Sarries score six in The Very Last London Derby vs Wasps

Saracens Storm 43-17 Wasps A.  Aviva A League.  Monday 15 December.  Allianz Park.  Aiming for a fifth straight win in the Southern Conference of the A League, a powerful display duly secured a bonus point victory for Saracens.  

Saracens' line up was marginally stronger, as Richard Barrington and Biyi Alo, the England u20 tighthead, accompanied hooker Jared Saunders in the front row. Captain Maro Itoje and Hayden Smith filled the lock roles whilst the back row consisted of Hayden Thompson-Stringer and Matt Hankin, with Nick de Jäger at number 8. The half-back combination featured Ben Spencer and Nils Mordt, with George Perkins and Mike Ellery on the wings, Thretton Palamo and Tim Streather in the centres and Catalin Fercu at full back.  Wasps fielded a side roughly half academy / first team, most notably lock James Cannon, with 77 first first team appearances and tighthead prop Phil Swainston, who has featured 47 times for the first XV. Former Bedford Blues winger Josh Bassett has five tries in 17 Wasps first team fixtures

Wasps took the lead in the first minute as Saracens failed to release the ball and Glyn Hughes made it 3-0 but Spencer replied from bang in front moments later. There was lots of early kicking on a cold night, but not as cold as Saturday! Soon, though Sarries enjoyed some sustained pressure up front as Spencer opted to kick for the corner. The ten metre lineout was easily claimed as Itoje went over in the right hand corner, and Spencer claimed a fine touchline conversion. They nearly had a second try on 14 minutes as they forced two five metre lineouts in quick succession but Wasps turned over. Home dominance continued as Ellery nearly set up Itoje for his second and the power in the scrum was sustained as Saracens forced a penalty from a Wasps scrum on their own line. Spencer latched onto the back of the maul and his sharp pass set up Ellery in the right corner after 17 minutes but the conversion was missed for 15-3

22 minutes in, Wasps finally put some phases together as they advanced into the Saracens 22, and forced a penalty but Buster Lawrence knocked on as the visitors looked to claim a try on the left. Moments later, the injured Spencer departed to be replaced by Tom Whiteley, as Saracens continued to dominate territory, but were forced to make another change as Hayden Smith made way for Mike Tredrea. Wasps missed another chance to get on the scoreboard when Mordt failed to gain much distance on a kick but the 20 metre lineout was crooked. With the half drawing to a close, they did narrow the gap as Bassett's brace started off a flowing move which he finished off just to the left of the posts. However, Sarries had the last word of the first half as Wasps failed to retain possession allowing Ellery to burst along the right touchline and Mordt to convert for 22-10 at the break

The hosts continued to hold the initiative in the second half, making three half time changes as Jack Culverhouse came on for Barrington, Nick Tompkins replaced Streather and Max Malins substituted during Ellery's head injury assessment, although he returned soon in the second half. Five minutes in, they secured the bonus point try. Practically faultless in the lineout all night, this was the source again as Itoje got his second at the end of the resultant maul, for 29-10. Saracens continued to enjoy the territorial advantage, but, just when they looked likely to claim a fifth try, Wasps instead got their second with a superb counter attack after a home move broke down inches from the line, allowing Bassett to get his second under the posts. However, as with their first try, the visitors conceded again almost immediately, as they made an error from the kick off. From the resultant scrum, a lightning move from Mordt and Fercu saw play switch quickly from right to left to set up Perkins in the left hand corner; Mordt adding to his good work by adding the extras from the touchline, making the score 36-17 with around 52 minutes played.

Mordt and Whiteley were causing problems with their kicking games too, most notably when a long distance kick from Mordt completely bamboozled the Wasps defence and saw the home side force a five metre lineout, but some resilient defending by the visitors somehow prevented a score. Perkins made way for Malins, as Saracens redoubled their efforts for another try in the closing 15 minutes, For the second time in the match, they won a penalty from a Wasps scrum on their own line, but, again, failed to add to the score. However, they finally added a sixth try after an incisive move from a scrum in the opposition 22, as Mordt fed Palamo, who impressed with his ball carrying all evening, and the ball was worked to Whiteley just to the left of the posts for a converted score. Josh Taylor, Billy Walker and Don Barrell were brought on for the last few minutes by the hosts.

So, an encouraging result and display which demonstrates Saracens' strength in depth, as they close the regular A League season with a home clash next Monday with London Welsh.

Saracens

15. Catalin Fercu 14. Mike Ellery (Max Malins 45 hia) 13 Tim Streather (Nick Tompkins 41) 12 Thretton Palamo 11 George Perkins (Max Malins 67) 10 Nils Mordt 9 Ben Spencer (Tom Whiteley 26) 1 Richard Barrington (Jack Culverhouse) 2 Jared Saunders (Josh Taylor 76) 3 Biyi Alo (Billy Walker 76) 4 Maro Itoje (c) (Don Barrell 78) 5 Hayden Smith (19 Mike Tredrea) 6 Haydon Thompson-Stringer 7 Matt Hankin 8 Nick de Jager

Wasps

15. Piers O'Conor 14. Tom Howe 13 Ollie Evans (Mike Dewar 77) 12 George Eastwell 11 Josh Bassett 10 Glyn Hughes 9 Josh Bliss (James Small-Edwards 62) 1 Alex Lundberg (Tom West 52) 2 George Edgson (Ian Browne 77) 3 Phil Swainston (Will Taylor 77) 4 Will Rowlands 5 James Cannon 6 Buster Lawrence (Will Wilson 77) 7 Oskar Hirskyj-Douglas 8 Ed Johnson