The clocks have gone back and we seem to have returned to the recent past when Saracens ruled the roost in the English club game. They are back after their year in exile from the Premiership and with a vengeance.
On the previous two Sundays they had gorged themselves on 126 points in wins against Bath and Wasps. This time, though, Saracens escaped to victory, coming from behind to win the game with a late try from Jackson Wray.
It was the champions Harlequins’ first home Premiership defeat of the year and they will wonder how this one got away after they had led 19-9 at the break with an autumn gale behind them. They were eventually blown away by a match-winning display by Alex Lozowski, stepping in for Owen Farrell at fly-half, who scored 19 points in another peerless display.
“I think we were second-best for much of the game. We really had to dig in there,” he said.
With international call-ups robbing the fixture of a few star names, Danny Care, long ago considered surplus to requirements by Eddie Jones, was handed the Harlequins captaincy while Lozowski was back in a position in which he had looked so at home in the opening fixture at Bristol.
Care’s half-back partner Tommy Allan was soon the victim of a late challenge by Vincent Koch. The ensuing penalty gave Quins the platform to launch an attack that gave the young lock Hugh Tizard the chance to finish for the first try of the afternoon. It was the perfect start for Quins but they soon conceded a couple of soft penalties, one of them converted by Lozowski.
Allan did not seem too affected from that early hit by Koch and the Italy international soon set up a second try. From a ruck Allan’s wonderful long pass to Tom Lawday gave the No 8 the opportunity to set up the wing Cadan Murley for the chance to break Alex Goode’s tackle and score in the corner.
The physicality of the match was unrelenting. Allan soon left the field for a head injury assessment he failed and was replaced by Will Edwards, a former England sevens player who does not lack pace but probably did not expect too much time on the field.
Lozowski continued to chip away at the Quins lead but when a Saracens move broke down in midfield, the flanker Jack Kenningham took advantage to plough upfield, would‑be tacklers bouncing off him. He gave Lawday another chance to set up a try after he had given a firm hand‑off to Koch. Lawday’s pass to Tyrone Green, who was looking razor-sharp at full‑back, glided over in the corner for a third try.
Dino Lamb, the Quins lock, was sent to the sin-bin for clearing out a maul a little too enthusiastically but the champions led by 10 points at the break. The question was would that be enough with the strong wind behind the visitors in the second half.
There was a scare when Dom Morris cashed in with a sharp try against a side still handicapped by Lamb’s absence but Quins replied with a smart drop-goal by Care. It was his eighth drop-goal, the most by any Premiership No 9. The momentum was back with the home side and the crowd found its voice. Stephan Lewies, who had led Quins to their title but has been out of the side with a foot injury, made a welcome return to bolster the home pack.
Edwards struck an upright with a penalty before Lozowski converted successfully at the other end to reduce the deficit to three points. Saracens won a penalty at the breakdown through good work by Wray. Lozowski was having one of those days and Saracens were level.
There was a sting in the tail. Four minutes from time Saracens moved the ball wide, Lozowski straightened the line and Alex Lewington slipped a pass for Wray to squeeze over in the corner. Inevitably Lozowski converted from the touchline. The only downside for Saracens was the sight of Billy Vunipola hobbling off with a knee injury in the last minute.
