Two-try Christie an inspiration as Saracens secure stylish win

Saracens kicked off their Gallagher Premiership season in impressive style with a bonus-point victory over Gloucester at Kingsholm.

Without departed skipper Owen Farrell, new recruit Fergus Burke slipped seamlessly into his shoes to guide the visitors to a morale-boosting 35-26 success.

Andy Onyeama-Christie scored two of their tries and Ivan van Zyl and Tobias Elliott the others, with Burke kicking two conversions and two penalties.

Freddie Thomas, Freddie Clarke, Jack Clement and Seb Blake scored tries for Gloucester, with George Barton adding three conversions.

Val Rapava-Ruskin was a late withdrawal for Gloucester having aggravated a knee injury, with Mayco Vivas stepping up from the bench.

The first 15 minutes were largely featureless with neither side able to threaten the try line as referee Craig Maxwell-Keys awarded seven penalties to prevent any flow to the game.

Gloucester full-back Barton enlivened proceedings with a couple of penetrative runs but losing lineouts on their own throw did not help the home side’s cause.

The game sprang into life when Saracens moved the ball along the line for Elliot Daly to chip ahead and the ball bounced favourably for Rotimi Segun to collect and score.

Worse was to follow for Gloucester when first van Zyl intercepted a telegraphed pass from debutant Gareth Anscombe to race 45 metres, before Burke and Daly created space for Elliott to leave Anscombe and Ollie Thorley floundering.

Gloucester badly needed a score before the interval and got one when Tomos Williams quickly took a short penalty to dash into the opposition 22. The scrum-half was hauled down just short of the line but the hosts maintained the pressure for Thomas to crash over.

Barton’s impressive touchline conversion left his side 17-7 adrift at half-time. However, Gloucester made a disastrous start to the second half.

Ruan Ackermann lost the restart kick for Saracens to build up pressure and Onyeama-Christie finished off an unstoppable forward drive.

The home side changed their whole front row in an attempt to reverse their fortunes but Saracens responded by bringing on three international forwards in Jamie George, Ben Earl and Nick Isiekwe and it paid dividends with a penalty from Burke extending their lead.

The hosts kept in contention with replacement Clarke scoring with his first touch, but their hopes were short-lived when another pre-planned lineout move put Onyeama-Christie in the clear and the flanker raced away to score his second.

Burke missed the conversion but added a simple penalty before Anscombe was replaced by Charlie Atkinson.

Gloucester showed considerable spirit to score tries from Clement and Blake to earn a deserved bonus point but their rally came too late.