MATCH REACTION | Alex Austerberry (Allianz PWR Rd 16)

Director of Rugby Alex Austerberry was delighted, as his side put in a stunning display to secure a first victory at Sandy Park.

In the Devon sun, Saracens ran in nine tries, with Austerberry praising the way his side had risen to the challenge.

“It’s a really good performance against a very good side. We started incredibly well and were really clinical around those key elements of the game. We kept building on that. Exeter came out firing in the second-half and that presented some challenges in terms of controlling the game, but ultimately to come away from here with that result and that performance is really pleasing.”

When pressed on how impressed he was with a superb first-half showing that saw his side score six tries, Austerberry praised the way his side had dealt with the noise of the 2000 strong Exeter crowd.

“It was really good. We played a high-quality side who have perennially been in semi-finals and finals over the last few seasons and to start the way we did in a raucous atmosphere away from home was really impressive.”

On a day with a number of incredible performances, Sarah McKenna was named as Player of the Match, with Austerberry praising the fullback for her ability to find space on the field.

“Sarah McKenna is an outstanding player and has been for a long time. She’s a commanding presence with a great skillset and unbelievable vision. It was really good to see her getting a consistent run of time on the pitch after some of the injuries she’s had this season. It comes as no surprise to see the way she performs on the pitch, but sometimes you do just see there in awe because some of the things she sees and does on the field are just another level. It’s fantastic to have her in the group and brilliant seeing her get back to form and fitness.”

Having weathered the Exeter storm at the start of the second-half, Saracens found another level again in the final quarter, with the Director of Rugby crediting the impact of his players off the bench in terms of keeping the intensity high.

“It was testament to the character of the group and the players coming onto the field that we regained the momentum in the last quarter. I thought that we found a way to manage Exeter’s energy and then managed to re-establish ourselves. This was a very good performance, but there are plenty more challenges to come. One of those may well be Exeter in the knockouts, so we can’t take anything for granted.”

Next Saturday will be another huge test at home against champions Gloucester-Hartpury and Austerberry feels that the match will give his side a clear indication of where they are at heading into the semi-finals.

“Gloucester-Hartpury have been the benchmark for the last few years. They are champions for a reason and have gone unbeaten so far. We’ve had similar achievements, so we know how hard that is to achieve and how incredible their performances have been to get to that stage. We know next Saturday is going to be a real test. We’ve put ourselves in a very good position, but we still need to take care of business and hopefully that will be next week. It might be a battle, but it certainly isn’t going to be the war. It’s testament to the league that every week is a huge test. By the end of next week, we will have played three of the top four in our last few games, so we’ll have a really clear picture of where we’re at.”