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Saracens get it right at the second time of asking in the Championship, beating Jersey in round two

(Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

Saracens have bounced back from last weekend’s Championship baptism of fire, using the fuel of their shock defeat at Cornish Pirates to help them get the better of Jersey Reds by 45-13 in London. The 2019 Gallagher Premiership and Heineken Champions Cup winners made headlines around the rugby world for their 17-25 defeat at Mennaye Field.

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That loss made it clear how awkward their second-tier campaign could be, with every opposition team trying to get up for what would essentially be a cup final against the fallen giants of English and European rugby. Mark McCall didn’t overact to their loss to the Pirates, making just one enforced change to his starting line-up.

With Sean Maitland called-up to start for Scotland in their Guinness Six Nations match with Ireland on Sunday, Rotimi Segun was promoted from the bench and Saracens quickly assumed control at the Stonex Stadium, bagging the four-try bonus point before the interval despite falling behind a Jersey penalty in the opening minutes.

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The XV – stats and snapshots ahead of Six Nations round four

Rob Vickerman and Andy Clarke come together to give an in-depth analysis of where it’s gone right for Wales in this year’s Six Nations.

Video Spacer

The XV – stats and snapshots ahead of Six Nations round four

Rob Vickerman and Andy Clarke come together to give an in-depth analysis of where it’s gone right for Wales in this year’s Six Nations.

Segun and Duncan Taylor were involved in getting the show on the road, keeping possession alive in the lead-up to Alex Lewington’s tenth-minute try.

The right-winger struck again 17 minutes later following some Manu Vunipola invention, Elliott Obatoyinbo then added the third on 31 minutes and the bonus-clinching try arrived two minutes from half-time through Taylor.

Ahead 24-6 at the break, Obatoyinbo kept the scoreboard ticking seven minutes after the restart with his second try and even though Jersey quickly struck back to make it 31-13, Saracens powered home with tries from Segun and skipper Jackson Wray.

The result will buoy the Saracens contingent away from the club on Test duty. England’s Manu Vunipola said in midweek after the loss to Pirates: “As a Sarries player it was a shock with the result but you just feel more for the players. You are gutted for them and it is tough but when you are in this (with England) it is very hard to split your time and focus.”

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J
JW 1 hour ago
'They smelt it': Scott Robertson says Italy sensed All Blacks' vulnerability

Even the 20/30 cappers did too I reckon.


IDK, I think Jordan has a limited life span in this side unless he can develop more to his game. Like you go on to mention, I think theyres more important things to worry about than the effectiveness of someone's extra strings, or secondary components to their game.


Bash backs are Fosters thing, and to a large part they've made it work. Theyre now one of the best teams in the world.


They boy's trucked it up a bit against Italy in the redzone, and against France, wasn't that effective without the right players probably.


Try and take a look at it this way. Dissapointed Havili and Blackadder were in the side? Havili despite clearly shown that he can't do what the team needs at 12 was kept on for the RWC. Back goes down and he brings in Blackadder who doesn't play. Refuses to drop Christie when he should and look who starts this season. Beauden Barret not playing well enough to keep his 10 jersey but we gotta keep him in the side. Weve only got one 8, we stuff developing another I'll just play Ardie every game.


This years team wasn't burdened overly with injuries but they were in every position Razor might have wanted to try and development, severely limiting options. I'm not defending Razor as there was also plenty of other opportunity to make up for it and he was a little gunshy, but I'm also not going to overly criticise him because he chose cohesion over a black slate.

How long are we going to keep blaming All Black failings on Ian Foster.

I think more and more people are on board with it being time to try alternatives, but then again, how would they have reacted to a loss against Italy? 😉

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