French star Thomas Castaignede scored all the Saracens points - but this was
the only joy for Sarries as London Irish produced a typically gutsy performance
to condemn the Zurich Premiership favourites to their first defeat of the
season.
The Exiles, playing their first game in the Madejski Stadium played superb
rugby in the opening stages and for the first 25 minutes looked the far superior
side.
But with Castaignede pulling the strings, the visitors fought back strongly to
make for a nervy second half for the crowd of more than 7,000 to endure.
The home side took the lead early on in sensational fashion after capitalising
on some poor handling in the own half, Paul Sackey picking a pass inside his
home half of the field before sprinting unchallenged from the half way line to
score.
A Jarrod Cunningham penalty and the first score of the afternoon for
Castaignede took the score to 10-3 but the expected Sarries charge didn't
materialise and in fact, the Londoners pushed home their early advantage to
stretch their lead.
After a patient passage of play which saw Irish applying pressure, Kieron
Dawson stretched out the lead with a try in the corner.
Castaignede pulled another three points back with a penalty and this sparked a
mini revival as the full-back continued his one man fightback, scoring a try in
the corner and then converting a tremendous 40-yard drop-goal to bring Sarries
back into the game.
Cunningham and Castaignede scored a late penalty apiece as the two sides
turned around at half-time with a five-point gap.
After a scoreless opening to the second half, Cunningham stretched Irish's
lead with another penalty before Castaignede converted yet another penalty -
awarded after Duncan McCrae was checked by a very high tackle by Irish centre
Tabai Matson.
Late Irish pressure in the dying moments could have led to a larger winning
margin but the Premiership favourites finished well on top as Irish snuffed out
some relentless late pressure on their own line in nearly four minutes of
pressure.
Teams:
London Irish:
Tries: Sackey, Dawson.
Cons: Cunningham.
Pens: Cunningham 5.
London Irish: O'Shea, Sackey, Matson, Wright, Bishop,
Cunningham, Campbell, Worsley, Kirke, Halford, Williams,
Strudwick, Halvey, Dawson, Sheasby.
Replacements: Ellis for Matson (70), Hatley for Worsley (56),
Hardwick for Halford (52).
Not Used: Everitt, Alexopoulous, Danagher, Delaney.
Sin Bin: Williams (17), Matson (60).
Saracens:
Tries: Castaignede.
Cons: Castaignede.
Pens: Castaignede 4.
Drop Goals: Castaignede.
Saracens: Castaignede, Luger, Johnson, Sorrell, O'Mahony,
McRae, Bracken, Flatman, Cairns, White, Murray, Grewcock,Roques, Hill, Chesney.
Replacements: Sparg for McRae (66), Wallace for Flatman (56),
Davison for Murray (56).
Not Used: Walshe, Parkes, Cole, Diprose.
Sin Bin: White (17).
Att: 7,312
Ref: Brian Campsall (RFU).
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