The Guinness Premiership match between Saracens and London Irish at Twickenham on Saturday Sept 5, 2009.
An opening day victory for Saracens over last season’s Premiership finalists at Twickenham yesterday may have represented the perfect start for Brendan Venter’s tenure but London Irish coach Toby Booth will still be wondering how his side let this one slip through their fingers.
Saracens had looked to be coasting to a comfortable victory by half-time, with fly-half Glen Jackson inspiring them to a 18-3 lead. Jackson scored a try from a quick tapped penalty as Irish turned their backs expecting him to kick a penalty and created another for flanker Andy Saull with a clever cross-kick. The fly-half also landed two penalties and a conversion during an opening period in which Irish were curiously flat and lacking any direction or impetus.
Yet Booth’s side were a completely outfit after the break save for an unconvincing display from Ryan Lamb on his debut following his summer move from Gloucester. Lamb could only land two penalties from six attempts at goal, with the majority of his misses from well within range.
He was hauled off 15 minutes from time after missing the simple conversion of George Stowers touchdown from the base of scrum midway and although a Delon Armitage, having returned to action from the sin bin for his involvement in an unedifying brawl, was able to bring Irish to within a score with a penalty.
Saracens lost Schalk Brits, for his role in starting the brawl that saw also Armitage shown a yellow card, and Ernest
Joubert to the sin bin as the pressure mounted but although Irish managed to create a number of try-scoring opportunities at the death, they were made to pay for their woeful first-half as Saracens held on.
Inevitably, given the Bloodgate controversy that has dominated rugby’s off-season, it took just seven minutes for the first blood injury. London Irish flanker Declan Danaher ran off the pitch with a cut to the back of the head, but despite the new protocol which allows opposition team doctors to check all blood injuries, it was unchallenged by Saracens.
Danaher, who required stitches to the head wound, later returned with his head bandaged.
“It wasn’t even an issue,” Venter said. “We don’t check that, we worry about our own stuff and I don’t doubt Toby’s character for one second. Our minds are not preoccupied at all about those sorts of things.”
Saracens and England captain Steve Borthwick admitted he had been relieved that the game could now move on from the controversies of the summer.
“It is outstanding that we are back out on the field and while it maybe wasn’t a classic of flowing rugby, it was tension, it was excitement, endeavour and effort at its very, very best,” Borthwick said.
“I am a massive fan of rugby union and we are all very privileged to be involved in this fabulous sport and it is great that we can actually get stuck back into and not be talking about all the things that happened in court rooms.”
Irish coach Booth had few complaints. “It is an 80-minute game and if you give yourself too much to do, you are always going to struggle,” Booth said.
Matrch details
Saracens: A Goode; N Cato, K Ratuvou, B Barritt, C Wyles; G Jackson (D Hougaard 73), N De Kock (J Marshall 69); R Gill, S Brits, C Nieto, S Borthwick, H Vyvyan (M Botha 61), W van Heeden (F Ongaro 54-64, M Owen 79), A Saull, E Joubert.
London Irish: D Armitage , A Thompstone, E Seveali’i (P Richards 40), S Mapusua; R Lamb (P Hewatt 64), P Hodgson; C Dermody (D Murphy 69), D Coetzee (J Buckland 51), Paulica Ion (F Rautenbach 51), A Perry (B Casey 51), N Kennedy, D Danaher (G Stowers 7-13), S Armitage, C Hala’ufia (G Stowers 51).
Scoring: 3-0, Jackson pen; 3-3, Lamb pen; 8-3, Jackson try; 10-3, Jackson con; 13-3, Jackson pen; 18-3, Saull try; h-t; 18-3, Lamb pen; 18-11, Stowers try; 18-14, Armitage pen.
Referee: D Pearson (RFU)
Attendance: 60,000
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