Saracens: (24) 52 |
Tries: Lewington, Dan 2, Maitland 2, Cinti, Gonzalez, Goode; Cons: Farrell 6 |
Harlequins: (0) 7 |
Tries: Dombrandt; Cons: Smith |
Saracens thrashed Harlequins 52-7 in entrance of 61,000 followers at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Quins hardly laid a glove on the north Londoners as Sarries stretched their profitable run to seven matches towards their rivals within the Premiership.
Tries from Alex Lewington, Theo Dan and two from Sean Maitland gave Saracens a 24-0 lead at half-time.
Alex Dombrandt replied after Dan scored once more, earlier than Lucio Cinti, Juan Martin Gonzalez and Alex Goode sealed the win.
The victory lifts Saracens above Harlequins into second within the Premiership desk, whereas Quins slip to fifth on account of Exeter’s win over Newcastle and their factors distinction taking a battering.
Saracens quickly illuminated proceedings just like the fireworks show earlier than captain Owen Farrell’s 250th sport for the membership and have been forward inside three minutes because of Lewington’s seventh Premiership attempt of the season.
Harlequins had hardly touched the ball and couldn’t deal with the house aspect’s fast passing and depth within the early levels and misplaced captain Stephan Lewies to the sin-bin within the 14th minute.
And so they have been instantly made to pay, with hooker Dan driving over in the back of the Saracens maul from the ensuing lineout after the penalty.
Farrell’s good go discovered Maitland, a late substitute within the line-up for Rotimi Segun, in acres of area to run within the third attempt.
Saracens then capitalised on one other mistake from Harlequins as an overshot lineout went by way of to Dan.
The house aspect received the ball out to Elliot Daly whose sensible through-the-legs go discovered Lewington, who teed up his fellow wing Maitland for his second attempt of the sport.
Harlequins couldn’t stay with the pace and talent of Daly, who was gaining nice floor together with his kicking from full-back and threading collectively the play within the Harlequins half on the assault.
The second half started in a lot the identical trend with Harlequins gifting away one other penalty, Farrell kicking into the nook and Dan driving over the road for his second attempt of the match.
Dombrandt received one again for Harlequins virtually from nowhere, as he broke over the road after the maul had damaged down.
Saracens made the factors secure as Cinti completed off a pleasant transfer created by Nick Tompkins and the sensible Daly.
Maitland then received inside a whisker of his hat-trick however was capable of roll the ball throughout to Gonzalez after grounding it simply wanting the attempt line, earlier than substitute Goode dotted over to safe a large win for Saracens of their first match again after the Six Nations.
Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall instructed BBC Radio London:
“We weren’t anticipating the scoreline or the efficiency to be fairly at that degree.
“Typically once you dominate a match it isn’t all the time mirrored on the scoreboard however that wasn’t the case immediately.
“This was all concerning the gamers as a result of we solely had two coaching periods and folks getting back from 4 locations [after the Six Nations].
On Farrell’s efficiency in his 250th sport for Saracens: “It was unimaginable. He performed pretty much as good as I’ve seen him immediately and I believe he’ll be like that for the remainder of the season, hopefully.
“He did not like all the eye however the gamers wished to make it a particular week.
“And what a second within the altering room when he was introduced with a shirt, a really emotional second.”
Harlequins head coach Danny Wilson stated:
“All of the injury was carried out within the first half, once you go right into a second half 30-odd-0 down it utterly modifications your sport plans.
“Our defence was actually poor immediately.
“However I might additionally say that is not been us this season, we got here into the sport second within the desk.
“In the event you’re off [the pace] on this league you can be in hassle.
“We have been greater than barely off immediately and we have been in hassle.”
Saracens: Daly; Maitland, Cinti, Tompkins, Lewington; Farell, Van Zyl; M Vunipola, Dan, Choose; McFarland, Tizard; Gonzalez, Earl, B Vunipola
Replacements: George, Mawi, Riccioni, Isiekwe, Willis, Christie, Simpson, Goode
Sin-bin: Gonzalez (80)
Harlequins: Inexperienced; Lynagh, Beard, Esterhuizen, Murley; Smith, Care; Marler, Walker, Collier; Launchbury, Hammond, Lewies, Evans, Dombrandt
Replacements: Riley, Baxter, Lewis, Herbst, Trenholm, Inexperienced, Nortmore, David
Sin-bin: Lewies (13), Care (67)
Referee: Christopher Ridley