Saracens player ratings v Bath: ‘Warrior’ and ‘polished star in the making’ had Londoners close to ‘upset’ win
Noah Caluori tries his luck with his acrobatic leap as Charlie Bracken, inset, gets on the first-half Saracens scoresheet at Bath (INPHO/Tom Maher)
Following their agonising 31-22 loss to Bath in the Investec Champions Cup round of 16 at The Rec on Saturday, here are the resilient Saracens player ratings.
Saracens player ratings
15 Elliot Daly: Will grimace about a pair of first-half knock-ons, but there was a super kick ahead on 24 minutes that should have led to a try and it was a real feather in the cap to be last-man in a defence that kept Bath scoreless in the opening period. That warm glow, though, didn’t last with the hosts catapulting ahead 10 minutes into the second half, but he kept fighting to the very end. 6
14 Noah Caluori: The talented Saracens youngster was recalled to up the threat level, and he delivered. There was one audacious first-half dive at the line denied by Henry Arundell and Santiago Carreras. He was no slouch in defence, either, as seen in his snagging of Arundell on the blow of half-time, but was exposed four minutes into the second half, albeit he did make up the ground and effected a last-ditch tackle. His excellent finish on 74 minutes revived Saracens, but the result was sealed when he couldn’t get to Arundell in the final minute with his team a carded man down. 7
13 Nick Tompkins: Swapped from inside to outside channels in the midfield and it steeled what the Londoners had to offer in shackling their dangerous hosts who, just 15 days earlier, hammered Saracens 62-15 in the league. He was in no mood to take another defeat lying down, as seen in the super handling that ignited the sweep for the Max Malins score that cut the gap to 19-14 with 14 minutes to go. 7
12 Owen Farrell: Switched position after last weekend’s frustration at No.10, he uncharacteristically missed touch with a penalty in the 21st minute but was otherwise a feisty presence in keeping Champions Cup tabs on the hosts in that first half. That edge was less effective in the second, though, and he was a culprit for the try that got Bath in front, missing Max Ojomoh on the burst and then failing to get his hands on the elusive Joe Cokanasiga. His exit on 71 minutes with the result still in the melting pot, a similar departure to last weekend in the loss to Northampton, was another indication that his veteran legs don’t have 80 minutes these days. 6
11 Tobias Elliott: Usually clinical in what he contributes, there was an aberration when he scuffed his attempted kick ahead on the 24th minute chance created by Daly. It was his brilliant line break that had Saracens threatening a try in the incredible play that ended down the other end of the pitch with Ben Spencer scoring for Bath. Exited not long after on 62 minutes. 6
10 Fergus Burke: Promoted to start, he was in the least bit hesitant in taking things to the Bath line. There was a poor pass to Daly that scuppered one first-half chance, but his attitude kept Saracens in it, even when the going got very difficult in the second half with his team two scores down. 7
9 Charlie Bracken: A polished star in the making, he demonstrated his promise with a superbly taken 14th-minute try where he defensively exposed Cokanasiga off a scrum near the 22-metre line and raced in to open the scoring. Then became the target for the Guy Pepper breakdown yellow card. Played 56 minutes and has every reason to hold his head very high despite his team’s loss. 7
The forwards
8 Tom Willis: A warrior whose resistance to the very end epitomised how close Saracens came to securing an upset. An example was the fight he showed when carrying off the back of a scrum five metres from his line at nearly the mid-point of the opening half. It was just immense the way he made yards and highlighted why the Londoners weren’t going to fold as they did on March 20. It wasn’t only his carrying that shone; he was also good in defence in a performance that illustrated exactly why Bordeaux are bringing him back across the Channel next season. 8
7 Andy Onyeama-Christie: Busied himself with his repeated tackling to slow the Bath ball and such was his high level of energy, that he was just as keen on involvement in the final minute as in the first. There was regret, though. He was the Saracens player unable to take a pass on the line with a try begging to be scored, a mishap that resulted in the counterattack for the Spencer score. 7
6 Theo McFarland: Struggled last weekend, but looked back to his best, especially in the first half. While he was offside when blocking a Ben Spencer kick on 30 minutes, the moment epitomised his eagerness and it said it all that he came up with the turnover after Bath kicked the penalty to touch. It was a shame to see him disconsolately head away injured with 18 minutes remaining. 7
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5 Hugh Tizard: Set the defiant Saracens tone with his stoppage of the first Bath siege, and was at it again when they threatened off a 17th-minute maul. Gave it all in subduing the Bath pack for such a long period. 7
4 Maro Itoje (c): Excellent last week, he was again immense at The Rec in helping to deny the much-vaunted Bath forwards their usual supply of go-forward possession. His good decision-making was also seen in Saracens taking the three for a 10-0 interval lead rather than gambling on kicking to the corner and mauling. His best moment, though, was that 62nd minute break from one half to the other, ending in a penalty getting win at the ruck he created. Didn’t deserve to be on the losing side. 8
3 Marcus Street: Played his part in a platform-setting opening half, including getting on top at the scrum, but seemed to be carrying an injury and didn’t make it back on the pitch after the interval. 7
2 Jamie George: Brought in to start, there were plenty of disappointing issues at the lineout, but his experience in situations around the park during his 56 minutes laid the foundation for what could have been a fantastic away day heist. 6
1 Rhys Carre: Has quickly become one of Planet Rugby’s favourite players with the freedom of his play. Battered Welsh teammate Archie Griffin at the first-half scrum, there was also a jackal penalty win and a carry from the 10-metre to halfway to admire. That set-piece dominance, though, disappeared against brilliant sub Thomas du Toit and he departed 16 minutes into the second half. 7
Replacements: Half-time sub Marco Riccioni enjoyed a quick win, seeing Beno Obano yellow-carded after the Bath front row conceded one too many penalties, but with the lead lost during that binning, a momentum shift was needed when three more forwards and scrum-half Ivan van Zyl were called on 16 minutes into the second half. Saracens kept battling but while there were good sub moments such as Malins scoring on 67 minutes, there was also frustration such as Eroni Mawi getting his team marching back an additional 10 metres after a scrum penalty concession for unnecessary verbals and then Harry Wilson’s needless yellow card on 70 for shouldering the head of Miles Reid. 6