Rugby Union: Scottish survive

Saracens 6

London Scottish 11

THIS was carrying brinkmanship too far. Not only did London Scottish need to beat Saracens but they then had to wait for the result from the Reddings, where Rugby were playing Moseley, to discover whether they would be exiled to the Courage League Three or whether, by an extraordinary act of escapology, they had survived in the Second.

The news of Rugby's defeat made it the perfect afternoon, and it would be no exaggeration to say that Saracens, whose generosity had known no bounds throughout the match, were almost as pleased for their guests as Scottish were themselves.

There could be no doubt that the Scots deserved their victory and having beaten West Hartlepool last week, it would have been rough justice had they been relegated. There was, in any case, such doubt about the validity of the first of Gareth Hughes's two drop goals for Saracens, that defeat would have been a travesty. To be frank, Saracens didn't want to know. They were playing out time against a side whose future was at stake.

But when Murray Walker, the Scots' fly-half, who had earlier kicked two penalties, missed with a third attempt from in front of the posts at a crucial stage in the second half with the scores tied at 6-6, after Steve Wichary had almost been decapitated by Steve Ravenscroft's high tackle, it seemed as if the fates were against the Scots.

Walker, however, made amends just a couple of minutes later, although chance was again to play a significant part. So badly did he slice a drop- goal attempt that it set up a try- scoring situation, Wichary profiting from the panic that spread throughout the Saracens defence, and Nick Grecian taking his inside pass to score.

It was no more than the Scots deserved - their line-out had pulverised Saracens from start to finish with Damian Cronin and Rob Scott taking so much possession in the first half that it wasn't until injury time that Saracens were able to cross into the opposition 22.

Scott's levitation was remarkable for one of his size, but if there were a few hands aiding the illusion they were, for the most part, undetected by the referee. There can be no carping from Saracens who, in the balmy breeze, played for all the world as if they were facing a gale force 10, with Hughes seemingly incapable of clearing his lines.

No one made more telling use of Southgate's humps and hollows than the Scottish fullback Mark Appleson, and had Scottish been relegated Saracens might well have been out with the registration forms to sign him up. But both he and the Scottish can reflect on a memorable day for the club, enjoy the summer's break and prepare for another season in the Second Division.

Saracens: Drop Goals Hughes 2. London Scottish: Try Grecian; Penalties Walker 2.

Saracens: D Willett; P Harries, J Buckton, S Ravenscroft, P Butler; G Hughes, B Davies (capt); R Andrews, G Botterman, S Wilson, M Langley (B Crawley 69), M Burrow, G Clark, R Hill, A Diprose.

London Scottish: M Appleson; N Grecian, M Sly, R Eriksson (L Renwick, 35), S Wichary; M Walker, K Troup; B Hillicks, L Mair, P Burnell (capt), D Cronin, R Scott, C Brown, A Walker, D Leckie.

Referee: R Bullock (Leicestershire Society).