Never on a Saturday - Exeter outclass Sarries
No blue boots
By Darragh girl (snr)
November 3 2010
"There is no greater disaster than to underestimate the enemy". The Chinese philosopher Laozi knew that in the 6th century BC. It's a shame the management of Saracens didn't. Instead of spending the week waltzing around a certain Mr. Gavin Henson they should have given their minds to a tango with Exeter Chiefs.
Anyone who watched the televised game last week between Chiefs and Irish would be well aware that this team is not the usual promotional cannon fodder but a team with ability and self belief and dare I say it pride. Something that seemed to be lacking among the home team this afternoon. Chiefs also lost their fly half and leading scorer Gareth Steenson during the Irish game but as often seems to be the way (anyone remember Billy Twelvetrees, Dave Walder or Freddie Burns ) his understudy Ryan Davis more than filled his boots with a faultless performance.
I have to admit to some concern when the team was announced. It was almost as if we were into the LV Cup a week early. Martin Johnson kindly gave us Barritt & Strettle back so what do we do? Put them on the bench and where was Saull or Brits, our leading try scorer, when we needed him? Squad rotation is all very well but this was disrespectful to the threat that Exeter posed. And we paid for it. Even the scoreboard seemed to be taking a win for granted – at the outset Saracens had 2 zeros while Exeter were allotted only one. How ironic. Little DG had her tonsils out last week and was feeling rather sorry for herself so she came along in the hope of being cheered up with a Sarries win! Some hope.
The match started in traditional fashion with Saracens conceding a free kick at the first scrum (following a fumble by de Kock who didn’t have one of his better days) for early engagement. Will they never learn? The half started fairly brightly with a couple of mauls (which Exeter managed to stop fairly easily) and eventually Goode received the ball in the Exeter 22 and grubber kicked it forward. Unfortunately the ball didn’t sit up and Luke Arscott got his hands on the ball first. Sarries had already been awarded a penalty but unfortunately Goode’s kick was wide. Sarries continued to attack, much of it started by the excellent Wyles but the passing forward and back along the line wasn’t going anywhere. The only option was to kick and we were treated to a succession of high balls from one fly half/full back to the other.
Goode broke free and beat 2 players passing to Wyles who beat 2 more and got the ball out to Joubert on the wing who acrobatically kept the ball in play. This led to an assault on the try line by the forwards but came to nothing when the ball was not released. Worse was to follow when at the end of the first quarter the Saracens scrum was penalised and Ryan Davis, starting his first premiership game for Exeter, converted without difficulty.
From the restart, Wyles continued to be the main attacking threat beating 3 players this time and recycling the ball well. The attack continued from Goode to Mordt who only had to pass to one of 2 players outside him for an almost certain try. Instead he kicked the ball directly into touch. In the light of the final result, possibly a game changing moment. Had we scored then who knows what might have happened. Eventually Sarries were awarded a penalty when Budgen took Burger out off the ball and this time Goode’s kick from wide on the left sailed between the posts for 3-3.
The half meandered on with multiple errors and a complete lack of urgency from Saracens. High balls were missed by everyone and bounced menacingly around, passes went straight into touch, balls were knocked on. Exeter had started to pose more of an attacking threat and much of the latter part of the first half was spent in the Sarries’ 22. The defence looked as if it would hold but eventually Andrew Higgins, who was a perpetual nuisance on the wing, broke free, offloaded to Arscott who put Davis in and he dummied neatly and went in almost under the posts. He converted his own try with the help of the uprights and Exeter went in for a cup of tea, deservedly 10-3 ahead.
We scanned the Sensations at half time to see if Gavin was amongst them but there was no sign of the orange one – and the music died before the end of the routine. Somehow on a day like today, that was very apt.
The second half started with at least some of the cavalry as Strettle and Barritt replaced Cato (who had looked reasonable) and Mordt (who hadn’t). Barritt immediately lent some direction and urgency to the back line who up to that point had seemed happy to pass the ball from left to right then right to left and go nowhere. But it was Exeter who looked the more threatening. Sarries won a penalty for offside which Goode kicked confidently for 6-10. At last we thought, maybe they’ll start to play now. More substitutions when Wiggy replaced de Kock (I said to little DG “hope none of the backs get injured”). Melck replaced Kelly Brown and Exeter brought on the dangerous Naqelevuki for Rennie and Alcott for Clark. All that resulted was a penalty to Exeter after an off the ball tackle and Davis restored the gap to 6-13 with an excellent kick.
George replaced the alarmingly short-haired Reynecke (hope this wasn’t the “Samson” effect) and Smith came on for Botha. Sarries began to attack the Exeter try line with Strettle and Barritt beginning to make an impact but the attack ended limply with an Exeter penalty. The kick failed to find touch and Sarries attacked again with Ratavou carrying well but failing to offload. Wyles, Goode, Tagi and Barritt all made breaks but the Exeter defence stood firm. The forwards picked and drove. They got themselves stuck against the upright but nobody could get the ball over the line. Eventually Ratavou broke free but missed Strettle who was unmarked outside him and would surely have scored. Alas, instead of a Sarries’ try, Exeter had a penalty to clear their lines.
Sarries managed to steal the line out and attacked again but were still unable to find any penetration. Their reward was another penalty which Goode kicked for 9-13 with 15 minutes to go. From the restart Sarries tried again. Strettle headed for the line but was stopped and although the forwards tried to ruck the ball over it was knocked on. Exeter had a scrum on their own 5m line. Surely time for our pack to put their hands up? But although not the cleanest ball, Exeter cleared. Someone charged down the kick and it could have gone anywhere but Exeter recovered quickest and cleared their lines. As the ball headed for the Sarries 22 we noted Barritt was down behind his own posts. Soon after, he left the field (apparently with a broken finger – Martin Johnson will not be pleased with us) leading to the ludicrous situation (which was almost inevitable given the original selection) of having to bring on a prop (Parr) for an inside centre.
With the departure of Barritt went any ambition from the backs. In fact worse was to follow when Exeter turned the ball over and Sturgess (the prop that is) held off the tackles of Wyles and Strettle and slid over the line with the 2 Sarries’ players hanging on grimly to his shirt tails. Davis converted from wide on the left for 9-20 and with 9 minutes to go, Sarries weren’t even in bonus point range and their hopes vanishing rapidly into the lengthening shadows of the Rouse Stand!
On Friday evening London Welsh scored 2 tries in 4 minutes to almost come back from the brink against Bedford. Surely if they could, so could Sarries! In the words of Eliza Doolittle “not bl@@dy likely”. In order to score a try, you need to both get hold of the ball and get into the opposition half and Exeter ensured that Sarries could do neither. In fact with just a couple of minutes left, Saracens conceded another kickable penalty which Davis again converted for 9-23 and the match was over.
“We didn’t underestimate them, they were just a lot better than we thought”. The wise words of Bobby Robson, in 1990. In truth this was a very bad day at the office. The forwards came off second best to the Chiefs and the backs looked clueless in the absence of Barritt. Only Wyles seemed to earn his match fee and even he seemed to have given up by the second half. Goode has a lot to learn still and it seems even more inexplicable to pair an inexperienced fly half with an even less experienced inside centre! Also it is difficult for Goode to control the game when he spent so much of it at the bottom of a ruck! The team was spared the wrath of little DG as she has no voice and is having to use sign language. Fortunately her signing vocabulary doesn’t extend to four letter words.
The premiership season is now a quarter over. We have won 5 and lost 2. Perhaps that doesn’t sound so bad except that none of our wins have been particularly convincing and despite playing 3 of the bottom 4, we haven’t scored more than 3 tries in any game, only 8 in total and none in the last 3 games (if you include the Heineken Cup). Contrast that with Northampton who have so far amassed 20 tries including 3 try bonus points (and another yesterday despite loosing their England players). Strange we are the only side to have beaten them!
One thing to consider. We have lost 4 times this season – and always on a Saturday! So if the management are listening please, no more Saturday games. SARRIES DON’T DO SATURDAYS. As for Exeter, congratulations on your first away win in the Premiership, you deserved it and we look forward to the return at Sandy Park when we hope to get our revenge. Unless of course it’s on a Saturday!
Saracens:
Wyles, Cato (Strettle), Ratuvou, Mordt (Barritt) (Parr), Tagicakibau, Goode, De Kock (Wigglesworth), Carstens (Skuse), Reynecke (George), Nieto, Borthwick, Botha (Smith), Brown (Melck), Burger, Joubert
Exeter Chiefs:
Arscott, Higgins, Dollman, Rennie (Naqelevuki), Foster, Davis, Thomas, Sturgess, Clark (Alcott), Budgen (Tui), Hayes, Hanks (Kimlim), Johnson, Scaysbrook, Baxter
Scores:
0-3 3-3 3-10 6-10 6-13 9-13 9-20 9-23
Scorers:
Saracens: Pen Goode (3)
Exeter Chiefs: Tries: Davis, Sturgess; Convs Davis (2); Pens Davis (3)
Ref: T Wigglesworth
Attendance 6,512
After Saturday's performance, perhaps the wisest course is to become philosophical.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2010:11:08:15:17:56 by Kat..
Bad news we visit Devon on a SATURDAY, arghhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!
