Sarries through to Wildcard final

By Jason Harris
May 19 2003

A poor game in front of a very poor crowd. Just 1,407 people turned up to see some tedium punctuated by a bit of rugby. Leeds scored four tries on their way to a deserved 27-13 win as Saracens were content to sit back and contain their opponents who never looked like eradicating a 36 point defecit.

Leeds had to play with ball in hand from the off, but had trouble keeping hold of it as Sarries peppered the Tykes back three with high kicks which in the swirling wind and occasional downpour were put down more than they were caught.

Andy Goode and Gordon Ross exchanged early penalties and referee Tony Spreadbury was in no mood to be messed about, sin-binning Christian Califano and Mark Regan after a second-minute difference of opinion.

Leeds were very predictable as they used George Harder time and again to try and break through the solid Saracens rearguard, but they did score the opennig try just before half time when fly half Gordon Ross for once varied his play. The Scottish international put in a low kick behind the onrushing Sarries defence and Dan Scarbrough touched down and give his side an 8-3 lead at the interval.

With Leeds still trying hard to close the huge gap, the tie was put totally out of their reach when Richard Haughton latched onto a Matt Cairns hack forward and unselfishly gave the ball back fo the hooker for him to score in the right hand corner with Goode converting.

Harder was still banging his head on the white Saracens wall until the 64th minute when he ran laterally and drew in two defenders before slipping a neat pass to lock Chris Murphy who crashed in at the flag.

Richard Hill gave Saracens and England fans a reason to worry as he withdrew with a quarter of an hour to go after turning on the same ankle that he damaged at Lansdowne Road earlier this year.

Hill's withdrawal gave Leeds a little more space in which to try and play and they duly doubled their try tally through short-range efforts from Alix Popham and Cammy Mather with Ross adding one conversion.

Andy Goode completed the scoring four minutes from time with a penalty as Sarries' interest turned to Franklin's Gardens and the final on 31 May, where they will face Leicester Tigers.