Ashton's hat-trick bids farewell to Welsh

  Last game of the regular season with all still to play for. However it was in Sarries hands – a big win away at London Welsh was needed to make us uncatchable. My wife, knowing I was going to Oxford gave me a task to get some paint samples at B&Q. Unfortunately, the branch close to the Kassam closed down last year and the one on the Iffley road has also disappeared. At least I got to glance across at the running track full of history. Bannister was the winner, but can you remember his 2 pacemakers.  

On to the game in plenty of time and was really surprised by the level of Sarries supporters – outnumbering the home support; I don’t think I’ve ever been at a game where that happened before. Sarries had shown intent with the side chosen and from the kick-off they meant business. Despite letting the Welsh winger Elder (definitely man of the match) collect and wriggle free the defence finally brought him down and won a penalty for not releasing. Then a succession of 3 line-outs up the far touchline – each one contested illegally by Welsh even though Sarries won the ball. The last one was on the 5-yard line and as well as the penalty a yellow card for the Welsh Corker. From the resulting lineout Sarries drove over Billy dotting down.

Welsh seemed to be galvanised, their period with 14 players their best of the match. From the kick-off Welsh used the wind well to remain on or around the Sarries 22. I should point out the wind was pretty strong, but consistently blew straight down the ground. Welsh were able to use it to gain ground every time they got hold of the ball. Eventually they got possession on the Sarries 22 and ran a nice back move towards the right. Tom May was playing his last match before retiring and used all of his experience to pull the cover towards the touchline, before slipping in a nice inside pass for his fellow centre to stroll in under the posts. Most of the crown felt there was a blatant crossing and perhaps in another match the TMO might have been called for.

Sarries responded well and with intelligence. Strettle noticed a misalignment in the defence of a scrum on the 10 yard line. During a reset he came and chatted to Farrell. When the ball came out, Faz switched blind and simple hands gave Stretts the overlap which he converted with great skill. Faz converted from the touchline; in all he missed just 1 kick, a really difficult one from the touchline against the wind. Welsh were not done however and pushed Sarries hard. Using the wind for position and their big guys in the lineout they push and shoved, picked and drove well. They didn’t score though and eventually took the 3 points from a penalty on the 22. This was a good thing for Sarries as although we didn’t look like conceding, time was running down. What was also disconcerting was that penalties were being given away easily. Another side might have made us pay more heavily. Penalties conceded is now becoming a real problem

Sarries were grateful for the ball in the Welsh half and it wasn’t long before the Sarries forwards started to flex their muscles. Good driving and territory gain soon saw us approaching the line. There was an overlap out wide, but it wasn’t needed as Mako (who is looking good coming to the peak of the season) crashing over. Faz added the points. Then disaster – or one of the best bits of personal skill I’ve seen for a long time. Elder the Welsh winger is a very tall bloke. Think North plus another 4 inches taller. He was able at each previous restart to compete against a lifted forward so when the ball was being caught by Bosch it was not quite the same competition. He jumped over Bosch, knocked the ball forward but was able to catch it before it hit the ground. He was past the last defender as he caught it, so run under the posts. Phew; and sign him up.

Sarries were shocked into a reply and spent the remainder of the first half in Welsh territory. Kicking to the corners wherever possible. As the half approached a five yard lineout looked good; inching forward but another penalty coming for interference as it broke down. Chris Ashton saw his chance, grabbed the ball at the base and crashed over in the corner. With time up, Faz missed the conversion. At 26-17 up at half time, we were in 3rd place, although ahead of Exeter only because we had the bonus point; ahead of Tiggers who were losing. We needed to pick up the pace in the second half to stay ahead of Exeter, who would rise above us if we both scored 2 tries

Shortly after the restart from a lineout on the Sarries 10 metre line, the forward drive resulted in a penalty. NdeK was quick to take the tap and passed to Alex Goode who danced his way through the retreating Welsh ranks. A nice dummy took him past the last defender to increase the gap over Exeter on both match and season points. Faz converted. Welsh were not done and kept competitive for the next 15 minutes as the normal raft of replacements slowed the game down. Sarries replaced their front row, plus Wiggy and Itoge for NdeK and Hargreaves before the side were able to score again. The forwards were in the forefront as a series of driving mauls made holes before Figallo scored in a similar way to Mako in the first half. More distance on Exeter who were still struggling to put Sale away; although by this time Tiggers were in third having taken the lead.

Then the fastest hat-trick in premiership history as the Sarries backs started to tear Welsh apart. The forwards started to win ball in the Welsh half so were able to keep the ball in hand. Taylor had come on as well (a welcome return) to add his direct running to the mix. I like it when Duncan comes on as the defence is used to Bosch’s mazy but slower running. All of a sudden Duncan is hitting the line harder and driving though the holes. It wasn’t Duncan who made the first hole, but that “totally useless at running fly-half” (insert Bath smiley) Farrell who weaved in and out before finding Goode in space, he passed on to Wyles who passed on quickly to Ashton who was able to wander in under the posts. Four minutes later the last three in that movement combined again to make another hole and Ashton completed his brace.

From the kick-off the final misery as Kruis collected the restart, Sarries forwards drove forward for around 20 yards before releasing the ball. It spun out to Duncan who burst through a hole, offloading to Chris Ashton who dotted down for his third in 5 minutes. It was interesting to note, that all 4 of his tries were without the splash. Farrell added the extras for all 3 of the second half tries and at 17-61 fourth place was confirmed. Although Exeter were winning at that point and easily too, it would have taken a repeat of Sale’s worst ever Premiership performance to have kept them in the hunt and even then they would have needed one more try beyond that. More replacements followed; Charlie coming on the pitch for Wyles and Faz moving to inside centre. Charlie was darting through the failing Welsh defence without success until a diagonal run took him all the way to the corner flag where he put down for a great personal score. Faz added the extras, but there was still time for one last throw when Billy burst through a couple of tackles. Unfortunately just like against Saints he dropped the ball two yards from the line and the TMO ruled it out    

Still 17-68 was enough for 4^th place by 20 points. Before anyone complains that it wasn’t fair on Exeter, note their match at the Kassam was 0-52, actually a better difference than Sarries scored. Off to Franklins Gardens for a semi-final. We have already won a final there this season and I want to see a repeat of someone else saying ‘Lets SING THE SONG’

London Welsh: 15. Seb Jewell, 14. Alan Awcock, 13. Nic Reynolds, 12. Tom May (c), 11. Chris Elder, 10. Olly Barkley, 9. Rob Lewis, 1. Eddie Aholelei, 2. Koree Britton, 3. Jack Gilding, 4. Josh McNally,

5. Matt Corker, 6. Ben West, 7. Darren Waters, 8. Opeti Fonua.

Replacements: 16. Nathan Morris, 17. Nathan Trevett, 18. Ben Cooper, 19. Daniel Browne, 20. James Down, 21. Paul Rowley

Replacements Morris for Britton(50)~Trevett for Aholelei(51)~Cooper for Gilding(50)~Browne for Waters(41)~Down for West(45)~Rowley for Lewis(61)~Stegmann for Fonua(57)~ Robinson for Barkley(64).

London Welsh Scorers

Tries Reynolds (11);Elder (32).

Cons Elder x 2

Penalty Elder

Saracens: 15 Alex Goode; 14 Chris Ashton, 13 Marcelo Bosch, 12 Chris Wyles, 11 David Strettle; 10 Owen Farrell, 9 Neil de Kock; 1 Mako Vunipola, 2 Schalk Brits, 3 Petrus Du Plessis; 4 George Kruis, 5 Alistair Hargreaves ©; 6 Jackson Wray, 7 Jacques Burger, 8 Billy Vunipola.

Replacements: 16 Jamie George, 17 Rhys Gill, 18 Juan Figallo, 19 Maro Itoje, 20 Kelly Brown, 21 Richard Wigglesworth, 22 Charlie Hodgson, 23 Duncan Taylor.

Replacements George for Brits (50)~Gill for M.Vunipola(60)~Figallo for Du Plessis(50)~Itoje for Hargreaves(55)~Brown for Burger(67)~Wigglesworth for De Kock(50)~Hodgson for Wyles(72)~Taylor for Bosch(61).

Saracens Scorers

Tries B.Vunipola (6);Strettle (15); M.Vunipola(31); Ashton (39-63-66-68);Goode (44); Figallo(60); Hodgson (78).