Northern Edition
Select Edition
Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

London Irish snap Saracens' unbeaten run in feisty encounter

By PA
Ben Loader (C) of London Irish celebrates with team mates. Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images

Newly appointed England coach Steve Borthwick watched on as Gallagher Premiership leaders Saracens lost their unbeaten record in a feisty 29-20 defeat at London Irish.

ADVERTISEMENT

It was Saracens’ first defeat in 10 league matches as a poor start and ill-discipline cost them dear.

Both teams had a player sent off in the first half and each side ended up scoring two tries, with Paddy Jackson’s five penalties proving the difference as the struggling Irish recorded a third league win of the season.

Video Spacer
Video Spacer

London Irish captain Adam Coleman was first to be dismissed in the 16th minute as he thundered into the head off Saracens hooker Tom Woolstencroft, who appeared to be knocked out before receiving lengthy treatment and being carried off on a stretcher.

Saracens flanker Ben Earl was shown the first red card of his career 15 minutes later for a high tackle on Tom Pearson.

Ollie Hassell-Collins and Chandler Cunningham-South scored tries for Irish with Jackson converting both.

Kapeli Pifeleti and Sean Maitland scored Saracens’ tries, with Owen Farrell kicking two penalties and two conversions.

ADVERTISEMENT

Irish began strongly to secure a line-out platform in the opposition 22. From there, they secured possession to test Saracens’ defence to the full before Benhard van Rensburg’s pass gave Hassell-Collins the chance to brush past Farrell’s tackle to score.

Jackson converted but his side suffered an injury blow when centre Will Joseph hobbled from the field.

The hosts then received two setbacks in quick succession. First Farrell’s penalty put Saracens on the scoreboard to reward a period of sustained pressure before Coleman was sent off, leaving the home side seemingly with a mountain to climb.

However they still picked up the next points when Jackson kicked two penalties in quick succession as decisions by referee Matt Carley were continually questioned by Farrell.

ADVERTISEMENT

The Saracens skipper also queried the red card shown to Earl in the 31st minute with Jackson again on target with the resulting penalty.

But an out-of-sorts Saracens remained in contention when replacement hooker Pifeleti forced his way over.

Farrell converted but with the last kick of the half Jackson slotted over his fourth penalty, this time from the half-way line, to give Irish a deserved 19-10 interval lead.

Five minutes after the restart, Saracens scored their second try. A speculative chip through from Elliot Daly bounced awkwardly for Irish wing Lucio Cinti, with Maitland on hand to pick up the pieces.

The visitors looked set to take control but Jackson succeeded with his fifth penalty to temporarily keep them at bay, before Rory Jennings was fortunate to escape with just a yellow card for a high challenge on Billy Vunipola with 20 minutes remaining.

Worse was to follow for Irish when they went down to 12 players, with Rob Simmons sin-binned for collapsing a maul, but remarkably a ragged Saracens could not score in their absence.

On their return, Farrell kicked a penalty but Irish secured a thrilling victory when Cunningham-South finished off a flowing move to send Irish’s biggest crowd of the season home happy.

ADVERTISEMENT

England XV v France XV | Full Match Replay

South Africa v British & Irish Lions | 1997 | Second Test | The Vaults

"The Opportunity Of A Lifetime" | Wallabies All In: Episode 1

Are these the best ever Lions performances?

Pollock Loses Bill, Players Meet Their Roommates & Training in Portugal | Ep 1: The Ultimate Test

Top 10 inspiring Lions speeches

United States of Rugby | Episode 1 – Welcome to Dawgtown

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

S
Soliloquin 45 minutes ago
Fabien Galthie announces France squad to take on the All Blacks

It’s understandable that NZ and other countries relying on their national team for revenue push for highlighting test matches as the biggest thing.

The problem is that it seems like France is being held responsible for other nations’ business model.

The business model hasn’t really changed since 2018, when France last toured NZ. They came as always with a B team, with a rather weak team by international standards back then, as it was the case with France during the 2010s.

Yet still almost all tickets got sold (50000 at Eden Park, 34000 in Wellington and 27000 in Dunedin). The interest was there.

So what has changed between that 2018 tour and the upcoming one?


In my opinion, it seems like the French business model has flourished, with the JIFF policy strenghtening the positions of French talents and less foreign players, the financial health of French clubs dominating the NH, the revigorated national team with what could have been 4 6Nations titles (the 2020 and 2021 were super close) and the emergence of top players in every positions, with arguably the best current rugby player in the world.

On the other hand, Covid has dismantled the financial basis of many federations, the departure of SA franchises from Super Rugby has weakened the competition, NZ are not the reference anymore, SA is dominating the test match competition, with Ireland and France pushing hard, although the Irish seem at a crossroads.


But again, why would it be France’s fault that NZ problems exist?

Is the French team responsible for structural problems in NZ’s rugby?

Nope. But it’s probably easier to blame the French to not give it all in terms of marketing with superstars coming, live on past glory, to cling on the view that until Dupont doesn’t tour SH, he cannot be seen as the best in the world.


Sorry, but most of French fans don’t really know NZ players.

They come in to see the French team against the All Blacks in the Autumn Tests.


And I don’t think anyone in NZ came to see Doumayrou, Parra, Belleau, Teddy Thomas or even Serin or Fickou in 2018. They came for the mighty All Blacks, the Barrett brothers, Savea, Whitelock, Aaron Smith…

38 Go to comments
TRENDING
TRENDING Premiership sees another player make rugby league switch Premiership sees another player make rugby league switch
Search