Daly shows his class as Saracens run riot

By GARY FITZGERALD

Saracens …………………….. 48pts

Tries: Lozowski 10, Daly 16, 18, 23; Riccioni 32, Christie 35, Earl 80 Conversions: Goode 11, 17, 20, 35, 80 Penalty: Goode 53

Lyon ……………………………… 28pts

Tries: Maraku 25, Dumortier 40, 43; Botha 57 Conversions: Smith 27, 40, 44, 58

Elliot Daly gave the watching Steve Borthwick a timely reminder of his pace, skill and finishing power as Saracens buried Lyon under an avalanche of points.

But there was less happy news for the new England boss as Maro Itoje limped out of the win at the StoneX Stadium with an ankle injury near the end of the game. And the lock will be hoping the damage, caused when he landed jumping for the ball, will not put his chances of starting the Six Nations in jeopardy.

Full-back Daly scorched across for the second-fastest hat-trick in the top European tier tournament to seal his side's path into the Champions Cup last 16. And, no doubt, Borthwick will have been impressed by what he witnessed of a player ditched by Eddie Jones during his final months in charge.

Daly had his three tries in the bag within 23 minutes of the start of this contest. The 30-year-old, omitted from the summer tour to Australia and then the Autumn internationals following England's dismal Six Nations campaign, is on fire and will be praying Borthwick picks him in his first squad tomorrow.

Sarries certainly did not miss the banned Owen Farrell in a first half they controlled, building a 38-7 lead with six first-half tries.

Sarries penned Lyon back on their heels early and the French side were reduced to 14 men after just six minutes when flanker Dylan Cretin was sin-binned for a deliberate knock on with the hosts on the attack down the left wing.

Lyon appeared to have soaked up the pressure and were coping with being a man short until an inaccurate pass along the line was read by Lozowski. The centre was left with a clear run to the opposite end of the field with only a token chase by Lyon players realising the horse had bolted. Lozowski celebrated his try under the posts and Alex Goode added the extras.

Goode repeated the act when Daly went on a mazy run from the halfway line, picking his path through, running left and then right and around the seemingly static Lyon defence to cross the line untouched. It was already beginning to look like a long night for the French visitors.

Hat-trick hero: Elliot Daly scores the second try for Saracens

PICTURES: Getty Images

Daly strolled through for his second try when Max Malins turned the ball over on the right hand side of the field.

His hat-trick came from Hugh Tizard's pass when he acrobatically dived and stretched out his left arm to ground the ball just before he landed over the sideline.

Centre Josiah Maraku lifted Lyon spirits with a try – showing his running skills to weave his way through Sarries' tacklers and across the line for his side's first points. Fletcher Smith converted but Sarries responded with prop Marco Riccioni and then Andy Christie powering their way over for further tries.

Full-back Ethan Dumortier crossed for Lyon's second try on the stroke of half-time. And the Frenchman raced over for a second score within three minutes of the second half – converted by Smith – to fire a warning to Sarries not to get complacent.

On the charge: Maro Itoje makes a break

Goode kicked a penalty as Sarries tried to take the sting out of the Lyon fightback but Lyon were growing in confidence and wing Josua Tuisova's break set up No.8 Arno Botha for another try. But they had wing Tuisova shown a yellow card for a high hit on Goode with his hand and Ben Earl's late try sealed the win.