By Rupert Thacker
November 7 2004

The introduction after an hour of Glen Jackson, newly arrived from New Zealand, turned Saracens’ game around on Saturday and led to the Men in Black salvaging two points from a curate’s egg of a performance. In an open game, characterised by both sides seemingly determined to donate points to the other, Saracens paid the price for playing only 50 minutes of the 80 – the opening 10 minutes of the first and the opening 20 of the second - will be food for thought for the coaching staff this week.

The sloppy opening 10 minutes of the game were completed with Frikke Welsh, Bath’s new South African back (who looks to be a very shrewd buy indeed), going straight through Messrs Haughton and Kydd to score under the posts. Within three minutes, Bath made a complete horlicks of a lineout and Hugh Vyvyan galloped almost 30 metres to put Sarries on the scoreboard.

A fine crosskick from Mark Bartholomeusz gave Robbie Kydd the easiest of touchdowns, but then the same fly-half then threw a shocking pass, to no-one in particular, Bath’s other wing Andrew Higgins hacked it on for another 7 pointer. Add in a couple of penalties, drop goals (successful and otherwise) and the Points Festival that was the first half came to an end with Bath leading 23-18.

It was expected that Sarries would come out fired up for the second half, five points were there for the taking and the opportunity to climb to fifth in the ZP beckoned. Expectations were dashed very quickly however, with Welsh scoring his second try after 46 minutes. During the build up to the try, Richard Haughton put in a tackle on Zak Feaunati and didn’t get up – helped off, we hope that he hasn’t been concussed and that he is not obliged to have three weeks’ rest.

Bath’s bonus point was achieved in the 60th minute; Tindall going under the posts all too easily. Until this try, Sarries had been pegged back firmly in their own half with no imagination or ideas to break out and continue their scoring. And then Glen came on…..

To criticise Mark Bartholomeusz would be the easy option as he was in no way responsible for the lack of ideas, the lack of apparent drive and the lack of defensive co-ordination at the start of the second half. Bartholomeusz has done a brilliant job at 10 in the past few weeks. But Glen did make one heck of a difference. The backs suddenly started moving forwards again, cutting the lines which made the first half so successful in terms of yardage gained. A try from Man-of-the Match Moses Rauluni gave us hope with 10 minutes to go and Glen then capped his debut with a fine try from short range, which he converted. 30-37 with four minutes plus stoppages to go.

And so we kept going forward. A 60m run from sub Ben Skirving took us into Bath’s 22, but the defence from Bath was (for the first time all afternoon, from either side) good and they held firm. The great escape wasn’t to be – Bath held on and, in all honesty, were worth the narrow win.

Bath will certainly be there or thereabouts for the play-offs at the end of the year and are not a bad yardstick to judge our progress to date this season. A school report may term it “good work and progress, more progress required”. That progress must start on Friday at Quins, with a must-win game if we are to keep in touch with the chase for Heineken Cup places.