CHAMPIONS Saracens threw down the gauntlet to the rest of the Aviva Premiership as they began the new campaign by sweeping aside a poor Sale Sharks outfit with ease and contempt.
Five converted tries and some inspirational displays from returning England World Cup players ensured Allianz Park bounced to a feast of points and a comfortable bonus-point win. This thumping victory was achieved without Owen Farrell and Billy Vunipola and they already look the team to beat this season
Director of rugby Mark McCall gave England internationals Alex Goode and Jamie George a start. This time last week they were playing in the World Cup against Uruguay.
“They did very well,”said McCall. “Neither had much game time with England so were keen to get involved and get out there. I was very pleased with them and Mako [Vunipola] and George [Kruis] who came on.”
England hopeful Will Fraser, a real contender for the openside berth, came off the bench to score a late try. Many are tipping Fraser’s teammate, Maro Itoje, to be England captain at the next World Cup and he led the Saracens side here before he was withdrawn in the third quarter. The game was over even at that stage. With the hosts dominating and controlling affairs from start to finish, three first-half scores put this fixture to bed. Sale only had a penalty from England discard Danny Cipriani to show for their efforts. It was a much more enjoyable afternoon for Michael Rhodes, the South African making his debut on the flank for the home side. The back-rower from Western Province put his name on the scoresheet just three minutes into his debut, dotting the ball down after a rolling maul.
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Against his former club, former England No 10 Charlie Hodgson converted and then swapped penalties with Cipriani. That was about as good as it got for Sale. Tim Streather used his guile to force his way over the line for the second try.
Goode slipped the ball to left wing Mike Ellery to race over unchallenged for number three and the first of his pair. The former England sevens star made the perfect case to show the Sarries management he is the man to fill the void on the wing created by the departure of David Strettle to Clermont Auvergne.
The bonus point was in the bag just after the hour mark when Ellery finished off a slick move. Both sides emptied their bench before Fraser marked his first game following major back surgery with a try, converted by the outstanding Goode.
Sharks, will need to improve their defence and raise their physicality levels if they are to repeat that seventh place or better it.
Their back line failed to cope with Sarries’ attacking flair and their director of rugby Steve Diamond had no complaints. “We were comprehensively beaten in all areas,” he said. “We couldn’t get anything going because they controlled the game. But it is a wake up call and you’d rather have this kind of defeat at the start of the season than later on.”
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Star man: Alex Goode (Saracens)
Saracens: Goode; Ashton, Streather, Taylor (Tomkins 45 min), Ellery, Hodgson (Ransom 63), de Kock (Spencer 56); Gill (M Vunipola 51), George (Porecki 68), du Plessis (Lamositele 63), M Itoje (Kruis 51), Hamilton, Rhodes, K Brown (Fraser 55), Wray
Sale: Haley; Arscott, James, Tuitupou (Jennings, 56), Addison, Cipriani (Macleod 63), Cusiter (Stringer 59), Harrison (Flynn 59), Taylor, B Mujati (Cobilas 51), Beaumont, Evans, Braid (Briggs 63), Seymour (Lund 56), Easter, Mills, 50)