Star: Elliot Daly
(Picture: PA)Life after Eddie Jones could very reasonably start with a first England call in 21 months for Saracens full-back Elliot Daly.
The 30-year-old's magisterial sleight of hand sent the entire Edinburgh backline one way – but the ball and team-mate Alex Lewington the other. Daly’s grubber kick was so well disguised as to look for all the world as though he had whipped out a pass.
So as Edinburgh pushed up, the ball went in behind, and winger Alex Lewington raced in for the try. Daly had earlier shrugged off Duhan Van Der Merwe for Sarries’ first Champions Cup try in 35 months, on a breakthrough day at StoneX Stadium.
Saracens prevailed 30-26 in their first Champions Cup encounter since January 2020, to cement a fresh start after relegation, Covid and a semi-rebuild.
Daly has not featured for England since the 2021 Six Nations, but did star on the Lions tour that summer. England dispensed with Eddie Jones’ services last week, with Leicester’s Steve Borthwick expected to step into the head coaching role.
Daly’s cunning conjuring proved sufficient to settle this contest, in combination with Owen Farrell and Nick Tompkins’ try-saving tackle on James Lang. England could do with Daly’s many and varied talents next year, but in the meantime, Sarries will revel in them.
Ben Earl and Tom Woolstencroft claimed tight-drive scores to hand Saracens the try bonus, with the hosts able to shake off Farrell missing seven points from the tee.
Edinburgh stole an early march at the top of the tie through Luan De Bruin’s tight-drive try.
The Men in Black showed their ambition with Daly’s fine score though, as the full-back latched onto Farrell’s kick-pass before skinning Van Der Merwe in some style. Farrell converted comfortably, but later missed a regulation penalty shot.
Emiliano Boffelli had precious few problems firing over from all but halfway meanwhile, before adding another goal to push the visitors into a 13-7 lead.
A seamless lineout play yielded Sarries’ second score though, as Theo McFarland claimed well at the tail, before popping forward to Maro Itoje to shift the point of the driving maul. Earl came up last from the pile of bodies for the try, as Saracens splintered Edinburgh’s maul defence.
Farrell hit the post with his conversion attempt, before Boffelli posted another penalty to leave Edinburgh 16-12 ahead at the break.
A far more cohesive Saracens struck straight after the interval, Lewington crossing courtesy of Daly’s magical moment. Farrell missed the touchline conversion, leaving Boffelli to swipe back the lead from the tee for Edinburgh at 19-17.
Two Farrell penalties inched Sarries into a 23-19 advantage, however, as the hosts looked to turn the screw heading into the final quarter. Farrell and Nick Tompkins wrestled James Lang off the ground to deny Edinburgh a try after a quick break from the Scots.
Woolstencroft’s converted try pushed Sarries into a 30-19 lead, which eventually proved enough for a big result. Wes Goosen went over for Edinburgh to cut the deficit, but the hosts held out for a deserved win on a day when Daly proved more than one point.
