Sarries Match Report

So it’s taken until Tuesday evening to sit down and try to write a match report from Saturday’s game (and another two days for an Ed to get to publishing it! -ed). No problem you might think but actually as we were standing on the terrace on the side of the pitch with no note paper it could become a bit of an issue with this report. Add to that that many of the key issues coming out of the game have been much debated In many places, so see if you can spot your own comments and views as here we go with a quick summary of game 3 of the premiership the away trip to North London to play Saracens which is actually going to be a shorter journey for the vast majority of supporters than the Home return game in March in New York City

We travelled to Sarries on the morning of the World Cup Final traveling along the A316 early enough that it wasn’t closed and made our way around the north circular to Allianz Park (Our return route was via the M25 as on our way home the Sat Nav decided against trying to pass Twickenham Just as New Zealand were being crowned world champions (Isn’t it great that only 31 sides at a time can have players who have world cup winners medals over the next four years  (nearly 30 after Sonny Bill Williams gave his away!!) and we have one of them for the next 3 years)

Arriving early we wandered around the side of the stadium to the player entrance just as other Irish supporters began to appear we met up with Peezee, Azed and Harristocratt and discussions began about the different things that had changed since the last time we played... Plans for New York (well not for Harristocratt) and discussions about the salary cap and how significant a problem it could be (well not for Harristocratt). The team arrived and so we headed around the pitch side.

Food was purchased (No wonder Sarries can afford lots of players (not cheap but nice)) and we waited for the warm up to begin... For those who are worried about the lack of warm up LKR will do a full report as part of (well most of) a future match report but it began at 12.37 and seemed to include plenty of different drills and certainly did include use of tackle bags this week. We went off with about 5 minutes remaining to kick off and the teams came out and the game started.

In the previous few weeks one aspect of our game had been obviously lacking. Against Tigers it seemed we had forgotten how to catch, Against Exeter we defended well, or as well as you can when you concede 38 points, but in the light of Newcastle’s loss on Sunday maybe that wasn’t too bad, This week the attack was better but we seemed to have developed a new problem with a seriously misfunctioning line out. Overthrows, short throws, not straight we found every way of losing a line out we could during this game. If you believe some on the message board (Waltham for example) we will next week against Bath have worked through all the mistakes we can make and end up with a stunning performance but we shall see on Saturday if we have found another different problem.

During the first half we absorbed a lot of pressure, Sarries thought they had scored a try early but from our position we could see, well hope we could see, a foot in touch in the build-up and following a review the TMO agreed. Eventually the pressure told and Farrell slotted a kick putting Sarries ahead fortunately for us he wasn’t on the best of form and missed a couple of other kicks that on another day could have left us out of bonus point range early. Instead we began to get into the game and found ourselves ahead following McKibbon’s pass to Tiks, or Tiko or O’toumor, depending on your preference who broke through a couple of tackles to score. Sarries pushed on but we managed to hang on and went into half time with a 3-7 lead...

During half time went off in search of coffee and instead came back with the first mulled wine of the season (It was still October and beautifully warm) but that was very pleasant. The teams returned and the second half began. Farrell scored an early penalty to narrow the gap and then a key moment happened. Discipline had been going well with Sarries pressuring our line the ball went out wide and Tiks (My preferred option) came across to cover a ball that went wide to Ashton. He made the tackle and the ball went dead. There was a scuffle but the TJ’s flag was already in - Mr Garner consulted the TMO and issued a yellow card (the only one of the game, he had 3 further opportunities to use his cards but chose not to... Guess what none of them were against us) TC has and Skivs have talked about the need to change people’s perception of LI and there is clearly still work to do on that. Jacques Burger for example got away with a no arms tackle on McKibbon who didn’t even have the ball at one point (interestingly at this point Garner is heard giving Sarries their final warning for "3 bits of foul play".

TC is on record as saying he will not criticise Sir (who is always right even when he is wrong) but will be interesting to see if he can keep that position if we can’t change the perception. With Tiks off the pitch Sarries went for the corner and Jackson Wray crossed to put them into the lead. After we were restored to 15 Alex Goode crossed on the corner and we slipped briefly out of bonus point range. However the team were showing a lot more endeavour than at the previous game and a kick to the corner lead to an attacking line out, the ball was moved to the back of a maul and Irish engineered a situation where the whole pack were pushing against one defender, we went over with Leo scoring, Shane who had replaced Noakes at the point converted and for a couple of minutes we were back in with a chance. Unfortunately Farrell had found his range and kicked two penalties so we went into the last few minutes chasing a score that would bring our first points of the season. Shane missed a longish range pen from wide and then tapped an even longer one from in front and we continued to press, we were nearly through at time ran out but it didn’t quite go for us with a knock on bringing an end to the game.

We did end the week in 11^th following Newcastle’s defeat at home to Exeter but a gap is appearing to the next group of clubs, next week Falcons travel to Worcester and I think we probably want a Worcester win.

It would be good for us to get a win soon but we have a tough run of games to come which in the long run might be to our benefit as the new (and old) players adjust to the new coaches and then some easier games come along. The next few games go

Bath (H)

Agen (H who beat Stade this weekend)

Grenoble (A who beat Toulon this week!)

Wasps (H well at HQ)

Quins (A)

Edinburgh (x2 H and A)

Saints (H)

Gloucester (A)

It’s important that we start to pick up points but on the basis of this much improved performance the travelling support seemed to feel that it wouldn’t be long before we start to pick up points and win and what better place to start than at home against Bath this week.