MATCH REPORT | Harlequins 20-14 Saracens Men
Saracens Men suffered defeat in the Gallagher PREM for the first time this season as they were beaten 20-14 by Harlequins at The Twickenham Stoop.
The Original Club of North London were playing catch up from early on and threatened to complete a thrilling comeback in the closing stages, but had to settle for a losing bonus point against their local rivals.
Sarries showed good intent in the opening exchanges, a spiral bomb from Owen Farrell caused chaos in the backfield and then Hugh Tizard almost put Tom Willis through a gap with a smart offload, but despite their intent it was Quins who would open the scoring.
Sustained pressure in the 22 put them within striking distance, and Marcus Smith danced his way over the linnet open the scoring with nine minutes played. He converted his own try to make it 7-0.
The hosts were enjoying most of the possession in the opening quarter and their huge physicality was putting the visitors under real pressure. Another spell in the 22 was quickly halted however as Willis’ excellent breakdown work earned his side a much needed penalty.
Quins had a huge chance to extend their lead with 20 minutes in the clock as they kicked a penalty to within five metres of the try-line, but some outstanding maul defence forced a turnover and gave Sarries some much needed ball.
They then used that ball in the best way possible to get on the board with a beauty of a try. Farrell put Lucio Cinti through a gap, and he drew in the final man before releasing Fergus Burke who ran clear from 30 metres. The conversion made it 7-7 with half an hour on the clock.
That seemed to spark the hosts back in to life who thought they had responded straight away as Smith danced over for his second, but after a TMO check the try was disallowed and Sarries breathed a huge sigh of relief.
From that scrum Quins did get a penalty however, and Smith kicked it through the posts to give his side a 10-7 lead with 33 minutes gone.
There was another chance for the hosts just before the break from turnover ball, but they kicked in behind and it trickled dead which allowed the visitors to clear their lines.
Sarries made one more opportunity from a penalty which was kicked to the corner but as they spread the ball wide it went forward, and then headed down the tunnel with a three point deficit.
It was a nightmare start to the second half for Sarries, as Quins pounced within two minutes of the restart to extend their lead. The visitors had possession but spilled it, and Tyrone Green hacked the ball ahead and won the footrace to dot down under the posts. The extras were added by Smith as the lead grew to 10 points.
Quins then had another chance to land a potentially knockout blow with a maul just five metres from the line, but more ferocious defence from the North Londoners just about kept them in touching distance.
Saracens were being forced to work off scraps with a lack of possession and territory, however they did manage to wrestle their way in to the 22 on the hour mark.
Two successive penalties gave them a five metre lineout, but the ball went forward at the breakdown which summed up a frustrating afternoon for them.
Just when it looked like the match might be slipping away from Sarries, they responded with a much-needed try to get right back in to proceedings.
Some great hands took them to within a few metres, and Farrell’s inch-perfect cross-field kick found Ben Earl in acres of space who dotted down in the corner. The conversion was a beauty, and brought Sarries back to only three points behind with 15 minutes to go.
Quins then thought they had put the game to bed with 10 minutes to go as Boris Wenger stretched over the line, but in dramatic fashion the try was disallowed for a double movement and somehow Sarries were still in it.
Just as the visitors looked to steal a march though, they were penalised for offside and Smith kicked it straight between the posts to give them a six point lead.
It all came down to the final minute with everything still to play for but eventually the hosts would stand firm and inflict a first defeat of the PREM season on Saracens.
