Saracens ended a memorable year with their second victory in a week and after a nervous start never looked like losing. But this was not quite as convincing as the scoreline suggests. Worcester have a new director of rugby in Alan Solomons and the South African was impressed by the way his new charges pushed the European champions all the way. Warriors have way too much quality to be relegated.
Saracens have not had a happy time of late but they were back to something like their best in a win at Leicester on Christmas Eve that ended a run of seven defeats in all competitions, including a drubbing here by Clermont that threatens their progress in Europe this season. But Billy Vunipola may return to their back row at Wasps next Sunday and they scored six tries here to move to second in the Premiership.
Nathan Earle, an uncapped wing called into Eddie Jones’s training squad in Brighton, settled the game with two late tries that followed two by the No8 Jackson Wray. Michael Rhodes was outstanding alongside Wray in the back row. Saracens have missed him as much as Vunipola this autumn.
Worcester are a club up for sale and they have plenty of attractive items in the shop window. They have enjoyed a better December than Saracens and their backs in particular are in eye-catching form. Josh Adams, their left-wing, is on a hot streak and it was no surprise when he opened the scoring.
Chris Pennell’s awkward little kick through eluded Sean Maitland and Adams snaffled the try in the corner. He has scored in six successive Premiership games and, if nothing else, Saracens knew they were not going to have it all their own way.
The home side soon discovered their old fluency, though, and Ben Spencer, on a bit of a hot streak of his own and keeping the England scrum-half Richard Wigglesworth on the bench, scored in the corner as Saracens stretched the defence.
Maitland atoned for his earlier error when, after a multi-phased move, Saracens switched the direction of play and the Scotland wing took full advantage of an overlap to score an excellent try.
Pennell had looked as safe as houses under the high ball but when Owen Farrell tested the Worcester fly-half Sam Olver with a high kick, Olver was driven back into his 22 by the England man and after the subsequent pile-up Farrell kicked an easy penalty.
There was a worrying sign, though, when Farrell was left holding his cheek after a painful collision with the Worcester wing Bryce Heem and Heem would soon inflict more pain. His run into the Saracens 22 was halted but the move continued, and in the last move of the first half Ryan Mills fired out a pass for the impressive flanker Sam Lewis to score in the corner. Pennell converted from close to the touchline and the Warriors were level.
After the break Saracens wasted little time in bringing on their two heavyweight props, Mako Vunipola and Vincent Koch. The South African tight-head made an instant impression with a bullocking run and Farrell took the chance of a penalty to restore his side’s lead.
Saracens began to turn on the forward power at last. Wray scored their third try afterfollowing a lineout drive and after Vunipola had been held up over the Worcester line Wray scored a second to ensure a bonus point.
Worcester looked dead and buried but they showed plenty of spirit on a rare foray into the Saracens half and David Denton, the Scotland international who had carried the ball impressively in the first half, crashed over for a try to bring the Warriors right back into .
Earle, who saw little of the ball earlier, then put the result beyond doubt with two tries in five minutes in the same spot in the corner, one of them converted by Farrell from the touchline.
Worcester had the last word, and just as they had in the first half they breached the Saracens line with the last move, their replacement Jamie Shillcock going over for their fourth try and a deserved bonus point.
Saracens’ defence coaches will not have been best pleased but most of the crowd went home to resume the holiday celebrations in good spirits.
