Bathtime!
By Darraghgirl
May 7 2013
There was a definite “end of term” feeling to Sarries’ final game of the regular season. It wasn’t really surprising given that there wasn’t much hanging on the match for Saracens. Having already secured a home semi-final, the team only needed a single point against a club with only one away win all season (and that back in September) so maybe it was forgivable that a number of player’s minds seemed to be more on the Awards Dinner later that evening than the game in hand!
It was a chance to say goodbye to several players, all on the subs bench, with Carlos Nieto, John Smit and Joe Maddock all retiring. It was also a last game in a Bath shirt for several of their stalwarts including Michael Classens, “former Sarrie” Simon Taylor and Stephen Donald (who failed a late fitness test). Sarries were virtually at full strength apart from Alex Goode who was given a week off and the injured Brad Barritt and Will Fraser. Bath were also missing several players. As well as Donald, Abendanon and Banahan were also absent sick.
The tone of the match was set when the usually reliable Chris Wyles was impeded by Brits as he tried to field a high ball which ricocheted off his foot and straight into Bath hands for an early Bath attack. The scrum was also looking ominous with Bath winning a penalty. Stand-in fly-half Tom Heathcote’s kick was well wide as the wind took it far to the right of the posts.
Sarries won a penalty just inside the Bath half. There seemed to be a lot of debate between Farrell and Hodgson presumably about who and where. Eventually the “who” was Charlie and the “where” was the far corner – only he misjudged the breeze and the kick ended up over the dead-ball line. Things didn’t improve much for Charlie when his next pass was intercepted by Bath. Fortunately they eventually managed the pass the ball back into their 22 and then kick it out on the full. Referee Martin Fox seemed reluctant to take the lineout back but eventually the calls from the supporters seemed to convince him. From the lineout, Sarries set up a driving maul from which De Kock popped up with the ball and after a neat run passed out wide to Ashton who waltzed round the last Bath defender and touched the ball delicately down. His efforts to make the conversion easier for Farrell were to no avail, the wind again took the kick wide. It was obviously NOT going to be a day for the kickers!
Further Sarries’ pressure from an overlong restart (something which Bath persisted with throughout) saw another attack in the Bath 22. Stevens carried the ball well on to Borthwick. He found Brits who passed to Vunipola who again charged for the line. An illegal knock on by Mercer resulted in 10 minutes rest for him and a kick in front of the posts. There were calls from the faithful to go for the scrum but even in these conditions it was a certain 3 points and Farrell did the right thing.
Wyles redeemed himself with a super take from the restart despite an illegal challenge in the air. Sadly Charlie misjudged the breeze again and didn’t find touch. He compounded the error with a poor pass to Wyles which resulted in a knock-on and a potentially dangerous Bath scrum eventually rescued by a super Kelly Brown steal. Third time lucky, Charlie finally found a good touch from yet another penalty and from the line out, the catch and drive was unstoppable. Vunipola appeared with the ball, spun out of a tackle then touched the ball down in the corner, just lifting his feet at the last possible moment to clear the touchline. It went to the TMO but he could find nothing wrong. Inevitably Farrell missed the touchline conversion but Sarries were a comfortable 13-0 ahead with a quarter of the match gone.
Things looked even better with a lovely break from De Kock which he off-loaded to Vunipola. He passed out to Ashton from the tackle and Ash did what he does best and scored. Despite Roy Maybank, the touch judge, being in line and not seeing a problem, Martin Fox referred it to the TMO. It looked at worse flat (and even reviewing it on TV back at home it still looked OK), but the TMO adjudged the pass forward and the try didn’t stand. Bath won a penalty from the resulting scrum and the danger was cleared.
Fortune seemed to be favouring Bath. A high tackle by Farrell on Heathcote led to him being sent to the bin and set up a period of attacking play by Bath. Eventually they won a kickable penalty but (probably wisely) put the ball in the corner and then gave Sarries some of their own medicine with a catch and drive over the line and a try for Webber. Heathcote kicked a tricky conversion and at half time Bath were back within 6 points.
Kyle Eastmond didn’t appear for the second half, having picked up a knock and was replaced by a very lively Tom Biggs. Heathcote missed another rather ambitious (given the wind) kick at goal. Then from another lineout (definitely Sarries’ weapon of choice) De Kock burst through the Bath defence and passed inside to Farrell who showed quite an impressive turn of foot to score by the post. He also managed a straightforward conversion and Sarries were back in the comfort zone and 3 tries to the good at 20-7. We hoped they might go for the jugular now but it wasn’t to be. Inevitably the raft of substitutions began. For Bath Batty replaced Webber and Spencer replaced Day and for Sarries there was the inevitable scrum half switch and a huge round applause for De Kock (who seems to get better with age) and Borthwick for once got to put his feet up early with Botha replacing him. Biggs might have scored but knocked the ball on. There was a bit of comedy when Classens took a quick tap penalty which bounced of the referee and Martin Fox opted to allow him a second go. Brits and Charlie departed for Smit and Duncan Taylor. Heathcote turned down a kickable penalty and put the ball in the corner. Initially Sarries seemed to have it covered but then Bath set up a rolling maul. The ball came out wide to Agulla who touched down. Once again the TMO could find nothing wrong and Heathcote kicked a superb conversion, judging the wind perfectly and once again Bath were back within a score.
Things could have got even worse when the ball squirted out of the scrum (possibly illegally) and was hoofed towards the Sarries’ tryline. Strettle just beat Biggs to the ball but Biggs kept his wits about him as the ball rebounded and it took quick thinking from Taylor to carry the ball over. Smit seemed to strengthen the Sarries’ scrum and they won a penalty from a potentially dangerous situation and cleared their lines.
More changes, Gilbert replaced Mercer, Perenise replaced Wilson and Catt replaced James(the Bath front row had done well against the Lions) and for Sarries, Gill and Nieto were the new props. Immediately Sarries won a scrum against the head. To huge applause, Stringer replaced Classens. Bath conceded another penalty and this time Farrell kicked the goal to give Sarries a 9 point cushion. The final raft of subs appeared with Maddock replacing Ashton and Kruis replacing Hargreaves and Taylor departing in favour of Koster for Bath. Sarries had a chance down Wyle’s wing but he lobbed a high forward netball pass to Farrell. The game could have ended with a fairy tale when following a Bath knock-on Martin Fox played advantage and Saull kicked ahead. Maddock appeared with the ball and set off unopposed for the try line. It would have been a fitting end to his career and the 4 try bonus point but Martin Fox was no fairy godmother and for some reason blew his whistle and called play back.
So a scrappy game came to an end. Sarries finished top of the League for the first time ever. A home semi had already been secured and it was soon apparent that we would be welcoming our old friends from Northampton to Allianz next Sunday. Exeter staged a miracle come-back against Gloucester and took the final Heineken place so Bath left empty handed.
It truth, we shouldn’t really be too worried who we play in the semi’s, after all we are unbeaten this season against all 3 of the other teams. But we’ll need to raise our game a couple of gears against the Saints who will be out for a bit of revenge. I hope Barritt’s tweet that there was nothing much wrong and he hoped to play will prove correct because we are a much better team with him at 12.
As the regular season drifted into a beautiful May evening, the players wandered round saying their farewells. Brits was a star as ever giving his socks to a little lad in the East stand and signing innumerable autographs. Let’s hope that for us, the season still has a few weeks to go!
Saracens
Wyles, Ashton (Maddock), Tomkins, Farrell, Strettle, Hodgson (Taylor), De Kock (Wigglesworth), Vunipola (Gill), Brits (Smit), Stevens (Nieto), Borthwick (Botha), Hargreaves (Kruis), Brown, Saull, Wray.
Bath
Devoto, Agulla, Williams, Eastmond (Biggs), Rokoduguni, Heathcote, Classens (Stringer), James (Catt) Weber (Batty), Wilson (Perenise), Day (Spencer), Attwood, Louw, Mercer (Gilbert), Taylor (Koster).
Scorers:
SARACENS: Tries:- Ashton
Vunipola
Farrell
Conv: Farrell
Pen: Farrell (2)
BATH: Tries: Webber
Agulla
Conv: Heathcote (2)
Referee: Martin Fox
Attendance 9,998 (so how come there were at least 10 seats near me?)
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Thanks DG for the Barf match report.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2013:05:10:09:50:58 by TonyTaff.
Well done!
Regardez mon visage. Suis-je bovvered?
I assume the attendance stat is the number of tickets sold, plus all season-ticket holders. No shows get included in the number.
It's a long time since Sports network paid anything!