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Saracens player ratings vs Bristol | 2023/24 Gallagher Premiership
By Liam Heagney
Saracens player ratings live from Ashton Gate: This round 17 encounter promised to be a belter with the six wins in a row Bristol hosting the two wins in a row Saracens. That form had this contest neatly poised before kick-off as a fifth versus fourth battle.
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Come the finish, it was the back-in-second-place Londoners who were cheering from the rooftops following their emphatic 41-20 success which qualified them for the semi-finals with one match to spare, next Saturday’s home game versus Sale. Here are the Saracens player ratings:
15. Elliot Daly – 8
Played stylishly the whole way through. A very safe pair of hands at the back who refused to yield. Look at his determination to win a race back and deny Bristol a late consolation. Also took over the kicking duties from Owen Farrell midway through the opening half to land 16 points from a possible 18, his only miss coming back off a post.
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14. Rotimi Segun – 7.5
Showed how much he has matured in recent times, making some decent carries and shutting the door defensively with intelligence. Rounded off his fine effort with a lovely try on 62 minutes with his team a yellow-carded man short.
13. Lucio Cinti – 7.5
A canny knack for making important interventions. See his carry that led to the 28th-minute penalty that got Saracens back on terms at 13-all. Then marvel at the wheels he exhibited in breaking from his half to create the bonus-point try for Juan Martin Gonzalez.
12. Nick Tompkins – 8
Brought his trademark nuisance value to the party, repeatedly rushing the Bristol attack and unsettling their best-laid plans. Even tried his hand at scrummaging with his team short a few yellow-carded forwards.
11. Tom Parton – 6
Probably the quietest Saracens player in the park in the sense that he saw very little ball but he got stuck in on the other side with his tackling to help prevent the dangerous Gabriel Ibitoye from being an influence.
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10. Owen Farrell – 8.5
With his brother Gabriel skippering Old Belvedere to U13 Leinster Cup glory last Sunday at Donnybrook, he needed to step up to retake the family bragging rights and he did this to near-perfection, opening up a marvellous box of tricks. Immensely enjoyed himself in one of his final games for the club, producing numerous highlights – including a howitzer of a 50:22 from his own 22. Gave up kicking off the tee due to a groin issue but that was no black mark.
9. Ivan van Zyl – 8
The sole backline alteration from the win last time out over Bath, he had some teething issues such as his not rolling penalty which gave Bristol the invite into the 22 to create the opening try. However, he eventually settled and his energy was important in his 67-minute stay.
1. Mako Vunipola – 7
One of the three pack starters promoted from The Rec bench along with Marco Riccioni and Hugh Tizard, he too took a while to get motoring as there was a scrum penalty conceded and a pass that didn’t go to hand early doors. Got stuck in after that though to help swing momentum.
2. Jamie George – 7.5
Looked as game as ever, running gutsy support lines off carriers in the traffic. His leadership helped Saracens through their sticky first-half period, but he was one of the four forwards who made way when his team was reduced to 13 for eight second-half minutes.
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3. Marco Riccioni – 6.5
Having looked mortified standing in the background when the Billy Vunipola arrest incident unfolded in Mallorca, he endured a brutal start here when getting smacked back on his ass when hit by the kick-off receiving Benhard Janse van Rensburg. Was then soon left sprawled in more agony when Bristol battered their way over for the opening try. His day could only get better from there and it did.
4. Maro Itoje – 8
Cleared to play after a citing case at Bath was dismissed, he had Bristol staff demanding yellow cards at two junctures during the first half. They got their way in the second half, Itoje getting sin-binned on 50 minutes for catching Steven Luatua high and he didn’t return after his card period elapsed. By then, though, he has two slickly-taken first-half tries to his credit, scores that were pivotal in Saracens taking a grip they doggedly held onto.
Hitting back ?
Maro Itoje and Juan Martin Gonzalez combine to narrow the gap for @Saracens ???
Watch live on @rugbyontnt and @ITVRugby ?#GallagherPrem | #BRIvSAR pic.twitter.com/gINKNuG3UF
— Premiership Rugby (@premrugby) May 11, 2024
5. Hugh Tizard – 7.5
Set the tone with a big early tackle on Magnus Bradbury on halfway, going on to clock up an impressive number of involvements before becoming one of the gang of four hooked on 53 minutes.
6. Juan Martin Gonzalez – 9
Surely the Premiership’s best bang for buck signing in 2023/24. He arrived with an already high work rate reputation from London Irish but he has been different gravy in the Saracens colours and was a thorn for Bristol after he was unable to stop Batley from scoring early. There was a vital penalty poach and lineout steal in the first half when the hosts were still on top. Then went on to show his attacking class, combining to help Itoje score the first of his pair and then getting his own, the bonus-securing try on 66 minutes. Finished with 23 tackles. Jeepers.
7. Ben Earl – 7.5
A curious situation in that he was the least impressive of the starting Saracens back row yet still played very well. His best first-half moment was clutching a Bristol lineout overthrow on the blow of half-time. Was carded on 52 minutes for breakdown illegality but when he came back, he got stuck back in to amply make amends for his 10-minute absence.
8. Tom Willis – 8
The third game in a row where he got the selection jump on Vunipola and you could see why. It was his worm-like carry that got Saracens near the line for Itoje to squirm over on the recycle for his second try. There was also a big tackle on Ibitoye nearing the break, one of 22 tackles made in his 71 minutes. Has proved himself this season to be another very shrewd McCall buy.
Replacements – Aled Davies (68), Billy Vunipola (71), and Alex Goode (76) were token cameos, but the rest of the subs were immense in helping Saracens stave off the potential crisis of being temporarily down to 13 players. Eroni Mawi epitomised the impact of the five forwards – the four who came on in minute 53 and then Theo McFarland on 61 – as it was the loosehead’s first carry that tempted Bradbury to concede and secure the three Daly points that gave 29-20 breathing space. That was vital.
