Saracens have reaffirmed their dominance as the top team in English rugby, despite a dip in their performance that saw them fall to fourth place, eight points behind the leader. This serves as a reminder of an enduring aspect of English rugby – that Saracens reign supreme by a significant margin.

A second punishment was given in front of a 60,000 person audience to helpless individuals who were thought to be pawns. This serves to emphasize the fact that Saracens are the dominant team in this current period of English rugby, as it was unexpected for the Harlequins, who were previously in second place and contenders for the title, to be defeated.

This was their eighth win in a row over Quins, having dismantled them at the Stoop just after the World Cup. “This game can quickly remind you and Saracens particularly, if you’re slightly off, you’re in trouble,” said Danny Wilson, Quins’ head coach. “And we were more than slightly off.”

Before we praise the champions too excessively, we should focus on the problem Harlequins seem to have when playing against Saracens. This was not a strong performance from a team that is supposed to be a serious competitor. Saracens have a reputation for being unpredictable, showcasing both brilliance and unreliability, but even for them, this was a surprisingly poor performance. It was quite embarrassing, actually.

Anticipate their performance to be lackluster next Saturday when they face Bath at home. However, on this particular Saturday, they were unable to play, conceding control without possession, unassertive and clumsy when in possession.

These characteristics are not desirable in a highly competitive match like the Premiership, and against Saracens, they proved to be detrimental. The reigning champions took full advantage, scoring eight tries, four of which were in the first half-hour, effortlessly securing second place and closing the gap to the top-ranked team, Northampton, to just three points.

Owen Farrell stepped out before the match in front of his adoring fans, in front of his father, Andy, to celebrate his 250th appearance, a young son on either side of him. They will probably play for England one day, but this is their father’s time.

Mark McCall expressed his amazement at his performance, an exclaiming that it was one of the best he had seen from him in a while. It was evident that he was fully invested in the game today. The players also made an effort to make it a memorable week, as they hold him in high regard.

Marcus Smith will be extremely disappointed by his team’s poor performance, feeling powerless to stand out among them. However, he was just as overshadowed by the opposing player in front of him as his other teammates were.

In the second minute, Farrell attempted to create a try by chipping the ball towards the tryline. However, Quins successfully prevented Lucio Cinti from scoring, who was also having a impressive game. In the third minute, Farrell was able to set up a try instead. Alex Lewington was the one who ultimately scored, after stepping past Smith. The buildup to the try involved well-known English rugby players such as Ben Earl, Farrell, and Elliot Daly running different plays.

Daly was the standout player among the exceptional performers, particularly those in the black team. While he had a relatively low-key performance in the Six Nations, he truly shone in this match from the position of full-back.

Following Jamie George’s replacement by Theo Dan, another top player, who scored two points from driving mauls, after Quins captain Stephan Lewies received a yellow card. In the 26th minute, Daly made an impressive break for Sean Maitland, who easily scored a try. Later on, Daly made a clever pass between his legs to once again send Maitland over for a bonus-point try.

Dan scored his second goal three minutes into the second half, then Quins responded with their sole try, as Alex Dombrandt broke away from a lineout and drove to the endzone. Quins has a reputation for dramatic comebacks, but this time Saracens shut down any hope of that with three tries in the final quarter.

Cinti successfully scored a try, well-earned due to Nick Tompkins’ break and Daly’s inside pass. Then, another impressive player from Argentina, Juan Martín González, completed the play after Maitland almost made it. Danny Care received a yellow card for an offense leading up to that try.

With only 10 minutes left in the match, Saracens obtained their eighth point when Lewington sprinted forward and passed the ball to González, who then set it up for Alex Goode.

One may overlook the presence of players like Goode, who is considered one of the top players in the current era of the Premiership along with Farrell. The strength of Saracens’ bench was quite impressive, featuring the likes of England’s captain, the returning Tom Willis, and another standout from the Six Nations, Andy Christie.

Saracens move on to the shoulder of Northampton at just the right time, typically coming together when it matters, bristling with options. Their next assignment? Northampton at Franklin’s Gardens on Friday night. The season is building to a delicious denouement.

Source: theguardian.com