On a sodden afternoon in north London the fast-improving – and downright fast – Noah Caluori excelled for Saracens, dominating aerially and scoring a breathtaking second-half try. The director of rugby, Mark McCall, pointedly remarked that it was the pack who created the necessary platform, but Caluori’s world-class talent is ever more clear.
A depleted and heavily rotated Clermont Auvergne looked likely to struggle against a home side crammed with quality even in the absence of England’s Maro Itoje, Ben Earl and Jamie George. Seven of the visitors’ side from last Saturday’s victory against Stade Français started. They spent 3% of the match in Saracens’ 22: enough said.
They were overwhelmed by seven Saracens tries: Lucio Cinti got two, with Max Malins, James Hadfield, Caluori, Hugh Tizard and Theo Dan all chipping in. Next Saturday’s meeting with the Sharks in Durban will be different, and more difficult, in every way.
Asked to assess Caluori’s performance, McCall insisted on striking a blow for the forwards’ union: “Before I answer your question I think it’s probably right to talk about our forwards. This is one of the bigger French teams and our scrum dominated. It was our forwards who laid the platform.”
Then he bowed to the inevitable. “Noah had some good moments. He’s building, he’s getting a lot of help and support from his experienced teammates. He has those moments of brilliance that can turn matches. Long may that continue.”
The first score, after 11 minutes, was a textbook affair. Owen Farrell launched a kick and Caluori employed his undefendable aerial skills to bat it back for Elliot Daly. A delicate kick down the line was collected by Cinti, who touched down. Willis nearly burrowed over four minutes later and Anthime Hemery, the visiting openside, was sent to the sin-bin for playing the ball on the ground.
Past the half-hour mark and a dominant Saracens had mustered seven points. Cinti remedied the situation when Harry Plummer, the All Blacks fly-half, fell off a tackle. Farrell soon kicked left where a flying Malins half-volleyed ahead. Bautista Delguy missed the bouncing ball allowing Malins to score try No 3. The hooker, Hadfield, trotted over and 26-0 at half-time, bonus point secured, was fair.
Three minutes after the break Axel Guillaud raced past a weak Malins tackle to put the visitors on the board. A comeback for the ages? Not quite. A phenomenal arcing run by Caluori from halfway – acceleration, perfect balance, lightning speed – left his opponents with no answer.
Saracens Daly; Caluori (Segun 58), Cinti (Bracken 69), Tompkins, Malins; Farrell (Burke 60), Van Zyl (capt); Carré (Mawi 47), Hadfield (Dan 47), Street (Riccioni 47), Isiekwe (Wilson 58), Tizard, McFarland, Onyeama-Christie, Willis (Michelow 60). Tries Cinti 2, Malins, Hadfield, Caluori, Tizard, Dan Cons Farrell 4, Burke 2.
Clermont Auvergne Guillaud, Tauzin, Newsome, Simone, Delguy, Plummer, Jauneau (capt; Bezy 53), Lotrian (Frisach 52),Fourcade (Belkessa 52),Ojovan (Dzmanashvili 53), Lanen (Michaux 53), Ratuva (Simmons 53), Chalus-Cercy (Dessaigne 13), Hemery, Tolofua. Yellow card Hemery 14. Tries Guillaud, Plummer.
Referee Hollie Davidson (Sco)
Plummer darted over to reduce the deficit to a mere 23 but Saracens immediately struck back, Daly chucking a dummy and sending Tizard cantering in. It was a soft score and Dan added a late seventh after coming off the bench. Saracens pack their bags for South Africa after a heartening performance.
Would the lock Tizard, player of the match, have welcomed a chance to play against the suspended Eben Etzebeth? “I’d like to have seen what he’s like,” he said, “but it’s probably not a bad thing he’s banned.”
Clermont Auvergne’s Australian centre, Alex Newsome, said the visitors had not written this match off – based on their rotated selection – before paying tribute to Caluori. “We knew he was going to be hard to handle and they played well to him, didn’t they? They kicked to him, he got plenty of ball in his match day, so congrats to him.”
For Caluori, at just 19, there will be more plaudits to come.
