Saracens get set for an Exeter shootout

SARACENS secured the all-important five points ahead of their Sandy Park showdown with playoff rivals Exeter Chiefs on Saturday.

■By BEN JAYCOCK

aracens …………………….. 26pts

ies: penalty 7, Malins 24, Tompkins 76, Dan 80 nversions: Farrell 77, 80 arlequins ……………………12pts

ries: Bradley 62, Anderson 78 onversion: Smith 63

Sarries secured their fifth win on the spin and maintained their unbeaten record over Harlequins at the StoneX, with wing Tobias Elliott illustrating to England head coach Steve Borthwick what he can offer with a fine all-court game.

It wasn’t vintage Sarries but Theo Dan’s last gasp try meant their playoff pursuit remains in their own hands.

An already eliminated Harlequins, down in eighth position, had been outspoken in how they were hoping to be the Prem’s party poopers spoiling their rival’s playoff aspirations.

They did so against Exeter last weekend but their miserable record at Saracens rolls on despite a valiant effort.

Saracens No.8 Tom Willis – who is joining back-to-back European champions Bordeaux Bègles after another top class campaign which sees him lead the Prem charts in carries, defenders beaten, post contact metres and offloads – produced another outstanding display in his final home match.

He said: “It means a massive amount. They’ve come to the ‘Showdown’ and beaten us, they’ve got the better of us on a few occasions, so we knew what was coming today.

“It wasn’t pretty, but we found a way to scrap it out in the end and get the job done. I’m pretty happy with that.”

Flyer Elliott won jackal penalties, proved dangerous in attack and repeatedly plucked balls from the sky in a player of the match performance.

The 22-year-old England U20s graduate began his fine display by man handling Will Porter over the line and off the subsequent 5m scrum, Sarries dominated with Chandler Cunningham-South infringing and giving away a yellow card and penalty try.

Over: Nick Tompkins celebrates after scoring the third try for Saracens

PICTURES: Getty Images

Quins wing Cadan Murley, on his 150th appearance, saved a certain try by stopping Max Malins a metre out and forcing a knock on, but moments later Malins made amends with a try following sumptuous hands after Willis drew in four defenders.

At the other end, Alex Dombrandt thought he’d scored but Elliott Williams was penalised for crossing, after Marcus Smith had run rings round the defence, even bumping off Malins.

Eroni Mawi was impressive at scrum time on his return from injury – and even charged back in the heat to halt a Quins counterattack. Rhys Carre continued Sarries’ scrum supremacy with Pedro Delgado enduring a tough day at the office.

A show and go from replacement Will Evans then fed Bryn Bradley who raced over for a try and made it game on CLO SE-UP

during the final quarter. Owen Farrell missed a routine three to keep the contest on a knife-edge but Sarries win looked secured when Hartley’s chicken wing offload assisted Nick Tompkins in powering over.

Cameron Anderson scored his first Prem try, after Quins’ playmakers Smith and Jamie Benson combined brilliantly, but Quins made a mess of the restart and when presented with a lineout six metres out, Sarries secured the bonus point with Dan’s maul try.

Gotcha: Tom Wills tries to stop Marcus Smith

OLLY HARTLEY V BRYN B RADLEY

Saracens inside centre Harlequins inside centre

A mixed bag for Wales call-up Bradley who knocked on in a dangerous area but eventually came into his own with a well taken try and a neat grubber kick. Hartley impressed on both sides of the ball with good reads of Quins’ attacks forcing knock ons, with one in particular a bone crunching hit on Kerr, and showed great hands in the build up to Tompkins’ try.