Defiant Saracens reaffirm Premiership favourites status after beating Bristol

Bristol Bears 20 Saracens 41

This tussle represented a microcosm of a fascinating campaign in which challengers are aiming to dethrone Saracens, who have endured difficult patches and yet will still feel confident of retaining their title. They have had far more convincing seasons, but will take some stopping.

Mark McCall’s men are often at their best when spurred by defiance. Whether or not they were motivated by the fall-out from Billy Vunipola’s misadventure, here was another stirring statement.

Industrious, wily defence foiled Bristol Bears, whose season now hangs on beating Harlequins, and Saracens escaped a second-half spell in which they were reduced to 13 men following yellow cards to Maro Itoje and Ben Earl.

They enjoyed slices of fortune. That said, McCall’s charges stood tallest in the pivotal moments and produced plenty of incisive attack. Roared on from the stands by Brendan Venter, over on a consultancy stint, Saracens delivered a display that looked ominous for the rest of the Premiership.

Elliot Daly starred from full-back, Juan Martín González was imperious in the back row and Itoje bagged a double before being sin-binned. Owen Farrell steered matters. McCall applauded “effort and smarts”, remarking that his team’s defence was as good as he could remember.

“We were 41-0 down at Sandy Park in the first game of the Premiership,” he said. “There have been other tough moments this season, but there have also been enough strong collective performances along the way.”

Saracens must still beat Sale Sharks to secure a home semi-final and it is no guarantee that they will even reach Twickenham. Even so, Northampton Saints, Bath and others will feel sick if they do not capitalise on the holders’ palpable stage of transition.

“The thing with Saracens is that you have to stay within one score or be ahead,” admitted Pat Lam, the Bristol director of rugby. “When you’re chasing a game, they make it difficult.”

The contest was beautifully poised. Bristol were on a tear of six consecutive Premiership victories with Saracens quietly resurgent. Warm sunshine bathing Ashton Gate’s pristine surface invited everyone to throw off the shackles.

McCall had retained Billy Vunipola despite the latter’s boozy incident in Mallorca, deploying him on an imposing Saracens bench that featured six forwards.

Benhard Janse van Rensburg clattered Marco Riccioni from the kick-off before Joe Batley opened the scoring to reward Harry Randall’s snipe. AJ MacGinty’s 40-metre strike sent Bears 10-0 up until a rapid riposte.

Farrell slipped a pass that was batted down by Siva Naulago. The Bristol wing was sin-binned and gave up three points. MacGinty replied before Bristol left the door ajar and paid for their reluctance to kick. Ellis Genge fumbled inside his own 22 and Itoje, set up by González, stretched over.

Another lapse from Bristol allowed Saracens to level. Farrell tapped a penalty and, with the help of Ivan van Zyl, stole 30 metres up the middle. Elliot Daly, assuming responsibilities from the tee because of Farrell’s tight groin, converted a penalty.

In a flash, Saracens were ahead. González rose to nab a line-out and Farrell drove a superb 50:22 over the head of Max Malins, setting the platform for Itoje’s second try.

Saracens were warned for persistent infringing at the beginning of the second period. However, defensive desperation won out. Bristol fumbled and Saracens hacked clear, forcing a penalty on the chase. Daly was on target again.

Itoje, who had evaded a ban to feature, received a yellow card for a high tackle on Steven Luatua and Earl joined him in a procession to the sin bin after scything down the maul that followed. Bears hit the corner and Harry Thacker benefitted from a pushover.

Against 13, Bristol could not keep their composure. In the absence of MacGinty, off injured, they went across their 22 and Janse van Rensburg flung the ball into touch. Saracens picked up a breakdown penalty, kicked by Daly, and controlled the clock shrewdly before landing two body blows.

Another stolen line-out brought about Rotimi Segun’s score while Saracens were still down to 13. The rope-a-dope was promptly completed by a slicing counter. Daly instigated it, with Lucio Cinti loping through to feed González. Saracens would have had a fifth try if an unmarked Theo McFarland had caught Farrell’s cross-kick.

Billy Vunipola’s cameo arrived late on and, fittingly, Saracens ended the game on the back foot, Alex Goode denying Bristol with a last-gasp tackle on Noah Heward. Do Saracens have the pedigree to hold off promising contenders and win another Premiership? They certainly relish that sort of task.

Match details

Scoring: 5-0 Batley try, 7-0 MacGinty conversion, 10-0 MacGinty penalty, 10-3 Farrell penalty, 13-3 MacGinty penalty, 13-8 Itoje try, 13-10 Farrell conversion, 13-13 Daly penalty, 13-18 Itoje try, 13-20 Daly conversion, 13-23 Daly penalty, 13-26 Daly penalty, 18-26 Thacker try, 20-26 Williams conversion, 20-29 Daly penalty, 20-34 Segun try, 20-39 González try, 20-41 Daly conversion
Half-time: Bristol Bears 13 Saracens 23
Bristol Bears: M Malins; S Naulago (N Heward, 72), B Janse van Rensburg, J Williams, G Ibitoye; AJ MacGinty (Vakatawa, 48), H Randall (K Marmion, 60); E Genge (J Woolmore, 68), G Oghre (H Thacker, 53), K Sinckler (M Lahiff, 64), J Dun (J Caulfield, 57), J Batley, S Luatua, F Harding, M Bradbury
Replacement not used: J Heenan
Saracens: E Daly; R Segun (A Goode, 76), L Cinti, N Tompkins, T Parton; O Farrell, I van Zyl (A Davies, 68); M Vunipola (E Mawi, 54), J George (T Dan, 54), M Riccioni (O Hoskins, 54), M Itoje (T McFarland, 61, H Tizard (N Isiekwe, 54), J Martín González, B Earl, T Willis (B Vunipola, 70)
Referee: Mr K Dickson
Yellow cards: Naulago 14; Itoje 51; Earl 52

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