By The Saracens
April 21 2024

Sarries have just completed a 7 try bonus point win over Gloucester so why am I feeling so negative? It was largely a Gloucester Academy team but you can only beat what’s in front of you (and we’ve had banana-skin days before). But 2 things really bother me: Sarries of old would not have allowed the wheels to come off in the way they did in those last 20 minutes, and it was a glimpse of life without Faz – because Faz departing on the hour with the game “won” was the catalyst for the debacle that was the last quarter of the game. This team is so reliant on him, not just for his rugby skills, but for the way he leads the team and without him, the team was leaderless, shapeless, clueless and rudderless. Yes I’m excited by the 2 young fly halves we have coming next season but this just shows what huge boots they, and the senior plays that remain, will have to fill.

But let’s start where we should – at the beginning. It was good to be back at StoneX, the break has been far too long. It is allegedly a sell out (although from where we sit in the East Stand, there are quite a few gaps on the West side). There is a strong cold Northerly breeze blowing straight down the pitch and I am enjoying a chocolate brownie. A new innovation – the flag bearers run down the pitch trailing red and grey smoke (aren’t we in the ULEZ zone?) The announcer encourages us to shout out the surnames as the team is read out. Most people engage but it is very clear who the favourite players are! The team looks encouraging with some pace on the wings (Parton and Segun) and a very powerful back row.

Mr Woodthorpe blows his whistle and Sarries kick off into the wind. An early Gloucester knock-on gives some cause for concern as the scrum looks a bit rocky and in fact Gloucester win a penalty at the second scrum. An early red flag: I fear Mako isn’t the prop he was and Riccioni seems to be some way off his best. I love Theo Dan, but like Brits before him, he’s not the strongest scrummager which means the props really have to step up.

Sarries’ dominance is clear from the start and they score their first try on 7 minutes from a lineout. A huge carry from Riccioni and the ball makes its way across the field to Parton on the left wing and he scores. Faz kicks a lovely conversion for 7-0. A few minutes later we have an almost exact rerun – another lineout, Goode out to Parton and a second try on the left wing once again converted by Faz.

Sarries have most of the possession and when Gloucester do get the ball there is usually an error. The scrum is the only area where they have any dominance. Mc Farland puts Gonzales away in the Gloucester 22 but no one is supporting him. We end up with another lineout in the 22, this time on the other side. The forwards drive, Davies slips the ball to Parton on the blind side and he has a hat-trick inside 20 minutes. Faz misses this one but 19-0 at a point a minute and we’re looking good.(It turns out this is the fastest hat-trick in Premiership history).

Goodey is a different player to last week, solid under the high ball in a challenging wind and he and Faz are finding each other telepathically. Gonzales continues to look world class and the team just looks so much better. Sarries almost get number 4 when Gonzales is free once again and Earl tries a grubber but it goes out of play. On 30 minutes it looks like Willis has the bonus point try but it’s ruled out for a knock on. Faz takes the penalty under the posts for 22-0.

Finally Gloucester get an attacking opportunity in the Sarries 22 but it comes to nothing and Faz clears. Once again the amazing Gonzales breaks. He chips ahead and Tompkins forces Seb Atkinson to carry the ball over for a 5m scrum. Once again though Gloucester make a mess of Sarries’ set piece and the whistle goes.

All in all though a pretty satisfying half. The scrum remains a worry but the rest of the team look good and there is finally some pace on the wings. Sarries have the wind in the second half and we are looking forward to a big win. Note to Sarries, PLEASE don’t encourage the dreaded Mexican wave! The announcer tries to get it going during the break. Thankfully most people aren’t having it but one of the things I used to hate about the double header was that dire Mexican wave.

Gloucester change their front row (to be honest, their main asset so far). A high swirling Faz bomb  is retrieved by McFarland’s huge hand on Segun’s wing (no way Segun would have reached it though and anyway he is down injured!) and he scores the bonus point try. The TMO checks it but it stands. Belatedly TV show the tackle on Segun – it doesn’t look good and Mr Woodthorpe waves a yellow at Tuisue (who has already left the pitch anyway). Again Faz misses out on the extras but at 27-0 its looking pretty encouraging.

Traditionally Sarries aren’t great at taking advantage of the extra man and so it proves. Sarries have also started getting the rough end of the officials. Sometimes unconscious bias can enter the fray – the traditional British support for the underdog. Maybe that comes into play? Who knows but a kick from Faz is deemed to go straight out when a replay shows it seemed to have bounced in. Faz isn’t happy.

Parton picks up and injury and after failing to run it off is replaced by Hartley. On 50 minutes the front row swap over and Jamie’s George’s first touch of the ball is a kick ahead. Mr Woodthorpe gives Gloucester a penalty when it looks like Earl has won the ball cleanly. It doesn’t matter, Gloucester’s lineout isn’t working and Sarries regain the ball. Sarries have a penalty in front of the posts but kick for touch. The catch and drive works and Willis emerges with the ball for try no.5. Again Faz misses the extras but at 32-0 it doesn’t really matter.

And now we enter that diabolic final quarter. Faz departs the scene, his hamstring having come through a 60 minute work out. McFarland also heads for the showers and along with those guys goes all sense of shape, purpose, discipline and common sense. I’m not blaming Manu and Nick Isiekwe who replace them, but with Faz gone it’s like a 6 year old birthday party when mum has to go and answer the front door. Bedlam! All hell breaks loose.

It starts with a pretty soft Gloucester try – a kick ahead from the replacement hooker that none of the Sarries pick up on but Hathaway is on the ball and scores Gloucester’s first. Sarries seem to regroup and immediately Manu breaks (why have we never tried him at centre?) and finds Hartley who scores and gives Manu an easy conversion for 39-5. Billy replaces Tom Willis and Simpson comes on for Davies. That really does let the cat out. It seems the management (I presume) don’t trust Manu so Goodey plays 10 ½ and babysits him and the team loses its shape.

More ill luck with the officials when a long kick ahead is fielded by Gloucester in the dead ball area but it appears the full back puts his foot over the line. The referee awards a 22 drop out as the error is shown for all to see on the big screen. Jamie points it out to Mr Woodthorpe but he isn’t listening. Hartley breaks again and this time finds Cinti who dives over Hathaway to score Sarries’ 7^th try which once again Manu converts. 46-5.

And now it begins. A wild long pass from the back of the scrum from Simpson goes straight to Hathaway who says “thank you very much” and scores his second. Again Atkinson misses the conversion but 46-10 and Gloucester have a sniff. From the restart it happens again. This time Hathaway intercepts a loopy pass from Hartley for his hat-trick under the posts which Atkinson does convert for 46-17. We are all stunned into silence. How did that just happen?

With 5 minutes left Billy finds himself with the ball in the Gloucester 22 but he panics and the attempt at a pass is knocked forward. Gonzales is down and after lengthy treatment ominously hobbles off the pitch. All subs have been used so we are down to 14 for the finale.

Gloucester win a dubious penalty in the Sarries 22. Someone disagrees and tells Mr Woodthorpe who immediately marches forward 10m. Will we never learn? The clock is in the red as Sarries turn the ball over and win a penalty of their own in the Gloucester 22. Kick it out? Or at least kick it long? But no the lunatics are in charge of the asylum and we tap and go, inevitably loose the ball and Gloucester score their 4^th try through Seb Blake. Worse still, Hartley seems to have picked up a needless and pointless injury during this totally unnecessary phase when it should have been all over. It doesn’t look good for the poor chap. The 2^nd half incredibly finishes 24-24.

And so we get the job done: but at what cost? We should be leaving StoneX on a high rather than feeling a bit down. One thing is clear: if we want a home semi, we are going to need to win at the Rec. Over to you Mark.

Saracens

Goode, Segun, Cinti, Tompkins, Parton (Hartley), Farrell (Manu Vunipola), Davies (Simpson); Mako Vunipola (Mawi), Dan (George), Riccioni (Hoskins), Itoji, McFarland (Isiekwe), Gonzales, Earl, Willis (Billy Vunipola)

Gloucester Rugby

Barton (Nixon), Hathaway, Hillman-Cooper, S Atkinson (Reeves), Morris (Jones), C Atkinson, Englefield (Chapman); Vivas (Elrington), Socino (Blake), Balmain (Knight), Clark, Thomas, Tuisue (Eite), Ludlow, Clement.

 SCORERS:

Saracens (46)  Tries: Parton (3), McFarland, Willis, Hartley, Cinti; Conv: Farrell (2), Manu Vunipola (2); Pen: Farrell

Gloucester (24)  Tries: Hathaway (3), Blake; Conv: C Atkinson (2)

 Referee: Anthony Woodthorpe

Attendance 10,500