MATCH REPORT | Saracens Men 65-14 Sale Sharks
A Noah Caluori inspired Saracens surged back up the Gallagher PREM table after an irresistible performance saw them thrash Sale Sharks 65-14 at StoneX Stadium.
The 19-year-old, who was making his first start in the league scored five tries on a day that will live long in the memory for everyone in North London.
The Original Club of North London scored 10 tries in total as they bounced back from the defeat last weekend in perfect style to move second in the league table.
Sarries had glimpses in the opening exchanges, a cross-field kick showed Caluori’s incredible aerial ability as he climbed above two players and plucked the ball out of the sky.
It was Sale who would strike first though with six minutes on the clock. They went side to side and with some intricate backs moves entered the 22, before the ball was spun wide to Bevan Rodd who bundled over the line from five metres out and scored in the corner. The conversion from George Ford went straight through to give his side a 7-0 lead.
The hosts struck straight back however to show their intent. A penalty was kicked to the corner and a neat move from the lineout saw Juan Martin Gonzalez crash over from just a metre out to open their account for the afternoon.
Their confidence was growing, and Caluori almost marked his first PREM start with an incredible solo try with 15 minutes gone. He won the ball in the air and got the ball on the wing, chipped ahead but the ball cruelly bounced dead to deny a certain try.
Sale extended their lead at the end of the first quarter though, a scrum in the 22 gave them the platform to attack and Rob du Preez ran straight through a gap to burst through under the posts. The conversion from Ford put them nine ahead, but Owen Farrell kicked a penalty straight from the restart to make it 8-14 with 22 minutes gone.
Sarries then took the lead with a try which will live long in the memory of those in attendance at StoneX. A lineout was taken and Caluori went straight through a gap, stepped two defenders and then he acrobatically dived under the posts to send the South Stand wild. Farrell’s conversion made it 15-14 as we approached half time.
Sale were looking to edge back ahead just before the break, and had a chance when they kicked in behind but a shove on Caluori which almost sent him over the advertising boards gave Sarries a penalty, and crucially a chance to exit the danger zone.
A crucial moment in the final play then gave Sarries breathing space as a penalty try tipped the first half well and truly in their favour. Sustained pressure in the 22 saw them within inches, and Farrell’s cross-field kick found Caluori who was taken out in the air when it looked for all money like he would dot down. The referee had no option but to award a penalty try, and also send Tom O’Flaherty to the sin-bin. That all meant that the home side headed down the tunnel with an impressive 22-14 advantage.
The second half couldn’t have started any better for Sarries as they scored their bonus point almost straight away. Tom Willis looked to be charging over in the corner but was brought down just short, however Hugh Tizard went over from the next phase to put them in complete control. The referee also showed Luke Cowan-Dickie a 20 minute red card for a high tackle in the build up.
It got even better just a minute later as the free-flowing hosts went from one end of the pitch to the other in the blink of an eye, and ended up with Caluori scoring his second to send the home fans in to delirium. All of a sudden, with a two man advantage, the lead was now 34-14 with 30 minutes remaining.
It didn’t stop there either. In one of the most memorable individual performances seen at StoneX for many years, Caluori completed his hat-trick in sensational style by stepping past three defenders and diving over to continue the rampant performance by the hosts.
Fergus Burke, who had been in the wars all afternoon then got a deserved try as he spotted an overlap and played a lovely one-two with Lucio Cinti to draw in the final man and then race clear to dot down under the posts.
Cinti almost got the favour returned when Theo Dan burst through and passed to him with the line at his mercy, but thrall went forward and the chance was missed.
Try number eight did arrive with 10 minutes left, another brilliant counter attack ended with an overlap and an inside pass to Ben Earl allowed the flanker to breeze over and give his trademark thumbs up to the North Stand.
Caluori then scored his fourth try of the match as an overlap on the left saw him breeze over and leave the home crowd even more stunned at this truly memorable individual display.
He then capped off an incredible evening with his fifth in the final play of the match with another long distance try to mark one of the best days StoneX Stadium has ever seen.
Sarries will now head to Northampton on Friday with a spring in their step after one of their finest performances for many years.
