Castle no longer Grim for Sarries

By Jason Harris
May 31 2005

A penalty try awarded by referee David Rose eight minutes from time gave Saracens their first ever win at Kingsholm as they defeated Gloucester 14-13.

In a dismal match that only came to life in the last quarter of an hour, both sides were guilty of poor set piece play, some dire handling and giving away frequent turnovers, the most telling statistics were those relating to error count. On a warm and sunny day on a dry, hard surface, a packed Kingsholm deserved much better fare as the two sides executed - badly - gameplans that were more appropriate for a wet Friday night in December, rather than a balmy day just before the May bank holiday.

It was not only the penalty try that left Glaws reeling at the end. Three times they could have scored from penalties and three times they missed. Former Saracen Duncan McRae hit the post in the first half and was guilty of miss of the season when his second half effort from 24 metres out in front of the post, somehow didn't go over. Andy Gomarsall was given the kicking duty for a second goal attempt from a similar place and he too was wide, which just about sums up the low quality of the game.

Glaws took an early lead through a McRae penalty before Sarries scored the opening try at the end of the first quarter. A Gloucester fumble was picked up by Nicky Little inside the Sarries 22 and he fed the ball left to Tevita Vaikona. The Sarries wing found Thomas Castaignede in space and following a huge, looping pass, the Frenchman was at full tilt for a run that took him from his own 22 to that of the home side. In support was compatriot Raphael Ibanez who looked home and dry but he was hauled down two metres out. However, the former French international captain had the presence of mind and skill to offload the ball in the tackle to the onrushing Ben Johnston who crossed the line and jogged to place the ball under the posts. Little converted to put Sarries 7-3 up and this score remained the same until the end of an otherwise forgettable first half.

The third quarter was memorable only for its catalogue of errors with the biggest howlers coming from Glaws kickers McRae and Gomarsall as they missed the aforementioned sitters to keep the game close, but still lacking inspiration.

With 25 minutes remaining, Hugh Vyvyan was yellow carded for being the latest in a long line of Saracens deliberately slowing down ruck ball and Glaws finally woke up to rack up 10 points while the Sarries skipper skulked up and down the touchline. First McRae finally re-found his range to boot a penalty and a few minutes later put over the touchline conversion of Olly Morgan's try.

The wing-cum-fullback was on the end of what seemed to be Gloucester's only meaningful attack in the second half, sneaking over in the right hand corner after good approach work by the threequarters. 13-7 Glaws and Sarries knew that their dream of playing in the Zurich Premiership playoffs was now over, so they sought to claw their way back to get the win, rather than hoping they would get the four tries necessary to give them any chance of making the top three.

The penalty try when it came was clear-cut. Glaws, down to 14 men after James Forrester was sin-binned just a minute earlier, were guilty of pulling down the Sarries rolling maul and when prop Gary Powell tried his luck, he found Rose in no mood for compromise as he headed for the posts, arm raised, to give Sarries the try and Glen Jackson the easiest of conversions.

Sarries did have a golden opportunity to put the game beyond reach right at the death as Richard Hill charged down a clearance kick inside the Glaws 22, but the man with one of the safest pairs of hands in the business made a meal of recovering the awkwardly bouncing ball with the line at his mercy, knocking on and letting the Cherry and Whites off the hook.

But Hill, his team-mates and the Saracens supporters won't care as they posted a "W" on the board for the very first time and in doing so also completed their first ever double over Gloucester. "Down at Kingsholm, Where we've never won...." went the Fezboys "Daytrip to Glawster" ditty. Looks like Rocket Ron and the lads will have now to think up some new words for that particular opus.