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.
