Saracens go top in last-minute drama
Bristol Bears ………………. 35pts
Tries: Harding 2, 35, 41; Randall 18, Fricker 43
Conversions: MacGinty 36, 42
Penalties: MacGinty 10, 60
Saracens …………………….. 37pts
Tries: Knight 15, Segun 24, Daly 46, 72 Conversions: Lozowski 16, 25, 47, 73 Penalties: Lozowski 38, 53 80
There is a reason why Saracens have been serial winners down the years – they never know when they are beaten.
At the very end of a match in which Bristol had at times destroyed their defence with some bewildering handling movements that usually had Gabriel Ibitoye at their heart, Alex Lozowski kicked a penalty to take his team back to the top.
Saracens may lose iconic players but they never lose their identity.
Some of Bristol’s play was sublime with wing Ibitoye their chief tormentor and the hosts ran from anywhere and everywhere, quick feet, hands and minds producing some of the most thrilling rugby seen in the Premiership.
It was as if the Barbarians were trying to outdo the Harlem Globetrotters.
Bristol scored five tries and could have had at least five more but for desperate defence and wrong options, but when it came to the basics Saracens were some way ahead.
Lozowski perfect from the tee
Lozowski kicked seven out of seven from the tee, many from out wide, while AJ MacGinty managed four out of seven.
Sarries had a 100 per cent record in the lineout and scrum but Bristol lost a throw close to the visitors’ line, kicked the ball out of play as they looked to run down the clock and were turned over in their opponents’ 22 three times in the final quarter.
Bristol were without four of their first-choice outside backs, including Benhard Janse van Rensburg, but let rip from the off and a side without the mental rigour resolve of Saracens would probably have been reading their obituary during the break.
Some of the Bears’ dling moves were mesmeric with the likes of Rich Lane, Toby Fricker and Joe Jenkins to han- the fore, along with Benjamin Elizalde whose 10-minute cameo in the first-half when Ibitoye was in the sin-bin, included a 40-yard run that set up Harry Randall for Bristol’s second try.
Ibitoye saw yellow for a shove off the ball after his opposite number, Tobias Elliott, made a searing break down the right.
Ibitoye had been moved to the midfield with Jack Bates off the field for a head injury assessment and the push was his only chance of inflicting play.
Ibitoye’s sin bin
His foul cost Bristol and it was Ibitoye who was penalised at the end for playing replacement scrum-half Gareth Simpson at a ruck.
They were eight points when was sent to the sin-bin with AJ MacGinty kicking a penalty after Fitz Harding had opened the scoring less than two minutes in with a lineout ploy that fooled Saracens into thinking that the ball was going to be thrown to the back.
Like Harlequins the week before against Saracens, Bristol picked three locks in their back five. It meant their lineout largely functioned well, but after the penalty conceded by Ibitoye was kicked to touch.
Saracens moved the ball rather than mauled and met little resistance as Toby Knight went over.
Sarries responded to Randall’s try with a gem of their own finished by Rotimi Segun but Harding’s second, followed by a Lozowski penalty, made it 2017 to the Bears at the break.
Bristol scored two tries in the opening three minutes of the second half, Harding securing his hat-trick and Fricker finishing another flowing move.
With Alex Goode in the sin-bin, a big home win seemed to beckon.
That reckoned without the character of Saracens. The first of the excellent Elliot Daly’s two tries after Joe Owen spilled a restart and a Lozowski penalty cut the deficit to five points.
A MacGinty penalty gave Bristol an eight-point cushion but while they were lavish with the jam, they needed a bit more butter.
