MATCH REACTION | Duncan Taylor (AC Rd 2)

Backs Coach Duncan Taylor praised a ‘real step in the right direction,’ as his side got their Allianz Cup campaign back on track with a bonus-point victory against Loughborough.

In a high-scoring affair, Leanne Infante’s try took Saracens over a score clear, before the side held on in the final moments for a deserved win.

“It was a real step in the right direction, I think. There were a lot of big battles out there, but the way we played in the final five minutes, and to defend the way we did on our try line was really positive.”

In both cup matches thus far, Saracens have offered some real glimpses of their attacking threat, and Taylor felt that his side had shown some real ‘rugby-smarts’ in their first away fixture.

“There were a lot of attacking opportunities out there and I felt that we really mixed up the kicking game well to get into the right parts of the field.”

Even in victory, there are still thing to work on for the side, with Taylor highlighting the breakdown and the clinical edge as two places that his side can fix up in the coming weeks.

“There’s still loads to work on though, but that’s great. We need to look at our ruck speed and our breakdown. I think we were still a little bit off at times during the game. We also need to look at being more clinical in their 22. We’re creating chances really well, but we need to improve the way we’re finishing them off.”

With a three-week break until the side are next back in action, Taylor believes that they are improving with every minute on the field.

“We’re taking steps forward which is the most important thing. We’re getting better and better with every training session and every match. I hope we can continue to do that for the duration of the cup. If we keep doing that, then we’ll be in a really good place.”