MATCH REACTION | Alex Austerberry (PWR Rd 13)

Director of Rugby Alex Austerberry was left relieved, as his side eventually managed to pull clear to secure a bonus-point victory over Leicester Tigers at StoneX Stadium.

In a match that looked to be on a knife-edge with an hour gone, Saracens managed to score four tries towards the end of the match to take the game away from the Tigers. Austerberry admitted that his side weren’t at their best throughout but praised the impact of returning fly-half Zoe Harrison.

“I don’t think we were at our best today, but we saw glimpses in the last 20 minutes of what we can do. We saw Zoe’s impact but also the impact of the squad we’ve got when we’re playing on the front foot.”

Austerberry has faced a number of selection dilemmas this season and he explained that his returning players were having to earn their spot back in the side.

“They are all pushing each other to be better. It gives me a selection headache but it’s one that I enjoy having. It was Zoe’s second start today and with the players we’ve got coming back in, it’s not a given that they will instantly walk back into the side. They’ve really had to earn it and we’ve got a competitive environment that is making people better.”

The previous match between the two sides saw the Tigers put Sarries under pressure for the first 20 minutes and they did the same for the best part of an hour in North London. Austerberry praised the visitors for their performance, as his side eventually managed to pull clear.

“We spoke before the game about how we were put to the sword at their place in the first 20 minutes. Today was another notch up from that and it was a very challenging game. They challenged us all over the pitch and we struggled to build momentum in the right areas of the pitch. That continued until the last quarter when we finally managed to pull away. We then managed to play with the intent we wanted, and we were able to express ourselves in attack. That eventually reaped its rewards.”

The DoR laughed when admitting that the match had given him a few more grey hairs, but smiled when he admitted that five points were all-important for his side.

“The scoreline doesn’t reflect how tight that match was. Ultimately, if you tuned in and watched, you’ve seen a game with two teams going hammer and tongs against each other until the 65^th minute when we managed to get the ascendency. I might have a few more grey hairs after that, but I don’t mind that if we come away with five points!”

Next week, Austerberry’s side face a huge test away at a Bristol Bears side that have been picking up some crucial wins in recent weeks.

Heading into the match at Shaftesbury Park, the DoR highlighted the challenge his side would be facing.

“We know from the game against Bristol at home that they will be really challenging. Their driving maul has been really effective in the last few games, and we know how well they want to attack. It’s going to be a real test. They played down their chances earlier in the year and said that teams had written them off, but I can guarantee you that we weren’t one of those teams. You can see their quality and you can see what they can do, so we know next week is going to be a massive test.”