Saracens

22 Nov 2009 - 16:55

Saracens maintained their perfect start to the Guinness Premiership with a 22-6 victory over Wasps at Vicarage Road.

It was a victory that owed much to the dominance of the Saracens pack who outmuscled their opponents and had the upper hand all match on a day when the heavy and wet conditions which was tailor made for the forwards.

Schalk Brits scored the only try of the game, breaking out the back of a rolling maul to sprint his way home and Derick Hougaard was on target with the boot as the visitors were penalised countless times at the scrum as Sarries recorded their eighth consecutive league victory.

Sarries started the game in terrific form. The downpours that hit Vicarage Road before kick-off abated and Derick Hougaard gave Saracens the lead after five minutes when Wasps Joe Simpson scrum half dropped a ball inside his own 22 and the home side forced a penalty.

The Sarries fly half had already seen a long-range effort hit the post in the swirling wind. However, Wasps went straight upfield and level the scores as Dave Walder struck a penalty from in front of the posts.

But it wasn’t long before Sarries were back on the scoreboard with a try that was made in the forwards. The pack powered on from a lineout with a drive that took them 20 metres upfield and as the Wasps maul shattered, Schalk Brits sprinted home to score. Hougaard converted.

Walder reduced the arrears when he struck another penalty in front of the posts, this time with the home side penalised at the scrum. From the restart, Sarries went straight upfield and won a penalty of their own at the scrum, and Hougaard made no mistake.

With the wet conditions and strong winds, it made play somewhat of a lottery as the half wore on with knock-ons and misdirected kicks a regular occurrence.

But one thing that was certain was Sarries dominance in the scrum in the opening 40 minutes. It led to one more chance for Sarries to score in the game but Hougaard’s kick with the final play of the half drifted wide.

Straight after the break, Walder saw a long range effort go wide of the posts and Hougaard also had two long range attempts go wide with a drop goal chance also dropping just short.

But he was on target minutes later when the forwards created yet another great platform for the fly half and his drop goal sailed through the posts.

The Sarries pack were enjoying a field day and they piled forward once again on the hour, driving the visitors deep back into their own 22. After trundling forward for 20 metres, the penalty came and Hougaard made no mistake.

The forwards did it again on 70 minutes. Wasps had a scrum deep inside their own 22 and the Sarries forwards piled into their opposite numbers and won the penalty, Hougaard scored to make it 22-6 with 10 minutes remaining.

Wasps tried in vain to get a consolation score in the final minutes but the Sarries defence held firm for yet another impressive display from the Premiership league leaders.

Saracens line-up: Goode, Cato (Penney 50), Ratuvou, Barritt (Powell 62), Tagicakibau, Hougaard, Barrett (Marshall 50), Gill (Lealamanua 73), Brits (Reynecke 70), Nieto (Skuse 50), Vyvyan, Ryder (Botha 50), Van Heerden (Barrell 70), Saull, Joubert.