Declan Kidney spoke of his enormous pride for his never-say-die London Irish players as they produced one of the most dramatic fightbacks in Premiership history to draw 34-34 against Saracens at StoneX Stadium.
Kidney, the club’s director of rugby, saw his side overcome the handicap of playing with 14 men for almost an hour to salvage a draw having trailed by 26 points. They galvanised themselves to score four tries in the final 18 minutes to leave Saracens stunned.
It was an incredible turnaround in a contest where Saracens looked poised to strengthen their high position in the table and Irish appeared condemned to another heavy defeat. But despite losing the lock Adam Coleman to an early red card, late tries by Kyle Rowe, who completed a hat-trick, Nick Phipps and Matt Rogerson managed to change the complexion and earn them three points from a game they looked set to end with nothing
Rory Jennings kicked the crucial conversion with the last play of the game to earn the draw and Kidney admitted: “I was proud of the side last week when we lost to Bristol and I’m proud of them again today. Three points is never a bad day’s work away from home. The players showed so much character and resilience and spirit. The effort was outstanding from everyone.
“We have become the draw specialists with three this season. But we have managed to get points from all our games this season and that is an important factor.”
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Irish looked destined for a miserable afternoon when Saracens led 34-8. The hooker Tom Woolstencroft crossed for Saracens’ opening try while Paddy Jackson and Alex Lozowski exchanged penalty blows before the Australian forward Coleman was sent off for a high shoulder hit on Jackson Wray.
Irish’s bid was dented again by the loss of their fly half Jackson to injury before the wing Rotimi Segun weaved his way past three attempted Irish tacklers, sauntering across for a fine individual score. The full back Elliott Obatoyinbo sent Segun over for his second try in the left corner and Ben Earl ended another swift move.
Rowe scored for Irish but Mako Vunipola crashed over from short rage and then it was his departure from the scene — replaced in the 62nd minute — which seemed to spark an astonishing finish.
Scorers: Saracens: Tries Woolstencroft (5min), Segun (29, 46), Earl (49), M Vunipola (61). Cons Lozowski 3. Pen Lozowski (19). London Irish: Tries Rowe (54, 63, 80), Phipps (68), Rogerson (73). Cons Jennings 3. Pen Jackson (15).
Saracens E Obatoyinbo; A Lewington (S Maitland 57), A Lozowski, D Taylor (D Morris 64), R Segun; A Goode, I van Zyl (A Davies 51); M Vunipola (R Barrington 64), T Woolstencroft (E Lewis 22), A Clarey (S Wainwright 74), N Isiekwe, T Swinson (T McFarland 55), A Christie (S Reffell 55), J Wray, B Earl.
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London Irish T Parton; K Rowe, B Janse van Rensburg, T Hepetema (M Williams 55), O Hassell-Collins; P Jackson (R Jennings 24), N Phipps (B White 70); W Goodrick-Clarke (A Dell 64), A Creevy (M Willemse 59), M van der Merwe (O Hoskins 52), A Coleman (sent off 19), R Simmons, G Nott, T Pearson (S Mafi 57), M Rogerson.
