Six-try Saracens seal emphatic win over Northampton

Ben Earl wrapped up the scoring for Saracens with his third Premiership try of the season

Gallagher Premiership

Saracens (24) 39

Tries: Burke 2, Carre, Dan, George, Earl Cons: Burke 3 Pen: Burke

Northampton (0) 24

Tries: Freeman, Pearson, Sleightholme, McParland Cons: Smith 2

Saracens ran in six tries in a commanding Premiership victory over champions Northampton Saints.

Two tries from fly-half Fergus Burke either side of scores from Rhys Carre and Theo Dan set up a 24-0 lead for the home side as they totally dominated in swirling winds at StoneX Stadium.

Tommy Freeman and Tom Pearson hit back early in the second half to briefly suggest the fightback was on for Saints.

But further tries from substitute Jamie George and Ben Earl secured a crucial bonus-point win which moved the hosts up to third in the table.

Northampton, who claimed a late bonus point through consolation tries from Ollie Sleightholme and Archie McParland, remain eighth with 15 points from eight games.

Saints beat their hosts three times on the way to winning the title last season but couldn't get a foothold in the first half as Saracens, who had to shuffle their line-up after an injury to full-back Elliot Daly in the warm-up, raced into a four-try lead.

The wind caused problems for players on both sides when the ball was in the air, with Burke and Fin Smith both missing conversion attempts during the match.

Disallowed scores from Tom Willis and Nick Tompkins - celebrating his 200th appearance for the club - prevented the gap from being even bigger at the break as the home side dominated all areas of the game.

Despite conceding four second-half tries, Saracens rarely looked troubled - even when they were reduced to 14 players after captain Maro Itoje was shown a yellow card that ended Tom Lockett's afternoon.

Pearson's try briefly reduced the deficit to 12 points for Saints but Saracens regained composure to reopen their 24-point lead and see the game out, before Sleightholme and McParland ensured the visitors went away with a point.

Fergus Burke scored two tries and a total of 19 points for Saracens

'First half our best 40 minutes' - McCall

Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall said:

"The first-half performance was outstanding, especially when we were playing into the gale.

"It's probably the best 40 minutes we've had for a long time as everything we did was smart.

"However, the second half was frustrating as we went a bit individual and it cost us, and you can't do that against a side as good as Northampton.

"Our half-backs Fergus [Burke] and Ivan [van Zyl] used the ball very well and were really smart as it was taxing for them being up against England squad half-backs.

'Too little too late' for Saints - Dowson

Northampton Saints director of rugby Phil Dowson told BBC Radio Northamptonshire:

"Frustration to put it mildly that we were so poor in the first half. In the second half we did some bits but, again, too little too late.

"In the first half we were very poor, didn't get stuck in, didn't do anything we wanted to do, weren't physical, didn't look after the ball.

"All those sorts of effort bits and pieces were missing. We had some pretty honest words at half-time and we come out flying and we're flying and we score points, and we're getting amongst it.

"I know it's absolutely meaningless but we win the second half, we score more points than them. The frustration is we can't play for 80 minutes."

Saracens: Williams; Elliott, Cinti, Tompkins, Jackson; Burke, Van Zyl; Carre, Dan, Balmain, Itoje, McFarland, Gonzalez, Earl, Willis

Replacements: George, Brantingham, Clarey, Wilson, Knight, Simpson, Lozowski, Hall

Sin-bin: Itoje [46]

Northampton: Hendy; Freeman, Litchfield, Hutchinson, Ramm; Smith, Mitchell; Iyogun, Langdon, Davison, Lockett, Munga, Coles, Parson, Augustus

Replacements: Langdon, Haffar, Millar Mills, Mayanavanua, Pollard, McParland, Dingwall, Sleightholme

Referee: Adam Leal