Rugby Union: Johnson extinguishes the Exiles

London Scottish 20

Saracens 58

PAUL TURNER, late of impoverished Bedford and almost instantly recruited by the rather more wealthy Saracens, witnessed this semi-slaughter at the Stoop yesterday. Turner has been signed on a two-year contract to coach the backs and he may be wondering if his role is superfluous.

The English cup holders ran in eight tries against a threadbare tartan outfit, with the South African full-back Gavin Johnson scoring 28 points, 26 of them in the first half. Saracens, who were the runners up to Newcastle in the Premiership last season, have a 100 per cent league record this term, their only defeat coming at Cardiff two weeks ago in the Anglo-Welsh friendly.

They will not get more facile victories than this, dominating to such effect that they led 46-10 by half-time. Scottish, promoted from the play-offs last season and beaten by Turner's Bedford last weekend, might be thinking that life in the lower division at their old home, the Athletic Ground, wasn't too bad. It sounded as if their supporters were outnumbered yesterday and their team certainly looked that way, particularly in the first half.

The Exiles (they have nobody in Scotland's latest international squad) were dreaming when Kyran Bracken, as sharp as a dirk on Hogmanay, took a quick tap penalty, and sent Johnson, with what looked like a forward pass, slipping serenely through the heart of what should have been the Scottish defence.

A few minutes later the fullback appeared at left centre, outside the England flanker Richard Hill, to cross the line again without a hand being laid on him; 0-14 after nine minutes and the result was never in doubt.

Ryan Constable's pace brought Saracens another try before the Scottish made things even easier for their opponents. The lock Mick Watson was despatched to the sin-bin and, in his absence, the Saracens pack drove over the line with the prop Paul Wallace getting the touchdown. Further tries followed from Matt Singer and George Shuter, at which point London Scottish at last began to compete.

They scored what was arguably the best try of the match in the 38th minute, Jan Bonney crossing after a magnificent, sweeping attack.

Before the match John Steele, the Exile's director of rugby, had commented: "We still require more self-belief in our ability as a team. Saracens represent a stiff test for us but there is no reason for the team to be overawed and we must have the confidence to take the game to them.

"If there is one thing the early matches of the season have shown it is that the difference between all sides in the Premiership is not as wide as some people believe."

There were few disbelievers at the interval but similar sentiments from Steele at half-time produced a transformation in the Scottish. They did indeed, assisted by the impression that they were now receiving a sympathy vote from the referee, begin to take the game to Saracens.

The right wing, Kenny Milligan, scored two well-worked tries, although they were cancelled out by two from the Saracens right wing, Brendon Daniel. Whether Saracens took their foot off the accelerator in the second half is a moot point but what is not in doubt is that the Scottish deserve a great deal of credit for increasing their spirit by almost 90 per cent proof. In the second period they scored 10 points to Saracens' 12, but matched them in tries. The uprising, of course, was far too late.

London Scottish: I McAusland; K Milligan, R Davies, J Bonney, C Sharman; J Cameron (S Binns 63), G Easterby; P Johnstone, P Robertson (J McLennan 51), P Burnell, G Manson-Bishop, M Watson (E Jones 51), R Hunter (T Davies 51), C Tarbuck, S Holmes (capt).

Saracens: G Johnson; B Daniel, R Constable (K Chesney 40), J Thomson (S Ravenscorft 10), M Singer; A Penaud, K Bracken; R Grau, G Shuter, P Wallace, C Yandell, D Grewcock, T Coker (B Cole 40), T Diprose (capt), R Hill.

Referee: C Rees (London).