Saracens 24 London Irish 20 - About taking chances

Paddy Lennon reports from Vicarage Road, Watford.

Neil De Kock said in all to Peter Hewat in the Players’ Tunnel after the match, “You guys played all the football!”  The outstanding Saracens’ captain was commiserating with his former Super 12/14 rival, now London Irish’s full back on the Exiles’ defeat.

It was a defeat that sits uncomfortably with the Exiles’ players and management. As De Kock confirmed Irish played the better rugby over the 80 minutes and their efforts deserved better than a losing bonus point however, they will regret not taking the chances that they worked so hard to create.

Crucially a Glen Jackson knock-on five metres from his try line and in front of the posts in the 67th minute went unpunished. Irish were awarded the scrum which was set twice but good defence and lack of penetration eventually resulted in a drop goal attempt by Hewat which missed.

Irish had other chances throughout the game but a combination of handling errors and aggressive defence meant that the turnover count was high. Not that Saracens were any better, the difference was that they took their chances, especially the vital match-winning score in the 77th minute.

Undoubtedly the bitterly cold wind blowing from north to south down the Vicarage Road pitch made handling difficult. Another factor was the high stakes attached to the game for both clubs.  Saracens needed to win to retain their place in the top four of the Premiership whereas Irish wanted maximum points to move decisively out of the bottom four in the league.  

Irish started well but failed to capitalise on a Gordon Ross knock-on inside his 22 in the opening minutes.  It fell to Delon Armitage to open the scoring for Irish with an eight minute try. The outside centre, showing the form and strength seen in recent weeks, resisted the efforts of two defenders as he finished off an attack that featured Tomas De Vedia and David Paice. Hewat missed the conversion.

The home team lost no time in reducing the deficit when Ross sent a classic drop goal between the posts within a minute of the restart. The Scottish international ensured his team took the lead with a penalty in the 14th minute, he added his second five minutes later to take the score to 9-5.

An accidental clash of heads between Peter Hewat and Rodd Penney meant that the Exiles’ kicking duties passed temporarily to Delon Armitage who made Saracens pay with an outstanding 49 metre penalty in the 22nd minute. The 24-year-old had the disappointment of seeing an easier chance drift right of the right upright in the 27th minute as Irish tried to capitalise on the possession and territory that they had worked so hard to dominate. With eight minutes of the opening half remaining Mike Catt had a drop goal attempt go wide and it looked as if Irish would rue the missed chances.

Armitage finished off the half with one successful penalty in the 37th minute and an unsuccessful kick in the 39th minute to leave the score 9-11 to Irish at the break.

It was clear by the way Saracens set about their business form the restart that a stern lecture had been delivered by their coaches at half-time. Glen Jackson replaced Gordon Ross at fly half and it took him just two minutes to show his hand with a drop goal that went straight between the posts.

Prompted by De Kock, the former New Zealand international set about orchestrating play to telling effect.  Seilala Mapusua prevented a try-scoring opportunity by taking the ball into touch. Richard Haughton threatened when he took a Jackson cross-field kick.

Irish counter-attacked dangerously on 50 minutes with a multi-phase movement that was halted with a ruck. A Saracens’ player infringed and Hewat sent the resulting penalty between the posts to re-gain the lead 12-14.

The exchanges were fast and furious as the home team took the game to their visitors. In the 54th minute centre Adam Powell burst through midfield from 15 metres to touch down under the posts leaving Jackson with the easiest of conversions - 19-14 to the home team.

A thrilling break down the right wing by Hewat and Declan Danaher threatened but the flanker was stopped before he could offload to De Vedia on his outside. Hewat reduced the deficit to two points with has second successful penalty in the 57th minute.

Both teams introduced a number of replacements as the game entered its final quarter. While the exchanges lacked nothing in competitiveness and commitment, the turnovers continued. The crucial Jackson fumble came in the 67th minute but it went unpunished by Irish.

A Catt-De Vedia cross-field, kick-catch combination just failed to come off before Delon Armitage restored the lead to Irish in the 72nd minute with another superbly struck penalty from 48 metres.

Eight minutes to go and all to play for. Jackson once again took charge as Saracens pressed for the match-winning score. Irish defended bravely and intelligently but the pressure was unrelenting. Then came the decisive, controversial penalty in the77th minute. Irish were penalised for offside at the ruck and retreated expecting the kick, instead Jackson took a quick, cross-field kick to the left corner where Haughton was flying in to catch the ball and touch down for the try. Jackson missed the conversion but the five points meant that Irish had to score a try to win. To their credit they took the game to Saracens from the re-start but it was to prove futile as the home team protected their lead to the final whistle.

Scorers: Saracens: Tries: Powell (54), Haughton (78); Conversion: Jackson.Drop goals: Ross (9), Jackson (42); Penalty goals: Ross 2 (14, 19).  LondonIrish: Try: Armitage, D (8).  Penalty goals: Armitage, D 3 (22, 37, 72), Hewat 2 (50, 57).

Scoring sequence(Saracens first):  0-5, 3-5, 6-5, 9-5, 9-8, 9-11 (half-time) 12-11, 12-14, 19-14, 19-17, 19-20, 24-20.

Saracens: R Haughton, R Penney (rep: F Leonelli, 32), K Sorrell, A Powell, K Ratuvou, G Ross (rep: G Jackson, 40), N De Kock (captain)(rep: M Raulini, 57), N Lloyd, M Cairns, C Visagie (rep: C Johnston, 50), T Ryder (rep: I Fullarton, 57), H Vyvyan, K Chesney, D Seymour (rep: B Skirving, 62), P Gustard.

London Irish: P Hewat, T De Vedia, D Armitage, S Mapusua, S Tagicakibau, M Catt, P Richards,  D Murphy, D Paice, T Lea’aetoa (rep: R Skuse, 63), N Kennedy, B Casey (captain), K Roche (rep: S Armitage, 63), D Danaher, P Murphy.               

Referee: Mr Dean Richards (RFU)

Attendance: 9,020         

Match Statistics

	24-10
T C P DG Player         Nick Lloyd         Matt Cairns         Cobus Visagie         Tom Ryder         Hugh Vyvyan         Kris Chesney         David Seymour         Paul Gustard         Neil de Kock     2 1 Gordon Ross         Kameli Ratuvou 1       Adam Powell         Kevin Sorrell         Rodd Penney 1       Richard Haughton         Andy Kyriacou         Cencus Johnston         Iain Fullarton         Ben Skirving         Mosese Rauluni     1 1 Glen Jackson         Francisco Leonelli	Position 1. L/Prop 2. Hooker 3. T/Prop 4. Lock 5. Lock 6. B/Flanker 7. O/Flanker 8. No 8 9. Scrum-half 10. Fly-half 11. Wing 12. Centre 13. Centre 14. Wing 15. Fullback 16. Sub 17. Sub 18. Sub 19. Sub 20. Sub 21. Sub 22. Sub	Player T C P DG Dan Murphy         David Paice         Tonga Lea'aetoa         Nick Kennedy         Bob Casey         Kieran Roche         Declan Danaher         Phil Murphy         Peter Richards         Mike Catt         Sailosi Tagicakibau         Seilala Mapusua         Delon Armitage 1   3   Tomas De Vedia         Peter Hewat     2   Richard Skuse         Danie Coetzee         James Hudson         Richard Thorpe         Steffon Armitage         Paul Hodgson         Toipsy Ojo