Hook Line & Sinker
By J O'G
January 11 2015
What a cruel end, but to be honest it was the sort of game that could have gone either way. For about 20 minutes of the game, I was convinced Gloucester were going to win easily, only for the following 20 to be convinced we had it in the bag. I’m also not sure that Friday night games are as enjoyable to attend. The crowd seems a bit more aggressive than on a 3pm start. Certainly the crowd in the area I was sitting were not what I had come to expect in the Mira stand; the shed certainly, but in the expensive seats I was expecting a more decorum
Still the game started pretty well for Sarries and revealed a weapon that they were to use to great effect all evening. Sarries had a penalty out wide and Alex kicked for the corner. From the first catch and drive the pace was starting to pick up when Glaws brought it down. JP gave another penalty and Sarries started again. From slightly further out as Alex managed to kick backwards. This time the pace was a little faster and the line was beckoning when it was both dropped and a player came in from the side. Not sure if JP was considering a yellow card and a 3rd penalty when he decided the penalty try was the fair result. Actually I agree with him here; once a maul like that is going it’s a certain try unless it’s stopped illegally.
Glaws came back into the match strongly and although they didn’t really look like scoring, Sarries were missing enough tackles to look at risk. Kicking to the quality players in the cherry and white back 3 is a dangerous tactic unless the chase is up in a line and often it wasn’t. May and Staples made ground easily and it was a bit lucky that they were unable to join up with support when finally brought to ground. Sarries were able to get away with being offside quite a lot; playing the ref or rather the touch judge who was pretty useless all night. JP was much stricter on the rolling away and several penalties were given as Sarries defended well otherwise. From two of these Hook was able to claw back the difference to just one point.
At this point Gloucester were looking very good, driving well, but kicking probably too often for their own good. Sarries tackling was not up to their usual standard and keeping the ball in hand may have been a better option. However as the half wore on Sarries came back into the game, getting up to the 22 on a couple of occasions. The first penalty was a bit cynical; driving without going anywhere until Glaws offended on the ground. Shortly afterwards from a similar position Goode popped over his third kick to extend the lead to 6-13. Just as Sarries then looked in control, Gloucester popped back. From a fairly innocuous ruck close to the touchline, slack defending, allowed Robson to emulate Laidlaw who he had replaced. With a chip kick and a scamper up the touchline his senior partner would have been proud of, he dotted down just inside the in-goal touchline. It went to the TMO of course, but was awarded. Hook missed the kick and you could see that the wind was getting up; the posts were wobbling about.
Gloucester kept pressing and shortly afterwards Strettle went for an interception and knocked the ball forwards in the eyes of JP, deliberately. It seemed to me Stretts was a bit unlucky; he knocked the ball into the air, but then immediately ran into a Glaws player, so was unable to run and collect it. It’s the norm nowadays, that such an attempt in the 22 is a yellow card and so it proved. There was a bit of grumbling from the crowd as Hook went to take the kick. All the Sarries waterboys were on the pitch and as Hook ran up JP made them leave. It was enough to put Hook off and as the half-finished, Sarries were slightly ahead 11-13.
The wind picked up in the second half, and this enabled Glaws to kick themselves into the Sarries 22 whenever they wanted. Sarries were also unable to kick their way out so easily. But Sarries were able to use their lineout weapon to good use. Starting in their own half, they marched up to half-way before getting another penalty. Another kick to touch, another drive towards the line and this time Glaws paid the yellow penalty for bringing it down. It was almost a wasted yellow card for them to as with the next lineout the pack (plus a few backs) trundled over, with Billy getting the try. The wind was very strong now and Alex had no chance from the conversion. It was tricky as from short range, he would not have the angle and from longer range he was short. Later in the game he kicked another conversion from almost exactly the same spot with the same results: EyAw from the Shed.
Then came Glaws best spell of the match and a cracking try. They battered against Sarries defence with good old fashion forward drives. The defence was good though and Hook was held up over the line. Unfortunately, the 5 metre scrum wasn’t much help to Glaws or in fact England. Morgan picked up off the back of the scrum and was tackled. I didn’t see the replay which I’m sure was fairly horrific, but after a 10 minute delay for the stretcher Morgan was replaced after breaking his leg. The scrum was reset and this time Glaws made a better fist of it. They then set up a series of drives for the line which were held up, but you got a feeling it was only a question of time. It’s tricky in this situation given our wolfpack mentality as now I’m not sure we will repel it. The crowd was also getting rather irate, both with their own players and for some reason with Sarries. When there was finally a defence offense the crowd started baying for a yellow card to go with the penalty. No card and Hook took the 3 points. From the restart the best move of the game with slack Sarries defending and a mazy run I think from Sharples passing to a forward who carved through a big gap. He passed on to replacement Braley who scored with his first touch. Hook added the extras and Glaws were 3 points in front.
Then a bad tackle by George Kruis. Similar to the Gill one against Munster he tried hard to bring the player down well, but it was impossible. Fortunately, he came down on his hands, and after a TMO check and another baying Glaws crowd screaming for a red, it was only a yellow. Nothing came of the penalty and Sarries responded well by using their lineout advantage to its best. A penalty was put to touch, before that one was brought down. May was shown a yellow card and Wood was also seriously injured. There was another 10 minute break. The following penalty took them almost to the line. I believe JP’s arm was already out when Mako got the ball wide and crashed over for the score. Alex was unable to kick into the teeth of what was now a gale and Sarries were only 2 points ahead.
Glaws responded again and spent most of the rest of the match on or around the Sarries 22. With time running out they tried to get into drop-goal range. Hooks attempt was short and wide. Ransom played it out and ran up the touchline. I think Sarries were conscious of the bonus-point beckoning and kicked into the Gloucester 22. They ran it back and coughed it up in a knock-on. With time up, no full-back and advantage being played, NdeK went for a kick ahead for Ashton to chase. He won the footrace and dotted the ball down. A famous 5 point win beckoned probably against the odds and the crowd were angrily leaving the stadium. More than one pointed ‘cheat’ comment was raised at me and unfortunately at the lady in front of me. But as the TMO did his magic it was Graham Hughes all over again. Ashton was in front of the kick and the try disallowed; we should have come back for the Sarries scrum and gameover. Between them they decided incorrectly to give the penalty to Glaws. From the halfway line, Hook who was rubbish with the boot most of the evening, used the gale to creep it over.
Not a great end to a pulsating match, but on reflection Glaws probably deserved the win. They showed the most adventure and despite scrum and lineout advantage (around 20% of the set pieces were overturned by Sarries) not being with them they did use the ball better. To be honest apart from the lineouts Sarries didn’t really show much. They will have to play better next week
Gloucester: Sharples; Halaifonua, Atkinson, Twelvetrees (capt), May; Hook, Robson; Wood, Dawidiuk, Afoa; Savage, Stooke; Kalamafoni, Kvesic, Morgan.
Replacements: Hibbard, Y. Thomas, Knight, Hicks, G. Evans, Braley, Burns, Meakes.
Saracens: Ransom; Ashton, Bosch, Taylor, Strettle; Goode, Wigglesworth; M. Vunipola, George, Du Plessis; Kruis, Hamilton; Brown (capt), Burger, B. Vunipola.
Replacements: Sharman, Gill, Johnston, Itoje, Joubert, De Jager, Tompkins, Streather.
Referee: JP Doyle (RFU).
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2015:01:18:10:20:53 by TonyTaff.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2015:01:12:19:18:17 by tpr's headmistress.