Andy Christie upstages Lions hopefuls to keep Saracens on track for immediate Premiership return

Nottingham 0 Saracens 56

If the scoreboard alone is to be believed, then Saracens’ British and Irish Lions hopefuls could have done little more to state their case in their final outing before Warren Gatland’s squad announcement on Thursday. The truth, however, was that this was far from a convincing performance, despite this eight-try, bonus-point rout of Championship strugglers Nottingham.

Owen Farrell, Saracens’ captain, had an immaculate afternoon with the boot, at least – kicking all of his conversions – and the visitors’ collective machine was well oiled, but among all the Lions chatter, the individual star of this show was openside Andy Christie. If the Saracens flanker carries on in this manner, it will not be long until Eddie Jones comes calling.

Mark McCall, Saracens’ director of rugby, also acknowledged his side’s early sloppiness.

“We were a bit scrappy and scratchy in the first half,” he said. “But we were much better in the second – a lot more rhythm. The players really enjoyed the second half.”

On his Lions candidates, McCall added: “Warren has been very clear that international rugby is the big barometer of what he’s going to pick the squad from. He has an understanding of what our players can bring on tour, because they’ve all been on tour with him – bar Billy Vunipola – but we’ll keep our fingers crossed.”

Nottingham might not have won a match all season, but they did not let Saracens have it all their own way. No 8 Jordan Coghlan packed a punch on both sides of the ball, and even after Christie had barged his way over for the game’s opening score, Nottingham’s semi-professional soldiers stuck in the battle. They looked polished and pugnacious at times; some way off the 23rd best rugby team in England, as the tables suggest.

While Saracens were visibly frustrated early on – with director of rugby Mark McCall even kicking the stand in disgust after an unsuccessful offload from loosehead Mako Vunipola – it was palpable to the few in attendance at Lady Bay that the barrage would inevitably come, despite Nottingham’s insatiable courage. Christie was at the forefront once again for the visitors’ enterprising second try; the flanker’s sumptuous tip-on in midfield gave Saracens space in behind and, after a couple more cute passes, wing Alex Lewington glided over for his first try.

If Saracens’ second score was the pen, then their third was the sword.

Bludgeon after bludgeon came from the North Londoners, laying siege to the Nottingham line. It had been tough enough for 15 of Nottingham’s best to withstand such ballast and pressure, so when tighthead Ben Betts received a yellow card for a cynical ruck infringement, it became impossible. Centre Dom Morris extended Saracens’ lead after cutting the most incisive of angles from close range.

A half-time score of 21-0 was a fair reflection, too.

Saracens added two more scores with Betts still catching his breath. A motoring maul yielded a penalty try – and another Nottingham sin bin, lock Luke Frost – before Lewington went on a mazy run to bag his second.

With Saracens beginning to scythe through at will against tiring Nottingham legs, the pace of Elliot Daly came to the fore. After the full-back’s midfield break, he fed scrum-half Tom Whiteley on an inside tracking line to score. Replacement prop Eroni Mawi’s score from close range only further proved Saracens’ dominance in the tight exchanges, before centre Harry Sloan darted over at the end for a flourish.

Saracens’ hopes of an immediate rebound to the Premiership remain on course. What happens on Thursday, however, with eyes on South Africa, remains to be seen.

Scores: 0-5 Christie try; 0-7 Farrell con; 0-12 Lewington try; 0-14 Farrell con; 0-19 Morris try; 0-21 Farrell con; 0-28 penalty try; 0-33 Lewington try; 0-35 Farrell con; 0-40 Whiteley try; 0-42 Farrell con; 0-47 Mawi try; 0-49 Farrell con; 0-54 Sloan try); 0-56 Farrell con.

Nottingham: J Stapley, H Graham (H O’Connor 38, Graham 48), D Williams, C Thacker (T Manihera 51), J Browning, M Riddington, A Dolly (M Stronge 60); A Sio (T Williams 55), J Farnworth (c), B Betts (H O’Connor 55), C Allen (T Manz 51), L Frost (J Poullet 47), W Ryan, C Kirwan (G Cox 64), J Coghlan (S Evans 64).

Yellow card: Betts, Frost.

Saracens E Daly, A Lewington, D Morris, D Taylor (H Sloan 59), R Segun (W Hooley 67), O Farrell (c), T Whiteley (A Day 58); M Vunipola (E Mawi 51), T Woolstencroft (J George 51), A Clarey (V Koch 51), M Itoje, J Kpoku (C Hunter-Hill 59), J Venter (J Wray 30), A Christie, B Vunipola.

Referee: A Woodthorpe.