Saracens survive London Wasps comeback

Saracens held off a late charge by London Wasps to win their first match of the season 29-24 at Vicarage Road in the Aviva Premiership on Sunday.

South African Alistair Hargreaves scored Saracens only try of the match but was stretchered off the field later after suffering concussion.

London Wasps mounted a late comback which put the home side under pressure and Davies scored a try which with the conversion earned the visitors a losing bonus point.

Saracens missed the chance to go top of the Premiership table on Sunday as Wasps late try saw their margin of victory reduce.

In a first period that ebbed and flowed, the two teams went into the break level at 14-14. Sarries' points came through an Alistair Hargreaves try and three Charlie Hodgson penalties, while Wasps' Nicky Robinson added two from the tee and a drop to go alongside Tom Varndell's try.

But four more Hodgson three-pointers and one from Nils Mordt gained the victory, although Charlie Davies secured a losing bonus-point for the visitors which meant Saracens were denied top spot due to Quins' better points difference.

It was the hosts that found themselves up by three points early on. Instigated by a David Strettle break, Wasps infringed at the resulting ruck and Hodgson converted the penalty opportunity.

But the High Wycombe-based outfit immediately hit back with a superb try as good work from Christian Wade and Hugo Southwell allowed Varndell to go over unopposed. Robinson failed to convert, but he kicked a drop-goal after 20 minutes to extend that advantage.

However, their lead didn't last long as successive penalties from the hosts' fly-half took the score to 9-8.

Lock forward Hargreaves then charged down Davies' attempted clearance for a simple touchdown, but Robinson added two more from the tee - the second coming after the Sarries' try-scorer had been sin-binned - to level matters.

Mordt, on briefly for Hodgson, and the visiting fly-half traded penalties at the start of the second-half before the returning Hodgson took Saracens 20-17 ahead.

And three more Hodgson kicks sealed the victory despite Davies' consolation try, which was converted.

Saracens fly half Charlie Hodgson won man of the match after he kicked seven penalties for a total of 21 points.

Final Score Saracens 29 (14) Wasps?24 (14)

Scorers

Saracens
Tries: Hargreaves
Penalties: Hodgson 7, Mordt

London Wasps
Tries: Varndell, Davies
Conversions: Bell
Penalties: Robinson 3
Drop-goals: Robinson

Match Officials
Referee: JP Doyle (48th Premiership game)
Assistant Referees: Andrew Pearce, Kevin Stewart.
TMO: David Grashoff.

Teams

Saracens

15 Chris Wyles , 14 David Strettle , 13 Joel Tomkins , 12 Kameli Ratuvou , 11 James Short , 10 Charlie Hodgson , 9 Richard Wigglesworth, 8 Ernst Joubert , 7 Andy Saull , 6 Kelly Brown, 5 Alistair Hargreaves , 4 Steve Borthwick (C), 3 Carlos Nieto , 2 Schalk Brits, 1 Matt Stevens

Replacements :16 John Smit , 17 Nick Auterac , 18 Petrus du Plessis , 19 George Kruis , 20 Will Fraser , 21 Neil de Kock , 22 Nils Mordt , 23 Joe Maddock

London Wasps

15 Hugo Southwell (c) , 14 Tom Varndell , 13 Elliot Daly , 12 Chris Bell , 11 Christian Wade , 10 Nick Robinson , 9 Charlie Davies, 8 Billy Vunipola, 7 James Haskell , 6 Ashley Johnson , 5 Marco Wentzel, 4 Joe Launchbury , 3 Zak Taulafo , 2 T Rhys Thomas ,1 Tim Payne

Replacements: , 16 Tom Lindsay , 17 Phil Swainston , 18 Simon McIntyre , 19 James Cannon , 20 Jonathan Poff , 21 Jonah Holmes , 22 Tommy Bell , 23 Andrea Masi

Source: http://www.rugbyweek.com/news/article.asp?id=36922

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