Saracens Storm 26 Exeter Braves 7
Saracens Storm 26
Exeter Braves 7
Mark Stevens at Allianz Park
Exeter Braves saw their unbeaten start to the new Premiership Rugby Shield campaign come to an end as defending champions Saracens Storm claimed victory at Allianz Park.
Charlie Watson’s first half brace, together with a penalty try, helped give the home side a 19-7 advantage, before winger Elliott Obatoyinbo wrapped things up late in the game to ensure maximum reward for the Londoners.
In reply, the Braves - who scored first through a converted Patrick Schickerling try - offered a creditable threat throughout, but sadly they lacked the killer instinct at key times in the contest.
With both sides have recorded maximum points from their opening two games in the competition, it was a meeting of the form teams on a cold Sunday afternoon in North London.
The Braves, who had thumped Bath United 52-10 earlier in the week, made five changes to their starting line-up. Up front, Danny Southworth, Richard Capstick and Rus Tuima all started, as did Shea Cornish and Sam Morley in the back division.
Saracens, meanwhile, had plenty of experience within their ranks, including a handful of first-team stars who have featured prominently for the Londoners in various senior competitions this season.
It was, however, the Braves who started the brighter and they took the lead inside five minutes. Two needless penalties from home flanker Callum Hunter-Hill allowed them to kick deep into the home 22, setting up a line-out drive from the resulting penalty.
Although the home side repelled the Exeter eight well with their initial drive, the Braves reverted to a simple pick-and-go game that allowed tight-head prop Schickerling to burrow over from close range for the score, which was converted by Skinner.
Sadly, that would the Namibian’s last meaningful contribution to the game as he departed shortly after with an eye injury. It meant an early introduction for Exeter University prop Matt Johnson to prove his worth.
Exeter held their lead until midway through the first half, after which it was Sarries who found their scoring form.
Playing with a penalty advantage, the ball was fed out to Vunipola - the cousin of Mako and Billy - whose clever grubber kick in behind the Braves defence saw Watson latch onto the loose ball and produce a slick finish in the left corner.
Vunipola failed with the testing touchline conversion, then saw a simple drop-goal chance go wide as he fluffed his kick when positioned in front of the Exeter posts. However, the gifted fly-half made no mistake when offered a third chance, firing over the extras to Watson’s second score, the centre thundering in under the posts after Tom Whiteley had fizzed a pass into his grasp.
As half time approached, Saracens went in search of further reward. A clever break-out released Whiteley, whose pass to the right released Obatoyinbo, who seemed to destined to cruise over in the corner. That was until he was downed by a high tackle by Exeter winger James Short.
Short was dispatched to the sin-bin for his actions, as was team-mate Richard Capstick, who was deemed the guilty party in dropping a Sarries maul destined for the try-line just moments later. He was forced to exit stage left, whilst the hosts extended their lead courtesy of the resultant penalty try.
HALF TIME SARACENS STORM 19 EXETER BRAVES 7
It was a tough conclusion to the half for the Devonians, but they resumed the second half in much the same manner as they started the first. On the front foot, they pushed and probed around the artificial turf, but they struggled to make their early efforts pay dividends.
Saracens were happy to soak up the Braves threat around the edges, but when it came back in field they flooded the breakdown area to deadly effect, winning numerous turnovers that allowed them to clear the danger with relative ease.
To their credit, the Braves continued to push forward and they threatened once more. Strong carries from Stan South and Rus Tuima got them to within sight of the Sarries line, but again the visitors were not clinical enough and the chance came and went in the blink of an eye.
It was frustrating for the visitors, whose efforts deserved more, but even when they were given a helping hand with yellow cards to Joel Kpoku and Obatoyinbo, they could not make their numerical advantage pay off.
At the other end, the ‘Men in Black’ showed how it should be done. In what was a rare attacking foray for them during the second period, they claimed the all-important bonus point score with just seven minutes remaining.
Vunipola instigated the move, going cross-field with a kick, but Harvey Skinner had read the move and was on hand to challenge on the far side. Sadly, he could not grasp hold of the hanging ball, instead knocking it down where Watson lapped up possession, before slipping the pass to Obatoyinbo to coast over.
Those in the sparse crowd showed their approval to that score and Vunipiola’s subsequent conversion that ensured the Londoners were able to pocked another maximum haul.
Next up for the Braves is this Saturday’s short trek up the M5 to Bristol, where Pellow’s side will be hoping to a swift remedy to this bout of travel sickness.
Storm: M Gallagher; R Segun, V Hakolo (J Hallett 59), C Watson, E Obatoyinbo; M Vunipola, T Whiteley (A Day 71); R Barrington (S Crean 59), T Woolstencroft (K Pifeleti 59), J Ibuanokpe (S Wainwright 59); Joel Kpoku, Jon Kpoku (C Boon 59); C Hunter-Hill (O Stoneham 69), S Reffell (T Munday 78), A Christie.
Tries - Watson (2), Penalty Try, Obatoyinbo; Conversions - Vunipola (2)
Yellow Cards: Joel Kpoku, Obatoyinbo
Braves: S Morley; S Cornish (A Relton 68), T Wyatt, M Bodilly (B Karea 74), J Short; H Skinner, S Maunder (J Snow 64); D Southworth, J Poole (H Wilkinson 76), P Schickerling (M Johnson 8, W Norton 59); S South (C Teague 71), T Price; J Caulfield (capt), R Capstick, R Tuima (L Pearson 63).
Try - Schickerling; Conversion - Skinner
Yellow Card: Short
Referee: A Woodthorpe
Attendance: 150