Saracens cruise to six try Oyonnax European victory

English Premiership Rugby champions Saracens cruised to a six try 10-45 bonus point European Rugby Champions Cup victory over Oyonnax at Stade Charles Mathon.

Saracens outscored the French side by six tries to one in the match with tries from Alex Goode, Chris Wyles, Maro Itoje, Richard Wigglesworth and Schalk Brits.

The English side were also awarded a penalty try early in the match while Owen Farrell added a penalty and five conversions for a personal 13-point haul, with Charlie Hodgson kicking one conversion of his own.

Replacement Arthur Aziza scored a consolation try for the home side on the occasion of their first home fixture in Europe’s top-tier competition.

Saracens started strongly with Farrell getting the first points with his second penalty attempt. That lead was extended just before the end of the first quarter after a sharp attack sparked by the fly-half’s flat pass to Wyles ended with Oyonnax’s Silvere Tian being trapped in his own in goal area.

From the resulting scrum, Saracens got a nudge on and were awarded a penalty try when home captain Fabien Cibray strayed offside in an effort to stop them getting over the line.

The home side responded with a good period of their own and got their first points through a penalty from fly-half Rory Clegg, although the former Newcastle man had missed with two efforts in quick succession prior to finding the target.

But Saracens motored clear at the end of the first half. Goode, who produced an excellent individual performance, finished off a fine flowing move after Farrell had raced through a gap in midfield.

A few minutes later and Wyles was over after smart handling from the forwards sent Will Fraser into space to find the winger. They further extended their advantage shortly after the break as the excellent Itoje profited from Marcelo Bosch’s wide pass to finish out wide and secure the bonus-point.

From the restart another try quickly followed as Michael Rhodes rampaged up field to give Wigglesworth an easy finish. Oyonnax bravely battled on and were rewarded when Aziza showed great strength and determination to get over the line, but Saracens had the last word through Brits close-range effort.

Alex Goode was named European Rugby Champions Cup man of the match.

Final Score Oyonnax 10 (3) Saracens 45 (24)

Scorers

Oyonnax
Tries – Aziza
Pen – Clegg
Con – Lespinas
Drop –

Saracens
Tries – Penalty, Goode, Wyles, Itoje, Wigglesworth, Brits
Pen – Farrell
Con – Farrell (5), Hodgson
Drop –

Match Officials
Referee: Marius Mitrea (Italy),
Assistant ref: Matteo Liperini (Italy),
Assistant ref: Stefano Penne (Italy),
TMO: Carlo Damasco (Italy),
Citing Commissioner: John Charles (Wales)

Teams

Oyonnax: Quentin Etienne; Silvere Tian, Guillaume Bousses, Alaska Taufa, Dug Codjo; Rory Clegg, Fabien Cibray (c); Soane Tonga’uiha, Jeremie Maurouard, Horace Pungea , Leon Power, Geoffrey Fabbri, Valentin Ursache, Olivier Missoup, Pedrie Wannenburg

Replacements: Thomas Bordes, Lukas Rapant, Marc Clerc, Antoine Guillamon, Pierrick Gunther, Florian Faure, Arthur Aziza, Regis Lespinas

Saracens: Alex Goode; Chris Ashton, Marcelo Bosch, Brad Barritt (c), Chris Wyles; Owen Farrell, Richard Wigglesworth; Mako Vunipola, Jamie George, Juan Figallo, Jim Hamilton, Maro Itoje, Michael Rhodes, Will Fraser, Billy Vunipola

Replacements: Schalk Brits, Rhys Gill, Petrus du Plessis, Kelly Brown, Jackson Wray, Neil de Kock, Charlie Hodgson, Michael Ellery.

With thanks to EPCRugby