession with Ulster gathering Davies’ box kick  but knock the ball on and it’s a scrum to Sarries who try to work forward but again Ulster come back at us once more after gathering another Davies kick.

Sarries have possession again as Morris sets up the always busy Segun but there is no way through for the Premiership’s speediest chemistry graduate (I may have used that line before…).

Swinson tries to barge through the calm Ulster defence then Wray, Davies, Tompkins and Lozowski try their luck before Tompkins breaks forward and we behind the ropes get excited for a moment – it’s a penalty to Sarries, who seem to be settling after a very profitable spell for Ulster.  

A well-drilled lineout and maul do their work with Woolstencroft breaking out to threaten the Ulster line but is stopped illegally with a no-arms tackle. Lozowski elects to go for the posts from short range and slots the ball over on 25 mins to give us a foothold in the game at 3-14; it’s good to have him back.

The restart is gathered, Davies goes long in return, and it’s another penalty to Sarries – signalled somewhat theatrically by Dickson – which is kicked to 15 metres out.  Davies actually gets over the line, but it’s a penalty to Ulster and the added punishment of a yellow card for a Tompkins tip tackle.

Lozowski tries to drive Sarries forward when we do regain possession, but a Davies kick gives Ulster an opportunity to break out. Sarries steal the ball but Morris comes under pressure and the chance to build an attack is gone.

The next flash of action is a clever hack though the Sarries defence by Gilroy - after picking up an uncharacteristically errant chip by Lozowski – who races after the ball with an alert and pacey Earl who clears the danger with a football-style tackle.

The ensuing lineout on Sarries’ 22 leads to a knock on by Ulster giving Sarries chance to build again;  Lewington kicks long and back come Ulster but Sarries win a penalty which Lozowski  kicks to 8 metres out; a good maul pushes Sarries forward and then Davies, a hard-working Lewington, Woolstencroft and then Segun all have a go, but the spell of pressure from Sarries ends with a penalty to Ulster. 

The half is drawing to its closing stages with a scrum to Ulster, ensuing in a lovely spell of play from the men in black and gold, with Cooney, Burns and Roberts in the thick of the action; Gilroy’s involved, before Stewart Moore looks certain to score but drops the ball under pressure from a Segun who is everywhere this evening.  Sarries take the scrum on our 5 metre line from which Billy Vunipola breaks and it’s a penalty to Sarries, from which our boys go forward but are pulled back for an infringement and another penalty to us.

The lineout is, frankly, messed up, giving Ulster a platform to drive forward:  Morris does well and turns the ball over, and in the last action of the half Davies kicks long.

Ulster have as observed earlier a stronger squad out than for last Friday’s game, are highly motivated with a point to prove and although Sarries started strongly, and after Ulster took control of the scoreboard  we had some good if brief spells of pressure, this is proving a tough encounter -  or, if you’re keeping a strong sense of perspective, a very good hit-out to shake off remaining cobwebs - and at 11 points adrift we have to hope a similar spell to that enjoyed by Ulster between 10 and 20 minutes can get us back on terms. We shall see. Time to spend the interval queueing for a beer and chatting to the delightful couple next to us.   

Lozowski restarts and it’s a very quick penalty to Sarries – I notice that Bryan is on for Davies.

Sarries are making a lively start to the half with both Billy Vunipola and Lewington nearly breaking through, and then it’s a scrum to Sarries after Ulster rip the ball forward on their 22. Can we hit them early? A good exit but Sarries’ brief momentum is broken and it’s a penalty to Ulster who make their own good exit, from the lineout, and try to chip the ball through Sarries’ defence but the ball is gathered  – Obatoyinbo’s on now – and the long clearance is picked up by Ulster who move forward with some very slick handling as they try to punch through Sarries’ line.

Lowry eventually kicks high and a possibly nervy Bryan fumbles his attempt at gathering;  Ulster continue to drive forward strongly and start to close in on Sarries’ line, going through the phases until eventually Curtis, with Maitland unable to stop him, slips over on 48 minutes after clever work from Cooney set him up. Cooney then adds the extras for 3-21.

Lozowski restarts with a long kick, and again Ulster work hard to get out of their half –  Sarries regain possession though and Segun tries to create something,  then Billy Vunipola tries to power his way forward, before Bryan gives us a glimpse of his  promising talent with a clever little kick that unluckily goes long.

The game goes on and it’s a scrum to Ulster on their 40 and seek to work the ball forward, winning a penalty which is kicked to 8 metres out from Sarries’ line; the maul is effective and Ulster push patiently to the line. The ball is worked to the left, and over in the corner goes Man of the Match candidate Gilroy on 55 minutes; a conversion by the fresh boots of Curtis makes it 3-28 and it’s looking unlikely that even Sarries can turn this round.

Lewis is on now.

A long restart from Lozowski, in his last action of the game before being replaced by Manu Vunipola,  is returned into touch by Ulster and from the lineout Segun tries again to create some magic before Sarries are awarded a penalty; a good exit from the lineout and Sarries quickly break from the maul but Ulster steal the ball  but it’s a scrum to Sarries.

Christie is now on and typically works hard to take Sarries forward, and then in what we all thought was a score at last for Sarries, Lewis crashes over but superb defensive play by Ulster holds him up and for the second time in the game it’s a goal line drop out. We’re seeing history here, people!

Harris is now on and tries his best to repeat last week’s wing play masterclass, but to no avail, as Sarries try to gain some momentum after a lot of fresh legs enter the fray.

Sarries eventually cough up the ball as a knock on leads to a scrum which gives Ulster a penalty.

A well-worked lineout by Ulster is followed quickly by Sarries conceding another penalty; From the resulting maul, clever work (again) by  Gilroy tales Ulster close to the line, keeping the pressure on Sarries with a scrum and then another penalty; another good set piece and a very fast-moving and strong  driving maul sees Marcus Rea go over at the back on 65 mins; the conversion is missed by Curtis to leave matters at 3-33.

Ulster looking to keep their foot on Sarries’ collective throat,  pick up Manu Vunipola’s restart and immediately win another penalty for ripping the ball on the ground.

Sarries defend hard and, my word, we win a penalty.

Manu Vunipola kicks to Ulster’s 40 and after seemingly and momentary confusion, we elect to go for a scrum.

Sarries continue work hard to get forward and get something from the game, but can’t quite break through a well-marshalled Ulster defence but we do win a penalty, which is kicked to 20 metres out  and the ball is worked across the back as Sarries probe the Ulster defence; a Sarries penalty is accompanied by a Dickson warning to Ulster about slowing down the breakdown.

Sarries’ maul drive ends with a penalty to Ulster; it’s not looking like our day.

Ulster clear to their 40 which Harris gathers deftly – he does very look good under the high ball as well as great pace and work rate – have we unearthed a new Liam Williams??

 From a scrum for Sarries, Watson breaks at pace but Ulster stop him, then Venter gives it a try, so to speak,  and Hunter-Hill works well as Sarries continue to try and restore some pride but Ulster hold out.

Later in the game, Andrew is yellow-carded and it’s a penalty for Sarries.

Manu Vunipola kicks to the corner and Kpoku tries to break through the Ulster line but is stopped;  another opportunity from a penalty  to Sarries is wasted as Lewis’s overthrow gives the ball back to ulster who clear to touch at the 22 . Segun, who’s toiled manfully all evening,  endavours to break clear,  then Clarey and Barrington try to power their way through.

Eventually, Kpoku does gets over the line but knocks the ball on to give Ulster their third goal line drop out. It’s DEFINITELY not Sarries’ day…

Playing for pride now, Sarries put some slick work together which is initially stopped by a massive hit and although we continue to press forward this belated positive spell is ended by a penalty to Ulster as the game reaches its dying moments.

Ther game ends scrappily as Maidgan kicks long but the lineout is followed by an Ulster knock-on and Dickson blowing for the end of the game.

It’s hard to know what to say about the game – a Sarries squad almost identical to the group that travelled to Belfast last week had come up against a much stronger and clearly very motivated Ulster but had no real answers to the questions that were asked by a formidable outfit.

Let’s keep some perspective, though: it was a friendly 8 days before the first game of the Premiership season, nobody got injured in a tough encounter, and it could just be a timely motivation - this is the level of the game we’re back at now; this is the standard of rugby we have to step up to; we have to put the past couple of years well and truly behind us and re-establish ourselves among the English and European games’ elite.

I can’t imagine any greater incentives for our club – and I believe that while next season will have its challenges in a changed Premiership, Smally, the coaches and the players will embrace all this and show everyone that Sarries are back.   

Photo courtesy of Nigel Eaton

TEAMS*

*I crave your indulgence for any slight inaccuracies in the listings – I checked two other sources and neither quite matched the names I’d jotted down at the game!

SARRIES

15: Maitland; 14: Lewington; 13: Morris, 12: Tompkins; 11: Segun;  10: Lozowski; 9: Davies

1: Adams-Hale; 2: Woolstencroft; 3: Riccioni; 4: Isiekwe, 5: Swinson, 6: Wray (Capt.); 7: Earl; 8: Billy Vunipola

Replacements

Lewis; Barrington; Beaton; Hunter-Hill; Reffell; Bryan; Manu Vunipola; Watson; Kpoku; Venter; Christie; Hallett; Harris; Obatoyinbo; Crean; Clarey

ULSTER

15: Lowry; 14: Baloucoune; 13: Hume; 12: Stewart Moore; 11: Gilroy; 10: Burns;  9:  Cooney

1: Warwick; 2: Roberts; 3: Marty Moore; 4: O’Connor (Capt.); 5: Kearney; 6: Jones; 7: Reidy;                8: Timoney.

Replacements

Andrew; Reid; O’Toole; Carter, Matty Rea; Shanahan; McIlroy; Moxham; Kane; Marcus Rea;  McCann; Sheridan; Madigan; Curtis; Carson

REFEREE

Karl Dickson