365 Sporting Days

A combination of my daughter visiting from Paris and flying back on the day of the match and the World Cup Bronze match meant this was one I’m watching on catch up on Sunday afternoon. The worst start to the season for Saracens for 15 years and a Friday night at Kinhsholm felt a worrying prospect. We had one match with Theo McFarland in the team, he was missing from this one with a shoulder niggle, I believe.

George Barton was the starting Gloucester 10 and Manu Vunipola the Saracens man, Barton had played really well in the Premiership Cup at Stonex. Zach Mercer, who many thought should have been in France was starting for Gloucester, a player I’m keen to watch this season.

It felt like Saracens last match was focused around scrums and who was going to be awarded a penalty, the first scrum in this match came in the first 3 minutes after a double knock on. That went the way of Gloucester with a free kick, they set the scrum again, that also brought the first cries of ‘Same old Sarries, Always Cheating’ Because Mako Viunipola was having trouble with a contact lens, each to their own! The re-set brought the penalty for the home team, with Vunipola going to ground. Barton kicked the penalty successfully.

The ball was knocked on from the kick off, giving a Saracens scrum, would this be a successful one? In one respect for Saracens it was, in that the scrum was a good one, in another it wasn’t as Aled Davies seemed to ignore the fact the ball was out and Stephen Varney pounced on the ball. Another Saracens knock on and we had another scrum, the 4th with only 8 minutes on the clock. Free kick Gloucester, they definitely had one over Saracens scrum wise early on.

Gloucester didn’t make anything from their resulting attack, they went again from a line-out, with George McGuigan making a good break, the home team were playing some good rugby but the ball was knocked on again. Play progressed and some kicks were exchanged, Tom Willis coming up with the ball after Gloucester weren’t into a ruck. Cue boo’s for some reason. A couple of phases later and Saracens failed to use the ball after being told to do so, scrum put in for Gloucester, the scrum fell and was re-set, it fell again and Gloucester were awarded a penalty, with Christian Judge the man penalised. A good kick gave Gloucester some helpful field position. Saracens disturbed the line out however and were awarded the put in to yet another scrum. Saracens took the ball but it was knocked on as it was passed, Mercer powered through Davies but had dropped the ball as he went over the line. Mercer limped away which will be a big concern.

Varney knocked on under pressure from Willis and he went to take the ball after Saracens had kicked out, Mercer had to receive some medical attention at this point, he carried on to the relief of the home fans. Saracens took the ball cleanly fro this screen and make their way into the Gloucester half, Nick Tompkins pretty much passed to Ollie Thorley however, he took the ball back into Saracens half. The. ball was knocked on, scrum! Scrum re-set, Tom Willis came away with the ball on the 2nd attempt.

Adam Hearle was penalised for an extra roll as Gloucester took the ball Davies had kicked up the field. Saracens didn’t win the line out but they did win another penalty giving them a line out close to the Gloucester lien, the maul made its way to the line but collapsed, Tom Willis scoring at the 3rd attempt at the line by Saracens, having hardly had possession in the Gloucester half they took the lead on 25 minutes. Alex Lozowwski added the extras.

Nick Isekwie took the ball from the kick off, but Manu Vunipola tackled Morris before he landed as the ball was kicked towards Gloucester, more cheating chants. Those were silenced however as Alex Lewington showed his footballing skills as the ball came lose, a pass went awry and he came out the winner as he kicked the ball up the pitch the try, with the successful conversion took Saracens to 14. Davies calmed things down as he called for the mark as the ball was kicked towards him, sending the ball into the Gloucester half. The throw wasn’t straight by McGuigan and we had another scrum. Zach Mercer had left the field at this point, hoping that isn’t a bad injury. Gloucester were awarded a penalty in the scrum.

In spite of some Saracens disruption Gloucester came away with the ball from the line out, the Saracens defence was doing its thing at last this week though, resulting in another knock on. At this point we had a review of the engagement that had caused the knock on, Mako Vunipola was far too upright, but the hit was mitigated by the fact that there were other tacklers involved meaning McGuigan was dipping. That turned a red card into a yellow card for the Saracens captain, that may. be reviewed after the fact.

Barton kicked the ball deep bunt the Saracens half, McGuigan had left the pitch and Jack Singleton’s first throw was a good one, Gloucester attached though the forwards but were kept out by the Saracens defence, the backs had a go, but were similarly deterred, before the forwards were again kept out. Gloucester had been attacking with a penalty pending and went for the line out option again. The throw in didn’t go 5, losing all that territory for Gloucester, they had to start again, but James Hadfield gave away another penalty. They were awarded another penalty as Saracens took the maul down, Saracens had conceded 8 penalties to Gloucester’s 2 at that point. Andy Christie must have been taking lessons from Theo McFarland as he stole the Line out ball, with the clock in the red Saracens kept the ball just long enough for Sean Maitland to kick it out, The teams went in with the score on Gloucester 3 Saracens 14.

Tompkins was pinged early in the 2nd half, hard to see how he could get out, but he couldn’t and buy the laws that is a penalty. Another line out in a good position saw Gloucester on the attack in spite of some disruption in the air. They then won a penalty as Saracens went off their feet in the ruck. Saracens were still a man short but another good attacking positiom for Gloucester came to nothing, th commentator misunderstand the awarding of a penalty for Saracens as a try. It’s all in the direction of the arm, and this one picked up some crossing by Glocuester. Mako Vunipola came back at this point. A second penalty saw the ball back in the Gloucester half. Gloucester gave away another penalty as Manu Vunipola kicked the ball through, in kicking distance for Lozowski the home fans were obviously delighted when the ball sailed to the left of the posts.

However Tom Willis showed his credentials with his 2nd try after Mako V had chipped the ball through then charged down a Barton kick, Willis took the ball from a prone defender to run in from 5 metres out. Lozowksi added the extras and Saracens had 21. Willis then played a huge part in winning a scrum put in for Saracens as Thorley tried to make his way into the Saracens half, he and the rest of the pack them won a scrum penalty. Nothing came of the subsequent attached as Hearle won Gloucester a penalty. Playing with another penalty advantage Barton threw an excellent pass out onto the wing but the attack came to nothing and they went back for the kick to touch, Saracens won the line out ball; but Gloucester had an attacking opportunity. I though Willis may have made a dodgy tackle in the build up, we’ll wait on the Citing Commissioner on that one.

Gloucester took another line out option from a penalty their 7th attempt close to the Saracens line, the ball was held up, just. A somewhat different defensive effort from Saracens! Callum Hunter-Hill gave away a penalty for a high tackle on Barton and they went for the line out again, Saracens got the ball away, again.

Saracens were awarded a penalty after something of a mix up by Gloucester, Lozowski went for the posts again, this time the kick was good and Saracens moved to 24. It was a quiet Kingsholm with 14 minutes remaining. Ivan van Zyl replaced Davies own 70 minutes, his stay was a short one, his first match back after an injury he saw a yellow card, taking on for the team in effect, having spent only 4 minutes on the pitch!

Another line out for Gloucester the 9th close to the Saracens line and the 9th time they failed to score as Saracens walked the maul into touch. Tom Willis was named Man of The Match. Ben Earl has clearly played brilliantly for England at 8 , but I cantle see him displacing Willis, who’s been a great signing for Saracens. I imagine he and Mercer will be battling for the England shirt in there 6 Nations. Kingsholm is always a tough place to go to, especially on a Friday night; Saracens will be very happy with both the result and the improvements over the last 2 games, points at last! To a great degree Gloucester will go back to the drawing board, their decision making was awry as well as their execution of the basics.