The Autumn Internationals went heavily in favour of the Southern Hemisphere teams, with just a win against Japan for England. Saracens had a Friday trip up the A1 for their first Premiership Rugby match after the ‘break’. Alex Lozowski and Elliot Daly had been taken by Steve Borthwick but played not a single minute , the same for Nick Tompkins and Wales. Theo Dan came on against the All Blacks, playing just 25 minutes and Juan Martin Gonzalez had a busy international spell, including a full game, minus a sin binning, against France a week ago. All 5 started for Saracens. Marco Riccioni who’d played 44 minutes for Italy 6 days ago started on the bench.
Newcastle went into this game with 1 win from 6 and Saracens 4 from 6. Saracens hadn’t lost to Newcastle since 2009. I’d been to Kingston Park for the last 2 years but decided against making the journey this time so this is a match report from my sofa, Discovery + allowing! Happily the coverage has kicked in at the 2nd attempt, phew! My musicals obsession isn’t being helped by Frozen blaring out at the ground, a reflection of the temperature there I should imagine. The musicals theme continued with the Greatest Show as Newcastle emerged.
Fergus Burke kicked off for Saracens and Sam Stuart returned the ball from the base of the first ruck. Saracens gave away a penalty or rather Lockwood won it going Newcastle a good attacking position. A second penalty definitely given away by Saracens saw Brett Connon kick the 3 points for the home team to take the lead.
The 3rd penalty went against Saracens too, that was 3 in 5 minutes, so play headed back deep into the Saracens half. The ball was knocked on in the line out, a weakness for the Falcons so far this season with only a 74% success rate.
But lo, a 4th penalty against Saracens and the Falcons were back up the other end! This one given away by Lozowski, Connon kicked at the posts from a long way out, missing this time. Newcastle knocked on after the ball had been kicked up the field. Tom Willis emerged from the back on the scrum with the ball in one hand, but the ball was kicked up the field for Newcastle to go again, Rotimi Segun returned the ball with Ivan van Zhyl’s kick being knocked on into touch. Saracens went for a scrum again. Saracens were awarded a free kick as Falcons drove early.
Burke kicked a high ball which was won then lost by Saracens but returned to Daly who had a good run, he then put in a lovely little kick for Segun on the other side of the pitch, he was too close to the line so taken into touch. Theo McFarland stole the line out ball, giving Saracens their first attacking chance, they lost the ball sending falcons back, Tobias Elliot was lucky to get away with impeding his opposite number as he kicked the ball ahead. Elliot then scored as Saracens attacked, there were some quick hands, a potential froward pass by Rhys Carre being cleared, that pass had been to Dan who put a lovely pass in to Lozowski who moved the ball out to Elliot on the wing. The kick was missed but Saracens had their first points on the board and a 2 point lead.
Saracens were penalised for not retreating for a kick which pretty much came back on itself, another good position for Falcons to attack. They won term line out this time and moved the ball across the pitch via a combination of Backs and Forwards. Saracens gave away another penalty as play progressed. Falcons didn’t need that penalty as Alex Hearle ran a lovely line in to score close to the posts, a very well worked try. The conversion took Falcons to 10.
McFarland won the ball from the kick off but the ball was knocked on, a great kick by Connon put play back deep into the Saracens half, albeit a Saracens throw in, won by Falcons though! And Saracens were on defence again, then giving yet another penalty away for not rolling away. Connon went for the posts, a kick that should have gone over, didn’t.
A good Segun tackle saw the ball knocked on as Falcons went o the attack again, play was pulled back for a Saracens line out and again it was won by the Falcons. Kicks were exchanged but it was Saracens who went on the attack after a van Zyl dummy. However Saracens 7th penalty halted their attack.
Adam Radwan came on for the injured Ethan Grayson and scored a cracker of a try with his first touch as Connon passed out to Hearle who put a lovely pass to Hutchinson who timed his pass out to Radian perfectly for his to run in and score. The extras were added and the score was Newcastle Falcons 17 Saracens 5.
Tom Willis dropped the ball as it was kicked up the field after the kick off, this most definitely wasn’t a great half for the visitors. They were awarded a penalty as van Zyl had a successful jackal. The line out ball went the way of the Falcons again however and lo another penalty against Saracens as Segun returned with the ball.
To Saracens relief Falcons knocked on as they attacked, half time couldn’t come quickly enough for them. The scrum was reset as the clock crept towards into the red. Willis emerged again and we had the strange delight of seeing Rhys Carre in flight, he ultimately passed the ball to Callum Chick and Falcons got the ball off the pitch. The first 40 was without a doubt one for Newcastle to be happy about and I imagine one to cause a fair amount of angst in the Saracens dressing room.
Saracens gave away a penalty early in the second half as they were offside from a Burke kick, McFarland hadn’t retreated. Connon put Falcons back deep un the Saracens half. A few kicks were exchanged before Burke sliced a kick to give Falcons another line out in Saracens 22. Newcastle were penalised as they attacked with Blamire getting in an offside position.
Saracens didn’t get any advantage from their own line out and found themselves back much in the same position after Daly cleared to touch. Falcons attacked well but gave away a penalty on the floor. Back to virtually the same spot but a Saracens line out again. Nothing came for Saracens and Burke kicked too far enabling Falcons to take the mark.
Tom Gordon burst out with ball in hand as he ripped the ball free, with Elliot in pursuit he hesitated and Segun won a penalty after the ball had gone to the ground. Falcons then gave away another penalty going for the ball on the ground. van Zyl had taken the ball after it bounced back his way, possibly from Daly’s head. Daly kicked deep into the Falcons half, and the throw wasn’t straight. A wasted opportunity, it was obviously not straight.
The resulting scrum saw Saracens penalised allowing Falcons to clear their half. The eventual kick up field was well taken by Elliot. The kick by van Zyl was a dropped by Falcons , giving Saracens an unusual attack. The ball ended up over the dead ball line after a one handed attempt at a pass from McFarland went loose.
Falcions were penalised as play progressed ands Saracens actually won their line out ball, only to then lose it! We then had a couple of goal line drop outs as Saracens were lucky with the bounce of the ball. However, Saracens gave away a penalty as they attacked or rather Blamire won the penalty as Dan held the ball on the floor.
Saracens yet again lost a line out as the ball was kicked away by Falcons, another wayward throw. Falcons won a penalty in the scrum after a huge push against an all new Saracens Front Row. Burke was lucky to get away with letting the ball bounce after some kick tennis rugby, he was then tackled high giving Saracens a much needed penalty. With 67 minutes on the clock then 2nd half had been scoreless.
Daly put in a perfect kick to the corner and Gonzalez took the line out ball. Saracens were pushed back by the Falcons defence, Daly put a kick in to touch giving the Falcons a line out. Falcons won the ball and had a couple of forays through their frowards before the ball was kicked away into touch.
Willis lost the ball on the floor and Blamire put in a lovely kick to touch, he’d had a brilliant game! Saracens took a loose ball and ran far into the Falcons half after a good kick from Burke and a pick up from Tom Parton, Falcons won the penalty on their line.
With time ticking away Falcons had a scrum put in, but a Saracens penalty this time. Burke kicked to the corner. Saracens were awarded a penalty, they were playing for a losing bonus point basically. Tom Willis crashed over the line to get the try after taking a quick tap. Burke added the extras.
There was some confusion as James Hadfield had to leave the field, bringing Theo Dan back on. Saracens had to attack from 80 metres out, play was stopped for a Falcons injury, a nasty knock for Arnold. The incident causing the injury was checked and Tizard was seen to have put in a horrible hit on Arnold’s leg. Arnold had hit Mawi high to get a yellow card Tizrard, rightly, got a red card. And I imagine a lengthy ban. That final passage of play summed up Saracens night. This was a well deserved win for Newcastle Falcons breaking a 15 year losing run. Congratulations to them, hopefully this is the start of something good for them. Saracens, have a lot of work to do!
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