RED BULL GIVES YOU WINGS, CALUORI WINGS!

It’s a beautiful winter’s afternoon here in NW4 as we await the last Premiership game for 2 months! (That’s crazy!!!) What with last weekend’s performance and the events of the past couple of days there is a slightly surreal atmosphere. The beginning of the end of the reign of King Mark. 2 late changes to the Sarries team: first Marco is ruled out and Tietie Tuimauga will start with Harvey Beaton coming onto the bench, then Theo McFarland is also ruled out with Juan-Martin Gonzalez starting (not even time to get him a new shirt) and Nathan Michelow on the bench. But it looks like a game of Wings: Segun and Caluori for Sarries, Wade and Obatoyinbo for Newcastle.

Falcons, sorry Red Bulls, kick off and within 3 minutes have scored. A loose pass from Isiekwe is picked up by Alex Hearle who sets off down the wing. The ball comes to Wade and on to Oscar Usher who scores under the posts. Brett Connon converts, NRB’s are ahead and Sarries look a bit stunned. Things could have been even worse when Tom Christie seems to have touched down again but somehow Charlie Bracken has raced back and forced Christie to put his foot over the dead ball line. This seems to be the impetus that Sarries need because a superb kick-chase from Segun is almost there. From the penalty to touch, Simon Benitez-Cruz knocks the ball forward deliberately. The TMO intervenes, Benitez-Cruz goes to the bin and Sarries have a penalty try. So instead of  0-14, it’s 7-7! From then on, really, the game is over. When Newcastle have the ball they go backwards. Segun tries another kick-chase and this time he gathers cleanly and scores. Faz lands a tricky conversion into the sun. 14-7. Now its Daly’s turn to send a perfect grubber into the path of Noah whose long legs get him to the ball first and he scores. Another nice kick from Faz for 21-7. Sarries think they’ve secured the bonus point when Segun again kicks ahead and this time Christie dots down. Faz misses the conversion only for the try to be disallowed for a knock-on (2 actually, NRB’s then Sarries). Never mind, from the scrum Faz and Loz find Noah again who hands off, speeds down the right wing and puts in an enormous “Ashsplash”. Faz converts and at 28-7 the bonus point (and for that matter the game) is secured after half an hour. Falcons hang on until half time – Sarries probably should have scored following a series of penalties in the Newcastle 22. We are also treated to Jamie George kicking the penalty into touch (was only about 5m!) and a second yellow card for Newcastle, this time Obatoyinbo.

We wonder if Sarries can keep this up. Not surprisingly the tempo often drops in the 2^nd half once the game is “won”. Still we’re hoping not to see too much action up our end for the next 40 minutes. Well the tempo if anything goes up! From the kick-off Willis  breaks, offloads to Onyeama-Christie who scores under the posts giving Faz an easy kick. 35-7. A few minutes later Jamie George taps a penalty and the pass comes out to Noah who scores his hat-trick in the corner. Faz misses the conversion but 40-7 looks good. The pressure is all from Sarries, Newcastle can’t get out of their own half. Sarries change their front row with Hadfield, Mawi and Beaton replacing George, Carre and Tuimauga and Malins replaces Daly. No respite though for Newcastle as Sarries score number 7 as James Hadfield powers over from a catch and drive. Faz converts again for 47-7. Wilson replaces Tizard and Burke replaces Segun. Burke goes to fullback (poor Max – he has had all of 5 minutes at fullback before being shifted to the wing).

Tompkins lands a 50:22! Newcastle disrupt the lineout but Sarries have the scrum. Several pick and goes are repelled then Mawi is over for number 8 and again Faz converts. 54-7. How many can we score? Well we haven’t finished yet. A late tackle on Faz results in another penalty to touch and Hadfield manages to shepherd the resulting lineout under the post. Another easy conversion and it’s 61-7. Newcastle make a brief foray into the Sarries half but it is quickly repelled. Willis departs for Michelow (how we’re gonna miss that guy) and Charlie Bracken departs to a huge round of applause after an excellent showing to be replaced by Van Zyl. Gonzalez almost scores in the corner but the bounce is unkind, then Tompkins makes a lovely break and kicks for Noah who gathers and scores number 4 in the corner. Faz misses the kick but it hardly matters. 66-7. Wade hobbles off and as Newcastle have used all their subs, they finish with 14. With just a couple of minutes left, Sarries tap yet another penalty and this time Tompkins deservedly gets on the scoresheet. Faz kicks a nice conversion for 73-7. It’s a bit of a shame that Newcastle score their 2^nd try at the death although Parsons takes his chance well and again Connon is foot perfect so it finishes 73-14.

A most entertaining afternoon and good to see some lovely attacking play. Yes it was against the worst team in the league but you can only beat what is in front of you! It must have done wonders for the confidence of most of the team and seeing Noah and Roti in full flight was terrific fun. Noah was awarded MOTM (hard to overlook him when he scored 4!) but there were exciting performances all round!

And so the team will presumably go their separate ways: some to International Squads, some to the Premiership Cup and some to Dubai and the Caribbean. We are in 6^th place but well clear (12 points) of 7^th placed Sale and still in touching distance of the top 4 (although it will take some very good performances to get there) We have to wait almost 2 months for Round 11 when we go down to the Rec to take on 2^nd placed Bath (followed by top of the table Northampton at Spurs – pretty daunting!). Much water will have flowed under the bridge by then but hopefully the non-internationals will be refreshed and rested and ready to go again.

Saracens: Daly (Malins), Caluori, Lozowski, Tompkins, Segun (Burke), Farrell, C Bracken (Van Zyl), Carre (Mawi), George (Hadfield), Tuimauga (Beaton), Isiekwe, Tizard (Wilson). Gonzalez, Onyeama-Christie, Willis (Michelow).

Newcastle Red Bulls: Grayson, Wade, Hearle, Arnold (Hutchison), Obatoyinbo (Spencer), Connon, Benitez-Cruz (Elliott); McCallum (Brocklebank), McGuigan (Fletcher), Palframan (de Bruin), Usher (Baker), Hodgson, Gordon (Parsons), Christie, Lockwood.

SCORERS

Saracens (73): Tries: Segun, Caluori (4), Onyeama-Christie, Hadfield (2), Mawi, Tompkins. Conv: Farrell (8)

Newcastle Red Bulls (14): Tries: Usher, Parsons; Conv: Connon (2)

Referee: Joe James (RFU)

Attendance 8,544