MATCH REACTION | Duncan Taylor (PWR Rd-2)

Backs coach Duncan Taylor was pleased with the performance, as his side put on an attacking clinic to secure local bragging rights over Trailfinders Women.

Saracens Women scored eight tries in all, and Taylor was pleased with the physicality his side brought to the game.

“It was really good. We delivered on the game plan and really took it to Trailfinders up front. We were super physical and direct in the first twenty minutes, which is exactly what we asked of the group. That set the platform for us to then play as we did. It’s pleasing to see that amount of points on the board but there’s still lots to work on, which is really brilliant.”

The target this week was to find an eighty-minute performance and, despite a few lapses in concentration, Taylor feels his side are certainly on the right path.

“We’re not a million miles away from a full eighty-minute performance. As coaches, you’re always searching for that and with the experience in this group, the players are exactly the same. We want to be ruthless and we know we can keep improving, which is really exciting going forward.”

Despite scoring four tries in each half, Taylor feels that his side can still be more clinical in attack, explaining that it will be a big focus for his side moving into training for the coming week.

“Our 22 efficiency was unbelievable last week but it wasn’t quite as clinical this week, so that’s something we’ll be looking at this week. We weren’t as clinical as we could be, but we know that if we can do that, we’ll be a tough side to stop. That efficiency was there in the first half, but we slipped off a little bit in the second-half, so that will be the big focus for us.”

After retiring from playing at the end of last season, Taylor has slotted seamlessly into the coaching staff for the women’s team. Saracens have been fluid in attack so far this season, but the backs coach was quick to credit the work of the squad and previous backs coach James Tirrell in creating the structures for the backline to flourish.

“It’s been great so far. I wouldn’t say that I’ve come in with a new ethos, it’s been about building on the structures that are already in place. James Tirrell put a lot of effort into the attacking structure over the last few years and the group have been working really hard on it. For me, I want the players to be excited about having the ball in their hands and excited about looking to attack. With the forwards we’ve got this season too, they will hopefully be able to give us the platform to do that. We want to test ourselves and we want to show that we’re a muliti-dimensional side.”