Inside centre Tom Hartley, making his first start in the Investec Champions Cup, notched a brace for Saracens in a 55-36 rout of Connacht Rugby at StoneX Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The hosts ran in eight tries in a dominant offensive display – hooker Jamie George on the scoresheet with a pair of tries in addition to solitary scores from flanker Juan Martin Gonzalez, wings Sean Maitland and Lucio Cinti and replacement hooker Theo Dan. Fly-half Owen Farrell added 15 points from the tee.
The visiting Irish province was in the contest up until half-time with tries from inside centre Bundee Aki and scrum-half Nathan White – the visitors trailing 21-17 at the interval.
Replacement fly-half JJ Hanrahan, replacement lock Joe Joyce and lock Cian Prendergast earned the bonus point for Connacht Rugby with second-half scores, fly-half Jack Carty and Hanrahan contributing seven and four points respectively from the tee.
The visiting Irishmen responded in kind five minutes later as inside centre Aki crossed the whitewash off the back of a rolling maul, Carty adding the extras.
Farrell then slotted the first of two penalties in the opening 40 to regain the lead for Saracens. That lead was short-lived, however, as Connacht Rugby fly-half White dotted down after some quick thinking at the breakdown on the tryline.
Carty extended the lead to 17-8 before two late first-half tries, both from hooker George who capitalised on the dynamic Saracens’ rolling maul, turned the first half on its head – Farrell adding a further three points from the tee as the hosts led 21-17 at the break.
Saracens turned the screw in the opening minutes of the second half, securing their bonus point try. A grubber from scrum-half Andy Goode broke the Connacht Rugby line for inside centre Hartley to gather and score – the first try for the youngster.
Things got worse for Connacht Rugby as Pendergast was then sent to the sin bin, with the English side taking control of the contest as Farrell notched his third penalty of the afternoon.
The second-half dominance continued when Farrell picked out Maitland with a delicious cross-field pass – the wing scampering over in the corner.
Minutes later it was replacement Ivan van Zyl who was the catalyst for the sixth try – he turned over the ball at the breakdown before switching out to the right flank where Cinti dotted down.
Following a yellow card for Saracens’ Maro Itoje, Connacht Rugby notched their third try of the afternoon – Hanrahan piercing the Sarries line with a mazy run.
Saracens didn’t let up, however. Outside centre Nick Tompkins provided another grubber for Hartley to dot down for the second time.
Joyce then secured Connacht Rugby their bonus point with a close-range finish before replacement hooker Dan added an eighth Saracens try on the back of another rolling maul.
Pendergast contributed a fifth try for Connacht Rugby with the clock in the red – the flanker capitalising on an errant pass on the halfway line to rumble home.
Saracens secured a vital five points with tough games against Union Bordeaux-Bègles and Lyon awaiting them in January. Connacht Rugby sit bottom of Pool 1 after defeats in their first two games – they travel to Lyon and host Bristol Bears in the new year.
Scorers:
Saracens: Tries: Juan-Martin Gonzalez, Jamie George (2), Olly Hartley, Sean Maitland, Lucio Cinti Luna, Olly Hartley, Theo Dan. Conversions: Owen Farrell (3). Penalties: Owen Farrell (3).
Connacht Rugby: Tries: Bundee Aki, Caolin Blade, JJ Hanrahan, Joe Joyce, Cian Prendergast. Conversions: Jack Carty (2), JJ Hanrahan (2). Penalty: Jack Carty.
Teams
Saracens: 15 Alex Goode, 14 Lucio Cinti, 13 Nick Tompkins, 12 Olly Hartley, 11 Sean Maitland, 10 Owen Farrell, 9 Aled Davies, 8 Billy Vunipola, 7 Andy Christie, 6 Juan-Martin Gonzalez, 5 Theo McFarland, 4 Maro Itoje, 3 Alec Clarey, 2 Jamie George, 1 Mako Vunipola. Replacements: 16 Theo Dan, 17 Tom West, 18 Logovi’i Mulipola, 19 Hugh Tizard, 20 Toby Knight, 21 Ivan van Zyl, 22 Tom Parton, 23 Alex Lewington.
Connacht Rugby : 15 John Porch, 14 Byron Ralston, 13 Tom Farrell, 12 Bundee Aki, 11 Shayne Bolton, 10 Jack Carty (captain), 9 Caolin Blade, 8 Paul Boyle, 7 Conor Oliver, 6 Cian Prendergast, 5 Gavin Thornbury, 4 Darragh Murray, 3 Jak Aungier, 2 Dave Heffernan, 1 Jordan Duggan. Replacements: 16 Dylan Tierney-Martin, 17 Denis Buckley, 18 Finlay Bealham, 19 Joe Joyce, 20 Jarrad Butler, 21 Michael McDonald, 22 JJ Hanrahan, 23 Diarmuid Kilgallen.
