Courtesy of Nigel Eaton

By TheSaracens
December 22 2022

Before this season’s Heineken Champions Cup draw was made in the summer, I, in common with a lot of Sarries fans, had been hoping we would get Lyon in the pool stages, our clubs having formed something of a bond, sharing both black and red colours and a common sobriquet – the Wolfpack. There’s also the fact that it’s one of THE best European away trips, with Lyon, as I can fully  testify from two previous visits to watch Sarries, being a wonderful city full of history, marvellous restaurants and the friendliest people you could wish to meet; the last is strongly reflected in the supporters of Lyonnaise Olympique Universitaire (otherwise and more succinctly known as Lyon OU, or as is chanted at the lovely Stade de Gerland, “La Lou”) who on our last trip there in January 2019 – when we won 10-28 against a Lyon side in its first Champions Cup season, guaranteeing our place in the last eight of a competition we went on to win  - made us extremely welcome with the clubs’ fans sharing a lot of post-match pints, rugby stories and even some merchandise. Zooming forward to 17th December 2022 for a moment, two knock-on effects of the above are that a large banner is displayed at Stade de Gerland bearing the words “SSAracens x La Meute (Lyon’s supporters’ organisation) Wolfpack Together”, and Sarries fans have been invited via the SSA to join our Lyonnaise counterparts for food and drinks after the match at the oddly named Ninkasi. 

I am therefore delighted when the draw is made and up pops our two clubs’ names, together in Pool A and due to play each other home and away; flights and hotels are booked immediately for the away leg in December and even that far ahead this is a trip that the Browne household is excited about, and even with the game still months away I can already taste the steak tartare et frites….

The season starts in earnest with nine Premiership wins on the bounce, we beat Edinburgh 30-26 on our return to European rugby’s top table on 11^th December, and the Lyon trip draws ever nearer; in the days before we’re due to embark, however, the weather takes a turn for the distinctly wintry and as always when conditions do arise that are completely unsurprising for northern Europe in December, London grinds to a halt at the first sight of falling snow. Mrs Jonny and I, ever the hardy provincials, mock the southern softies who can’t take a bit of cold and snow…    

We get to the afternoon before we’re due to travel, and a glance at the BA app to check our baggage allowance tells me that our flight on Friday morning from Heathrow is now an afternoon flight from Gatwick. Unspecified operational reasons. OK……our parking reservation is cancelled as we’re flying out from and coming back to different airports No big problem, we can book Ubers if need be….but then, by early evening our return flight has been cancelled – again for unspecified operational rasons, and it takes fully two hours of unanswered calls to BA and the booking website crashing before we’re able to switch to a return flight to Gatwick on the Sunday.

Parking re-booked, and hotel contacted to shorten our stay bit one night after a bit of an argument.

I won’t bore you further with our travel travails, including the flight crew not being told they are now flying out from a different airport, no catering on the plane, etc. but let’s just say we fall into the Wallace pub in Lyon at 9.20pm to meet friends and we’re mightily relieved to have got there at all….

Talking to everyone else who’s made the journey, we’re by no means alone......

Matchday begins with a wonderful and very well-attended lunch at Viktor in the city centre organised by the SSA events team where excellent food and wine were enjoyed in the best of company, and we head to the stadium in bitter cold, everyone well-wrapped up and some (myself included) looking like Michelin folk.

Vin chaud warms our bones, chilled even through several layers of clothing, and I purchase a Lyon club beret to keep my sparsely coiffured head warm. It does. A chance encounter with the always very friendly and sociable Nigel Wray is a pre-match highlight and we compare notes on our almost identical spectacles.

On into the stands to join a large contingent of travelling Sarries already making their presence felt in terms of noise and enthusiasm, and we shiver as we await the start of play.

Sarries have an almost full-strength squad out today, with Maro missing after having taken a knock, although we’re all pleased to see Max Malins returning to the squad by way of a seat on the bench.  Nick Isiekwe is almost but not quite ready to return.

Former Sarrie Joel Kpoku, who I last saw in action in May, helping Lyon to win the Challenge Cup Final against a much-fancied Toulon, is not in their 23 tonight although he is at the stadium.

The match gets underway with Sarries making a very positive start in conditions that my father would have called “a bit taters”, and with only 4 minutes gone edge ahead 0-3 through a Farrell penalty, giving the travelling fans an excuse (as if they need one) to ratchet up the noise levels.

Lyon try to hit back with their first real attack of the game, which Sarries deal with and win a penalty to ease that moment of pressure, then seizing the momentum, looking to stretch the lead and with their cause helped by a yellow card for Lambey after collapsing a threatening-looking Sarries maul following a line-out.

On 13 minutes, Sarries make a breakthrough when from another line-out, George scores a classic Sarries Hooker try from the base of a maul. Farrell misses the conversion and it’s 0-8 – a decent start against a club that’s come on a bit since 2019, although they have registered but three wins at this level.

Sarries continue to dominate proceedings, and with 20 minutes gone the Sarries contingent in the stands goes wild again when a kick from Daly, surely a candidate for our club’s Player of the Season and who will hopefully be looked upon favourably by whichever currently Leicester-based ex-Sarries idol is named as England coach net week, sets up a lovely bit of running rugby, moving play to one side then the other before Farrell tees up Earl – another POTS nominee – to cross in the corner as the first quarter of the match ends. Farrell this time adds the extras for a satisfying 0-15.

Lyon are clearly not a side to roll over – it is also still relatively early in the game -  and work their way impressively back into the match by injecting more urgency into proceedings.

On 27 minutes, Lyon cut Sarries’ lead when the home side, with their fans reacting to the shift in momentum, surge deep into Sarries’ territory and move ominously close to Sarries’ line where the ball finds its way to Kaabeche who goes over – the conversion is missed and it’s 5-15.

The Sarries fans, obviously outnumbered, continue to more than make their presence felt and while in the dry cold I’m finding the old vocal cords managing only a couple of bellows of “Saaaaarrriiiies” before ruing the absence of a Strepsil or two; others around me are of sterner vocal stuff, thankfully.

5 minutes later, Sarries are distinctly rattled when a lovely and swift piece of play from Lyon out on their left sends the powerful Kaabeche over again, with the conversion again misses but Lyon, with the crowd roaring them on, edge worryingly closer at 10-15.

The half ends with a bit of excitement from Sarries Half-time comes with no further score and this is proving a tough encounter – we all stand up to stamp our feet and try to get the circulation going again.

Leaving behind their warm and cosy dressing rooms, the players run back out into the numbing cold and battle recommences.

Lyon are faster off the blocks and within a minute of the restart take the lead for the first time when Smith scores in somewhat controversial circumstances – there’s been a spot of “argy bargy” in the build-up following what looks like a late tackle on Farrell after he’d kicked the ball that has gone unpunished, and although Sarries are clearly furious the try stands. Smith converts his own score successfully and it’s 17-15. At this point, even with almost half the game left, the game looks poised on a knife-edge.

The Sarries fans continue to make far more noise than their numbers would suggest - I’m told later by those watching at home on TV that the din was clearly audible. I’m so proud of our away support.

Both teams have good opportunities when Maitland is stopped short of the line and Lyon fail to latch onto an interception.

Theo McFarland is having a wonderful game and aside from good work in open play has caused havoc in the line-out – maybe they’re missing Joel Kpoku…..

It’s anybody’s game now…until we approach the hour mark when Sarries show themselves at their best in regaining the lead (I later love this try just as much watching the recording at home as when it happens in front of me): they play their way out of a position deep in their own half, Lozowski accelerates forward, slips the ball to George who demonstrates the kicking skills of a 9 or 10, setting up Maitland inside the 22 to glide over on 55 minutes – Farrell does the business and the side in the away kit that we’ve all grown to love (and I am wearing the shirt as one of several layers having on first sight hated it) are back in front at 17-22. Lyon are still within less than a score though but there’s a sense that Sarries can do this.

3 minutes later, there’s an opportunity to take Sarries’ lead beyond 7 points when some great work from Riccioni wins Farrell a crack at the posts….the magical right boot swings…. and it’s 17-25.

Lyon will still not lie down and keep working hard, with their toil rewarded when a penalty from Smith takes them back to within a score and the nerves Sarries fans have suffered in, well, most games this season jangle once more – made worse by Clarey, who’s replaced Riccioni, being red-carded after tackling Botha from an upright position which caused a shoulder-head interface – like it or not, them’s the rules. From our viewpoint and in real time, it doesn’t looke great.

Lyon, buoyed by numerical advantage and a close score, dial up the work rate in the closing stages and even an increasing penalty count couldn’t panic the superb defence that for so long and through evolving squads has seen Sarries through so many tight situations at home and in Europe   holds out.

The last action of the match is a Daly penalty which sails over from long range, the game ending 20-28 - no bonus point but Sarries got through a testing game and it’s now 11 wins on the bounce in competitive games this season.

In a typically classy gesture, the Sarries players come over to applaud the travelling fans, and everyone looks delighted with a hard-fought win. 

In some ways we've seen a classic Sarries European performance although there have been the now-usual nervy spells…we’d be disappointed if there weren’t!! That said, though, and if we get through the pool stages there will, and I mean no disrespect to Lyon by this, be sterner tests ahead but if Sarries can keep their characteristic defensive shape and concentration, there’s no reason why we can’t go deep into this tournament.

 Man of the match in my view should have been Theo McFarland but in a clear case of mistaken identity, another Theo – William, Lyon’s own no. 6, - go it.

Right…off to Ninkasi for a red wine or several (too cold for beer) with La Meute……

Jonny Browne

Lyon: Tchaptchet; Mignot, Regard, Godwin, Veredamu, Smith, Couilloud; Kaabeche, Charcosset, Gomez-Kodela, Lambey, Mayanavanua, William, Guillard, Taufua (capt).

Replacements: Marchand, Rey, Tafili, Goujon, Botha, Pelissie, Doussain, Parisien.

Sarries: Daly; Lewington, Lozowski, Tompkins, Maitland; Farrell (capt), Van Zyl; M Vunipola, George, Riccioni, Hunter-Hill, Tizard, McFarland, Earl, B Vunipola.

Replacements: Woolstencroft, Mawi, Clarey, Wray, Christie, Davies, Goode, Malins.

MATCH OFFICIALS:

Referee: Frank Murphy (Ireland).

Touch judges: Eoghan Cross and Paul Haycock (both Ireland).

TMO: Leo Colgan (Ireland).

When Wolfpacks Collide.....

Discussion started by TheSaracens.com , 22/12/2022 18:52

TheSaracens.com
22/12/2022 18:52

What do you think? You can have your say by posting below.
If you do not already have an account Click here to Register.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2023:01:01:11:01:38 by Darraghgirl.

Reply Quote Report

The Bard
22/12/2022 21:37

It was a wonderful weekend indeed. The home fans around us were a bit salty during the game, but those were afterwards absolutely wonderful. The party in the bar with the Marseillaise being sung was something else!
Very strangely the above mentioned Felix Lambey was on our metro train as we were arriving late morning in his pre-match gear!

Reply Quote Report

AP
22/12/2022 21:49

Why were you wearing his pre-match gear?



Successful hills are here to stay
Everything must be this way
Gentle streets where people play
Welcome to the Soft Parade

🌻🌻🌻

Reply Quote Report

OldMarovian
22/12/2022 21:56

That's a lovely piece and an insight into what supporting rugby is (or can be) about.

Tbh I had thought my recent experience with BA was not ideal, flight cancelled, replacement flight cancelled, bussed to an admittedly very nice hotel overnight then having to get up at silly o'clock in the morning for the third go at leaving Austria BUT it seems almost quaint compared to yours. You have admirable control! Glad you got a great match to enjoy as reward.

Reply Quote Report

myleftboot
23/12/2022 07:53

Only issue.... Never too cold for a beer!!! Although that's a problem with the keg lines I guess, noone bothers to alter the fridge cold setting for a darker beer!

Reply Quote Report

Darraghgirl
23/12/2022 08:21

Sounds like a brilliant trip Jonny despite all your travel troubles
Well done to all the travelling supporters who made it

Reply Quote Report

The Bard
23/12/2022 10:25

Quote:

AP
Why were you wearing his pre-match gear?

He was so big it would have fitted all of us!

Reply Quote Report

jonnybrowne
28/12/2022 08:26

Quote:

Darraghgirl
Sounds like a brilliant trip Jonny despite all your travel troubles
Well done to all the travelling supporters who made it

It was a brilliant trip, thank you DG. Looking back, worth all the hassle just to be there. By the way, I think you corrected my mistype of “sobriquet”!so thank you for that 😊

Reply Quote Report

Goto: Forum List•Message List•Search• Log In

Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.

We record all IP addresses on the Sportnetwork message boards which may be required by the authorities in case of defamatory or abusive comment. We seek to monitor the Message Boards at regular intervals. We do not associate Sportnetwork with any of the comments and do not take responsibility for any statements or opinions expressed on the Message Boards. If you have any cause for concern over any material posted here please let us know as soon as possible by e-mailing abuse@sportnetwork.net