SARACENS, but only by millimetres. The curtain rose on a new Twickenham season with a match of swooping lows and highs in front of a crowd of more than 66,000 — the first part of an Aviva Premiership double-header that also featured Harlequins against London Irish.
There were two scorching performances by wings that will give food for thought to the England selectors, who have bemoaned the lack of a truly top-class performer in that position.
And it ended on a controversial note when the Saracens wing David Strettle, who had already scored two tries, dived for the line at the end of a desperate attack with the clock dying and his team trailing by a point. As Strettle surged for the corner he was tackled by Wasps centre Elliot Daly, who cleverly twisted Strettle over the touchline behind the Wasps line. However, after an agonising wait as the television match official pored over replays from all angles, the verdict was that on his initial dive Strettle had hit the ground and the front of the ball had just touched the edge of the try-line.
Tiny margins, but the try and conversion gave Saracens victory by 34-28. They had led 20-9 at half-time before being shaken to the core by a Wasps revival that brought 19 points in as many minutes. Wasps led 28-20 in the final quarter.
David Young, the Wasps director of rugby, was unhappy with the refereeing. “We are told that the ball was touched down for the last try. I don’t agree that they got there and I didn’t think their first try was good either.” Young said Rob Miller, the Wasps full-back, had been barged aside, off the ball, by the sprinting Strettle.
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Strettle’s hat-trick was a reminder to the selectors, who have discarded him from the squad of late. There was an even more hefty nudge from Christian Wade, who scored two blistering tries for Wasps in his comeback game after injury. He missed most of last season and the New Zealand summer tour.
Wade ran on to score after clever chips ahead by both Ashley Johnson and the maestro Wasps fly-half Andy Goode. “It is great to have Christian back,” Young said. “Whenever he gets into space he is always going to be dangerous.”
The late Wasps charge was in stark contrast to the first half when they were lifeless and it seemed Saracens, who lost in both the European and Premiership finals last season, would start with a massive victory. Chris Ashton had opened the scoring and Strettle struck for the first time after poor Wasps defence.
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But with Wade scoring twice and another try by powerhouse No 8 Nathan Hughes, Wasps built up their 28-20 lead. Strettle struck back in the left corner and although Wasps were marching towards the Saracens line in the closing minutes, they coughed up the ball by conceding a penalty. Saracens centre Duncan Taylor burst through from the lineout and Strettle dived over with just enough momentum behind him.
Mark McCall, the Saracens director of rugby, was relieved. “We showed a lot of character when we were eight points down but we are sensible enough to know that this was nowhere near our best,” he said. “We have to play far better than that.”
Harlequins, who scored all their points in the first half, beat London Irish 20-15.