SARRIES WALK THE PLANK

The long-delayed and much-anticipated 1920-21 season starts now – we’ve had the pre-season hit-outs, we’ve dusted off the ring-rust, we’ve had the chance to figure out what works and what doesn’t, and we’ve got ten games to put ourselves in a position to play off for a return to the Premiership.

Pirates away is the game that all travelling Sarries, be they On Tour or SSA,  would have picked as the must-do away trip. I haven’t been to Mennaye but from what I’ve heard those who have, and from what I’m seeing on TV in the pre-match build-up it sounds and looks like somewhere every rugby fan needs to experience - but hopefully, and with the greatest respect, not with Sarries next season.

Pre-match, there’s an SSA #VirtualGathering which if you haven’t taken part in one is always a treat – a chance to see and catch up with the best people in the world, to hear from players in an informal and always entertaining forum, and, today, to enjoy the company of a Pirate – Treives  Nicholas who chatted with us all, told us about his beloved club and educated us about the Naughty Boys Corner and the legendary Mother, who loudly berates players and refs alike while swigging from a two-pint jug..and is now Mrs Jonny’s role model.

Faciing a strong Sarries lineup is a Pirates team including two ex-Sarries - Danny Cutmore and JB Bruzulier – also in their line-up is a fly-half, the very youthful-looking Luke Scully, on loan from Cardiff, formerly Cardiff Blues.

Scully gets things started. Sarries gather, a box kick from Davies and then a penalty to Sarries which is kicked to the Pirates 22, but the lineout is messed up followed by a kicking match.

Two more penalties to Sarries in quick succession, and we rumble forward after the second, leading to a third penalty which after a tap and go puts Sarries close to the line. The ball is worked wide and Maitland shimmies over to score. Manu’s wide conversion flies across the posts to leave it at 0-5 at 7 minutes.

Good work so far Sarries and we’re dealing calmly with the high bombs from Pirates. We work our way up the field and are competing well with the combative Pirates forwards. A scrum to Sarries for knock-on although Pirates get the penalty and kick to our 22. Pirates work the lineout well – like Ealing, Doncaster and Cov their set pieces are good -  and push forward but there’s an advantage to them (high tackle) from which they elect to go for the posts – a straightforward kick from the already impressive Scully and it’s 3-5 with 15 minutes on the clock.

Manu restarts and Pirates are settling into the game now after the early flurry of penalties and a fast start by Sarries. Penalty to Pirates. Sarries gather the ball and try to play their way out, winning a scrum then a free kick. Manu’s doing good work as Sarries try to work forward, winning a penalty from which with some skill Manu lands on the roof of the stand.  The lineout is again messy and then it’s a penalty to Pirates.

We’re definitely sensing a momentum shift as Pirates win another penalty which Scully kicks to our 40 metre line. Sarries pick up the ball though and Davies goes high which we gather but a brutal hit from Walker stops us in our tracks, and it’s still another penalty to Pirates to set up a maul which Sarries work hard to defend but, yes, it’s a penalty to Pirates who elect for a tap and go with Duncan going over on 27 minutes, with Scully missing a seemingly easy conversation to leave it at 8-5. So he is human. 

I’m thinking this could be a long afternoon…which turns out to be prescient…

After an exchange of long kicks from the restart, Sarries push forward with a Davies box kick, trying to turn the Pirates defence.

Sarries win a scrum from a knock-on, followed by a penalty which Manu kicks  to 10 metres out. The lineout exit works well this time, and good work from Obatoyinbo puts Lewington over on the right at 33 minutes gone.  Manu misses getting the extras to leave things at 8-10. At this stage, with Pirates definitely up to the task I’m pleased we’ve nudged ahead as we reach the closing stages of the half.

Swinson fumbles the ball trying to gather Scully’s restart, and it’s a scrum to Pirates but their push forward is stopped by a penalty to Sarries for crossing. Manu kicks to 10 metres out but the lineout is fluffed again – boy, are we missing George Kruis.

Pirates attack again in what are believed to be the dying moments of the half but Sarries get the turnover and Davies clears. Sarries defend well at this stage as Pirates work forward again. Sarries gather a kick and grind forward.

It’s a penalty to Sarries and Manu kicks to halfway as we reach 44 minutes on the clock, and it’s clear that the coaches need to do some work as another lineout goes awry – I’m probably not giving Pirates their full due here as they’re doing a great job of disrupting our set pieces, but we should be doing better.

The half is still going on as Sarries try and push for some more points, and it’s a lineout to Pirates.  The ensuing maul goes to ground and Pirates have the final word as the ball in kicked into touch to end the half on 48 minutes.

The half-time chat on the live stream (which appears  be better picture quality than the Trailfinders broadcasts through) is very Pirates-orientated – and indeed one of the commentators is a self-confessed Pirates fan, so perhaps it’s fair enough.

One of the topics that catches my ear is the opinion expressed that the Pirates bench is perhaps stronger in terms of this match than Sarries’ set of finishers (or is it impact players these days??). Possibly so in terms of experience at this level and familiarity with this type of game, but definitely not in talent so far as that counts. We shall see….

I also reflect that after all the talk, much of it ill-informed and stuck in the dark ages, of women’s role in rugby, and also about the poor quality of refereeing at Championship level (where there are no TMOs), it’s good to note that the calm, competent and authoritative match official in the middle – much the best I’ve seen at this level - is one Sara Cox who I don’t doubt will be gracing the Premiership in the near future….I just hope Sarrries are….

 Another beer fizzes open, Manu sets himself, and we’re off for 40 more minutes of action.

Pirates gather from the restart, and kick high. Sarries get to the ball and push forward but it’s a penalty to Pirates. After a cleverer lineout than Sarries have managed in the game so far, Pirates are looking lively and after another lineout push forward to 5 metres from Sarries’ line. Our defence tries to tie Pirates up as they edge close to the line. Eventually the pressure from a ferocious pack tells, and Frost gets over. Scully, a demonstrably “quality” player who must surely go on to have a very good career, converts and within 5 minutes of the restart it’s a probably deserved 15-10.    

4 minutes later, though, a high kick from Manu sets Lewington off to drive forward and it’s a penalty to Sarries, for offside so far as I can see. Manu kicks to 5 metres out, and then it’s another penalty for the same offence – this is better, lads. Sarries drive forward, and a quick-thinking pick and go from Koch sends Swinson over, from which Manu converts from an easy position for 15-17.

Pirates gather their own restart, and Sarries regain the ball but concede a scrum (knock on). Pirates get the nudge on and it’s a penalty in midfield – Scully  steps up and, with aplomb, edges his side ahead 18-17.

Things don’t get any better for Sarries as Pirates win another from the restart for a high tackle. Scully goes long, work another lineout exit  of a quality seemingly beyond Sarries today(and in fact during the preceding five games…) but a fumbled ball goes forward and it’s a scrum to Sarries. Then a reset. Pirates turn the ball over and go high, Obatoyinbo kicks back again, and a scrappy spell ensues before it’s a scrum to Sarries.

A flurry, nay a blizzard, of replacements/finishers/impact players (the choice is yours, delete where not applicable) in black come on, with the major switch being Obatoyinbo off, Segun on, and Maitland moves to full-back. Sarries are clearly looking to up the pace. Whiteley’s on for Davies.

The next action is a penalty to Pirates – and they’re going for the posts, but Scully misses to leave the score at 18-17.

You’ll have noticed that I’ve stopped mentioning the time – no lack of attention on my part, and certainly not through any alcohol consumption or boredom. The stadium clock appears to be have gone wrong.

Sarries win a penalty from the restart, and Maun kicks to the Pirates 40. Yet another messed up lineout (and, let it be said, yet more good set piece work from Pirates) but thankfully it’s knocked on for a scrum to Sarries…and the now inevitable penalty to Pirates….

The ball is kicked to halfway and Sarries get the turnover from the ensuing play, Whiteley kicks high…and it’s another penalty to Pirates. 15 minutes left – or very approximately  15 minutes – and I’m getting apprehensive as it doesn’t look like Sarries are going to wear Pirates down in the late stages as we did Cov and Doncaster.

The game goes on, and Manu goes high to set off a kicking contest which ends with Maitland kicking from deep to half-way. Pirates try to exit, Maitland gathers their kick and then Whiteley has a go. Knock on by Pirates, it’s a scrum to Sarries…and yes, you guessed, it’s a penalty to Pirates….

 6 minutes left, apparently.

Pirates win what I think is their sixth penalty off a scrum - Sarries are getting monstered.  The kick misses touch.

Then we come to the moment of the game, for both sides and for entirely different reasons:

 A kick from Pirates bounces high on the “natural” surface, and bamboozles (I’ve been dying to get that word into a report) everyone….everyone that is part from an alert Davies who grabs the ball and, hardly believing his luck, sprints over the line. Scully kicks the extras and it’s 25-17.

There may or may not be time for Sarries to rally – I don’t think even the ref is absolutely sure.

Sarries look disheartened as the restart presents Pirates to push forward again but it’s a penalty to Sarries. Manu kicks to the 22, but as usual the lineout is messed up.

The game ends with the severalth (real word? It is now) penalty to Pirates off a scrum and a gleeful Scully kicks into touch from close range.

What can I say?

We’ve got problems, we’ve had them throughout pre-season, our set pieces in particular are a shambles, and we’ve lost three out of six games at a level we were expected to breeze through – and in a ten-game regular season this one, the first competitive encounter, counts, and it hurts.

A re-think is needed and it may be that the England boys may be seen a bit more than we expected. I can’t imagine that Jamie George for one wouldn’t roll his sleeves up and get stuck in.

The positives for me are that Sean Maitland, when he’s around, Alex Lewington and Roti Segun have the potential to wreak havoc. 

If Ealing are as strong in this division as they have been over the last couple of years, we’re potentially going to have to beat them three times to get back up.

In the final analysis, though, Pirates deserve nothing but respect for the way they outfought, outplayed and outthought us, and our sincere congratulations.

Cornish Pirates: Holden; Wedlake, Parata, Tucker, O'Meara; Scully, Bruzulier; Walker, Frost, Tyack, Lemalu, Cutmore, Caulfield, Stevens, Duncan (capt).

Replacements: Andrew, Channon, Rodman, Bolwell, Kiri Kiri, Davies, Bazalgette, Wyatt.

Saracens: Obatoyinbo; Lewington, Taylor, Socino, Maitland; Manu Vunipola, Davies; Barrington, Pifeleti, Koch, Hunter-Hill, Swinson, Rhodes, Reffell, Wray (capt).

Replacements: Crean, Mawi, Clarey, Kpoku, Christie, Whiteley, Morris, Segun.

Referee: Sara Cox