Premiership: Saracens 37-23 Newcastle Falcons - Hosts fight back for bonus-point win

Mako Vunipola was playing in his first competitive match since the British & Irish Lions lost the third Test against South Africa on 7 August

Saracens marked their Premiership homecoming by battling back from 17-3 down to beat Newcastle.

Tries from debutant Mike Brown and Ben Stevenson helped the visitors build a commanding lead, but a penalty try closed the gap to 17-10 at the break.

Jamie George then caught the Falcons out with a quick tap to go through and level the scores and Mako Vunipola touched down to put Sarries in front.

Billy Vunipola went over in the last minute to earn the bonus point.

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Saracens, playing their first home game since winning promotion back to the Premiership, are now unbeaten in their past 22 matches against the Falcons in all competitions.

It had looked like Dean Richards' men could have brought that wretched record to an end after a fine opening 30 minutes, but Sarries ultimately showed their class.

They had Sean Maitland sent to the sin-bin after seven minutes for a high tackle, but took the lead while a man light when Owen Farrell kicked a penalty.

However, debutant Brown showed all his vast experience to spot a gap in the home backline and go over from a crash ball between the posts to put the Falcons ahead.

Things went from bad to worse for the hosts when Billy Vunipola had the ball stripped inside his own 20 and Stevenson broke through a tackle to race in at the corner.

Tim Swinson was held up over the line by some great last-ditch defence by the Falcons after he had been released by a wonderful no-look pass from Max Malins.

Sarries fought back after Brett Connon had kicked the Falcons into a 14-point lead when they were awarded a penalty try after the visitors pulled down a maul and had George McGuigan sent to the sin-bin.

George used his initiative to catch the Falcons out after the restart when he tapped the ball to himself and powered over.

Mako Vunipola, on his first appearance of the season, then touched down in the corner.

Newcastle could not keep their discipline in the face of constant pressure and England captain Farrell kicked Saracens into a 10-point lead with just over 20 minutes to go.

A long-range Connon penalty got the Falcons back within seven and put them on course for a losing bonus point.

But Mark McCall's side kicked a penalty to the corner in the 80th minute and Billy Vunipola made it the perfect day with the bonus-point winning try.

Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall:

"I think Billy (Vunipola) has played well in all three games this season.

"It was Mako's first game since the Lions tour and he was excellent and Jamie (George) was outstanding - the more he plays, the more Mako plays - the better they will be.

"Our set-piece got on top of them in the second half and a lot of the access to their goalline that we got was because of a lot of their good work."

Newcastle director of rugby Dean Richards:

"When the momentum and the referee got on to our backs a little bit, it's about understanding that street-wiseness and how to change perception and we didn't do that.

"Owen Farrell was in his ear the whole time and with him being in his ear the whole time it changed the momentum of the game.

"There was a passage of play where they went off their feet twice in a ruck.

"There were three offences they committed and then we committed a very minor one on the far side, but he penalised us.

"It's up to us how to learn to change the referee's perception of what's going on and the momentum of the game. You do that by being squeaky clean and highlighting what they're doing."

Saracens: M. Vunipola, George, Riccioni, Hunter-Hill, Swinson, Isiekwe, Earl, B. Vunipola, Davies; Farrell (capt), Maitland, Lozowski, Morris, Lewington, Malins.

Replacements: Woolstencroft, Mawi, Clarey, Reffell, Christie, Van Zyl, Goode, Tompkins.

Sin-bin: Maitland (7 mins).

Newcastle: Brown, Radwan, Stevenson, Lucock, Earle, Connon, Schreuder; Brocklebank, McGuigan, Davison, Fuser, Robinson, Graham, Welch (capt), Chick.

Replacements: Blamire, Cooper, Mulipola, Montgomery, Basham, Nordli-Kelemeti, Haydon-Wood, Wacokecoke.

Sin-bin: McGuigan (37 mins)

Referee: Ian Tempest (RFU).

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