No England internationals – Owen Farrell was not ‘available’ after all – but while you can strip Saracens of their stars, you cannot take away their spirit. For all this victory was dramatic, secured with two tries in the final four minutes, equally there was an inevitability to it as soon as they could scent Bristol blood in their nostrils.
Bristol looked to have the match won with an excellent score from Gabriel Ibitoye with 10 minutes to go but their failure to land the conversion left their lead at nine points. Saracens had been off-colour for much of the match but belatedly shifted up a gear and, once Rotimi Segun went over on the right with four minutes to go, you had to feel for the Bears, who had been dogged throughout but suddenly looked like men condemned.
