In the battle of the X-factor wingers with England ambitions, fleetness of foot edged out the head for heights. Henry Arundell came out on top of a captivating duel with Noah Caluori to crown a fine individual showing with a second try and finally sink Saracens. That the Bath head coach offered comparisons with Bryan Habana is a demonstration of just how impressive Arundell’s performance was.
It may be reductive to condense such an absorbing, chaotic multifaceted contest into a singular head‑to‑head but the contest between Caluori and Arundell was thrilling. Saracens’ early ascendancy owed much to Caluori’s aerial skills – Owen Farrell kicked for him to chase four times in the opening eight minutes – while Bath’s revival from 14-3 down was sparked by an Arundell intercept that had Johann van Graan recalling Habana in his heyday. He finished off the decisive score four minutes from time and held up well in the face of Saracens’ aerial bombardment, with Caluori’s influence waning in the second half.
Arundell appeared for England only off the bench against Fiji in the autumn series but his defensive showing and blistering pace should make Steve Borthwick take notice. Habana made intercepts such as Arundell’s here his trademark and England would clearly benefit from such a potent weapon of their own.
“That’s a nine-out-of-10 performance, we know about his speed and he’s worked so hard on his defence,” Van Graan said. “It’s such a good read at such a big moment in the game.
“When I was at the Bulls in 2005 and Bryan joined us, we played against the Brumbies in Canberra. He had this straight-line run and that’s the thought that went into my head, in terms of speed they are the two quickest players I have coached.”
Saracens, for their part, excelled for large parts. Farrell looked at home on his first appearance in the No 10 jersey since rejoining the club. Ben Earl, fresh from signing a new contract until 2029, continued his fine international form, while Elliot Daly was accomplished on his first club outing of the season.
Van Graan described the match as “two heavyweight boxers” and Saracens landed the first significant blows. Ultimately, however, they paid the price for Tom Willis’s first‑half injury and were given a painful reminder that while it used to be they who boasted the deepest squad, that accolade now resides firmly with Bath, who made seven simultaneous substitutions midway through the second half. It was a demonstration of why Bath are favourites for the Premiership title and it would be no surprise if it were Saracens standing in their way of a successful defence at Twickenham come June.
With Farrell pulling the strings from fly-half and Daly acting as a second playmaker, Saracens were on top early on and Max Malins, England’s forgotten winger, was the beneficiary, Saracens working the ball to the left for a comfortable finish. A second try reinforced Saracens’ early dominance, finished by Juan Martín González but owing everything to Earl’s delightful running line and Farrell’s ability to fizz a pass just where he wanted it. It was in the buildup that Willis sustained the injury that forced his premature exit just a few minutes later, however.
Saracens continued to seek out Caluori and though there is a buzz of anticipation every time the 19-year-old sets off, they did so with increasingly limited impact. He will always keep defences interested but to give him his dues, Arundell stuck to the task manfully. Caluori gathered the restart after a Finn Russell penalty had got Bath on the scoreboard but Arundell picked off Ivan van Zyl’s pass near his own 22, pinned back his ears and raced away to the try line.
Arundell’s score gave Bath a foothold but Malins had his second after a fierce burst up the middle from Theo Dan. A Farrell drop goal – with his father, Andy, watching – cheered the StoneX Stadium crowd but Thomas du Toit’s try after a rumbling Bath driving maul ensured just a five-point deficit at the interval.
The third quarter belonged firmly to Bath. They battered away in the left corner and while Saracens withstood the bludgeon they succumbed to the blade when the quick-thinking Ben Spencer put Will Butt over. Four minutes later they took the lead with the best try of the match, begun by Russell, finished by Arthur Green but owing everything to Josh Bayliss’s pace on the left and Arundell’s canny kick inside to Spencer.
Saracens levelled the scores again at 29-29 – a tiring slugger fighting back in the 11th round – with González going over from close range. But while both sides threatened to deliver the telling blow in a topsy-turvy finish, Max Ojomoh – a week after lighting up Twickenham on his home England debut – straightened and released Arundell for the decisive score.
