365 Sporting Days

I’m writing this one after the fact having been to the StoneX to watch Saracens Women win; I do wish the 2 bodies could liaise and ensure the 2 teams from the same club aren’t playing at the same time! I hadn’t realised the game was on ITV so TNT commentary it will have to be. My sofascore was pinging on my phone as the game progressed, it pinged quite a lot!

Play was stopped virtually immediately as Marco Riccioni fell and didn’t move, happily it wasn’t a head knock. but a stinger to his shoulder after Benhard van Rensburg clattered into him as Riccioni attempted a tackle. Play restarted with a scrum and a penalty against Mako Vunipola. Saracens gave away another couple of penalties giving Bristol a good attacking platform. Playing with a penalty in their pocket Bristol scored through Joe Batley, Aj McGinty added the extras.

Saracens knocked on from the kick off and Bristol were awarded a free kick in the scrum, van Rensburg put a great kick in as the ball went out to him. Max Malins took a great catch from an Owen Farrell high kick reminding his former team mates of his skills. McGinty made the most of another Saracens penalty in the middle of the pitch to stretch the Bristol score to 10.

Saracens were awarded a penalty after Siva Naulago knocked the ball on, one of those deliberate knock ons and an automatic yellow card. The boo’s from the Bristol crowd had been loud to this point and hearing them as Farrell kicked was very disappointing. That closed the gap to 7 as Saracens got on the board at last.

A mistake from Farrell as he kicked the ball straight out, was greeted by cheers (nice). Followed by more boo’s as Saracens won a penalty in a ruck as Tom Parton got stuck in. That phase of play set Saracens on the attack, Nick Tompkins gave away a penalty as he went just too soon as Farrell kicked through. Saracens were then penalised as Bristol attacked as Maro Itoje tackled a player without the ball. McGinty took the 3 points.

Saracens made the most of an Ellis Genge knock on as Bristol tried to clear their half with ball in hand, in the build up to the knock on Steven Luatus threw the ball out of his hand in what looked like a forward action, Bristol may have wished Karl Dickson thought so too. Itoje picked the ball up from the floor and was involved in a one/two with Lucio Cinti as play progressed, it was a walk in for Itoje after some good work by Cinti.

I’m not sure what planet Austin Healey’s on to suggest Saracens don’t fare well in a game of running rugby, or that they don’t want to play that way. Their next points, however, were via the boot of Elliot Daly , who was also Boo’ed. That took the scores to 13 apiece. I have to say for the boo’s alone I’m glad I chose not to travel.

Farrell put in a huge 50/22 kick, Bristol were penalised in the line out , taking Saracens slightly closer. Itoje burrowed over to score after his fellow forwards had a couple of carries. The referee was in a good position to see the ball go down, but TNT chose to play the action over and over again. Daly converted the try.

Bristol made a tackle off the ball giving Daly a kick at the posts, Farrell’s kick to touch had been so good, but I suppose a kick from standing was going to give him a problem, hopefully he just has a niggle. The Kick was good and Saracens extended tehor lead to 10. A word for Mako V, he made some magical passes in the 1st half, body of a prop, hands of a 10! Bristol had one last attack with some clever work from Gabe Ibitoye to keep his feet on the pitch at one point. he was also instrumental in wininng them a penalty. McGinty kicked to touch but the throw was long and went to Saracens hands.

The teams went in at half-time with the score on Bristol Bears 13 Saracens 23.

According to Ugo Monye Saracens were in cruise control and another Daly penalty extended their lead. Bears had a good start to to the 2nd half, with Dickson disallowing a try as the penalty wasn’t taken from the mark, they then failed to capitalise on the territory in spite of another penalty going their way. Saracens were put on a warning at that point. Bristol took a tao this tioe and Saracens defended the attack and Bristol knocked on. Saracens were awarded a penalty at the other end and Daly took the 3 points. All through the Bristol attack Healey was doing his TMO thing, I do wonder what the actual TMO thinks at times!

Two Yellow cards in the space of a minute did Saracens no favours. Itoje tackled Luatua high, it was head on head but Itoje was bent and Luatua changed direction, deemed a yellow card by the officials and Austin Healey too! Not the Bristol crowd of course!

Ben Earl was shown a yellow card a minute later and playing against 13 men Harry Thacker, literally just on the pitch, threw in to the line out then went over to score. That took Bristol within 6 with the successful conversion. Amazingly it was Saarcens who scored next, another Daly penalty as Bradbury didn’t roll away. There were no further scores while Saracens were down to 13.

Itoje was substituted for Theo McFarland and took part in a Saracens line out steal as the ball was thrown too long, Eroni Mawi took the ball and the ball went first one way then the other before making its way to Rotimi Segun on the wing. The commentary team hadn’t noticed that McFarland had replaced Itoje.

Juan Martin Gonzalez put in a lovely kick to pin Bristol in their ownn half, they tried to play the ball out through hands again, and won a penalty. They played the ball quickly and got well into the Saracens half. Ivan van Zyl stole the ball to give Saracens possession, he’d already blocked the ball. A lovely pass from Daly to `Cinti saw his Argentinian team mate on his shoulder, Juan Martin Gonzalez ran in to score the try of the match.

Bristol had a couple of attacking opportunities but Saracens held firm and the final score was Bristol Bears 20 Saracens 41. Elliot Daly was awarded the Player of the Match accolade.