Two games into the season and Saracens have already secured two victories, marking the start of a new era for the team. The home side took some time to find their rhythm, but a significant contribution from centre Alex Lozowski, who scored 22 points and provided a superb assist for winger Tobias Elliot, eventually helped the black-clad team pull ahead of a Sharks side hampered by injuries.
It was a particularly frustrating day for England’s George Ford, who was forced off the field with a thigh injury after just seven minutes. Saracens’ new captain, Maro Itoje, also limped off just after halftime, applying ice to his knee in the dugout. Despite his departure, Saracens managed to score 33 points in the second half.
Sale had hoped to replicate their Premiership semi-final victory from last June, when they stunned Saracens on their home turf and brought Owen Farrell’s Saracens career to a sudden end. However, a strong home response this time around, capped by two late tries from Elliot Daly, secured a late try bonus point for Saracens.
The visiting director of rugby, Alex Sanderson, who once belonged to the Saracens family, believes club rugby needs to be more appealing to casual viewers. While the game was not a fast-paced spectacle for much of the time, it did open up in the final half-hour. Sale, dressed in eye-catching tangerine, may look back and wonder if this was ever meant to be their day. Losing one key player early on is unfortunate, but losing two was severely disruptive.
The influential Ford appeared to injure his right thigh while attempting a long-range penalty, and Jean-Luc du Preez, a physical force, was forced off after just 10 minutes due to a head injury. His brother Rob stepped in at fly-half, but his first act, a kick to the corner that went out of bounds, was not promising. Despite this, Sale were initially the livelier side and scored the first try.
In the first half, Saracens could only manage four penalties from Lozowski and Daly, while Sale led 13-12 at halftime. There were some promising moments, such as a nice run from new fly-half Fergus Burke and a couple of quick moves from Rotimi Segun. The most intriguing battle was in the front-row, where Asher Opoku-Fordjour held his own against the heavier Rhys Carre.
However, with key players like Ben Curry and Hyron Andrews leaving the field due to head injuries, and Dugdale still off the field, the reserve hooker Ethan Caine had to be deployed in the back-row as an emergency measure. Despite the comings and goings, Lozowski scored two more penalties, making it 18-13 before the game’s standout moment arrived.
Lozowski, after making a clean break in midfield, delivered a perfect long pass that gave Elliott just enough time and space to beat Tom O’Flaherty and dive into the right corner. This was the catalyst for Saracens to dominate, with Daly and England’s captain, Jamie George, adding to the scoreline. Dugdale received a second late yellow card, compounding the Sharks’ troubles.
