Tiger Feat! Sarries take huge step to second spot

Much had been said above the respective strengths of the lines for this match and the semi-final next Saturday, but in practice, David Strettle was the only high profile player rested. The selection conundrum was eased in any case as Brad Barritt and Alistair Hargreaves made welcome returns from injury to start the match. The full line up saw Alex Goode at full back, with Chris Ashton continuing on the right wing, but Chris Wyles moved out onto the left, and Barritt slotted in at centre alongside Marcelo Bosch. Charlie Hodgson continued at fly half alongside scrum half Richard Wigglesworth. There were no changes in the front row either, which comprised of Mako Vunipola, Jamie George and Petrus du Plessis, whilst George Kruis remained at lock where Hargreaves replaced Jim Hamilton. Wray remained at flanker and Kelly Brown started in place of the suspended Jacques Burger, who, after a formidable tackling display in last season's semi-final against Clermont, will resume acquaintances with them in St. Etienne. Billy Vunipola, in another man-of-the-match display, filled the number 8 role, not only making the metres in customary fashion for the first try, but being at the hub of flowing moves to the left wing for the second and third tries.

 

For Leicester Tigers, they made two changes from the side who beat Exeter Chiefs at Welford Road last time out, both on the wings. Matthew Tait started at full back, with Niall Morris on the right wing and Vereniki Goneva on the left, outside a continuing centre partnership of Matt Smith and Seremaia Bai. Freddie Burns was fielded alongside captain Ben Youngs in the half backs, whilst an unchanged pack comprised of a front row of Marcos Ayerza, Tom Youngs and Dan Cole, a second row of Sebastian de Chaves and Geoff Parling, and completed by a back row of Jamie Gibson, Julian Salvi and Jordan Crane.

 

In brilliant sunshine, which was in stark contrast to the miserable weather in the morning, sunglasses were a good idea, particularly when confronted by Leicester's orange away kit. However, it was the visitors who went ahead after two minutes when Saracens strayed offside and the in-form Burns collected the three points with no problem at all. It didn't take long for the hosts to respond, as a long Hodgson kick proved too difficult to handle for Tait, who was forced to carry into touch. Forcing a penalty from the ensuing scrum on the edge of the visitors 22, the home side showed ambition, but Leicester defended the rolling maul successfully. With a lot of kicking in the early stages, the Tigers put some phases together to gradually advance into the Saracens' half and when they failed to roll away, Burns claimed his second kick from 40 metres to establish a 6-0 lead with nine minutes played. The lineout has been one of Leicester's recent strengths, and provided a firm platform for a number of promising attacks, such as in the 14th minute when they went through the phases at pace with Tait, Morris, Smith and Bai, only for the move to break down with a forward pass.

 

Saracens were being well contained by their visitors in the first quarter, although on 20 minutes, Kruis' smart take of an up and under instigated their best move of the match so far, though culminating in a kick through by Bosch which was easily collected by the opponents' defence. A better move saw Hodgson's long pass out to Wyles fed back into Wigglesworth and Wray, before play was pulled back for a penalty, but, surprisingly (even with the wind against him as it was in Paris), Bosch failed to make the distance from 40 metres. Leicester, in contrast, were benefitting from the breeze so had the clear territorial advantage, though, vitally, had not turned this into points as the home side stuck to their task in defence, but were not able to sustain any attacking threat. Six minutes before the break, with greater purpose emerging in Saracens' attack, they won a penalty 40 metres out, as Tigers failed to release in the tackle, and to their credit, went for the close range lineout. However, though they forced another penalty, Goode struck the post as the frustration continued.

 

Three minutes before the break, the turning point emerged. As Saracens made a quick raid down the right through Ashton and Wigglesworth, the danger appeared to have been cleared by the Tigers, but their hooker Tom Youngs was yellow carded for tackling Ashton without the ball. Leonardo Ghiraldini came on as hooker as Goneva was sacrificed. Opting for the five metre scrum from the resultant penalty, there were three more infringements by Leicester from the resultant pressure, until Billy Vunipola finally made it over the line, and Hodgson converted for a 7-6 lead at the break.

 

In the minutes after the interval, Saracens' ruthless efficiency created a match-winning spell. A Tigers kick was collected just outside their own 22, and play was spread to Billy Vunipola to set up a fine run by Ashton onto the right wing. The ball was then switched back at pace through Billy Vunipola, Hodgson and Goode to provide the passes for Bosch to surge through on the left wing for a try converted from the touchline by Hodgson and a 14-6 lead. However, a knock-on from the kick off could have proved costly, giving the Tigers a scrum just outside the 22 only for a threatening move to be halted when Parling failed to gather Burns' pass. Saracens made the most of that escape by claiming the decisive third try. Ashton advanced down the right from Goode's pass and kicked through, forcing the visitors to carry into touch. From the ensuing lineout, the hosts went through the phases and from the close range pressure, Billy Vunipola spread play out to Ashton who fed Bosch. The ball was then worked onto Hodgson, whose smart pass was collected by Wyles right on the left touchline for a score confirmed by the TMO, and a missed conversion meant it was 19-6.

 

However, with over 30 minutes still left to play, Leicester were well capable of making a comeback, as proven notably in the December game at Sale where they came from 30-15 down to win. What followed was a firm demonstration of Saracens' defensive credentials, as, in truth, the Tigers went on to dominate the rest of the match in terms of possession and territory, benefitting from their lineout remaining strong. Goneva was at the heart of much of their good attacking play, but they were thwarted time and again both by Saracens and their own errors. Saracens began to empty their bench after the 50 minute mark, with Duncan Taylor making a return, although he would unfortunately depart again through injury. On the hour, another quick move could have yielded a fourth try, as Hodgson, having a particularly influential match, set Ashton and Wyles away down the left, before play moved into the centre with Kruis and Hargreaves. As the visitors failed to release, Hodgson stepped up for another three points and it was 22-6 on the hour.

 

Leicester continued to press, putting together 20 phases at one stage, only for the sequence to end meekly when Burns fumbled in touch. There was another move of promise with ten minutes to go, as Tigers pressed from a rolling maul and Goneva's looping pass found Thompstone out wide, who fed play back into Pearce, Burns and Morris, only for an outstanding try-saving tackle by Strettle to deny him on the right flank. The Tigers continued to press in the Saracens' half without really getting anywhere, lacking the clinical touch which had earnt Saracens' trio of tries (an oustanding tackle by Spurling on Mulipola produced a relieving penalty, the more impressive as Spurling was being pressed into service as a centre!), and symbolic of their frustrations was the late yellow card shown to Goneva, although Saracens failed to force the bonus point try at the death as the visitors defended the maul.

 

So, a different sort of game to last week. Leicester's strength in the set piece was clear, but Saracens navigated a tough encounter with some well-judged attacking moves, and closed out the win expertly with some fine defending with a well-balanced performance which bodes well for next week and beyond.

 

15 Matthew Tait; 14 Niall Morris; 13 Matt Smith (Adam Thompstone 55); 12 Seremaia Bai; 11 Veriniki Goneva (Leonardo Ghiraldini 37); 10 Freddie Burns; 9 Ben Youngs (c) (Sam Harrison 60); 1 Marcos Ayerza (Michele Rizzo 42); 2 Tom Youngs (Leonardo Ghiraldini 60); 3 Dan Cole (Logovi'i Mulipola 50); 4 Sebastian de Chaves (Graham Kitchener 50); 5 Geoff Parling; 6 Jamie Gibson; 7 Julian Salvi; 8 Jordan Crane (Laurence Pearce 55) Not used: Tommy Bell.

 

Scorers:-

SARACENS  Tries: B Vunipola, Bosch, Wyles.  Conv: Hodgson (2). Pen Hodgson

 

LEICESTER  Pen: Burns (2)

 

Referee:  Matthew Carley RFU