Saracen's Vs London Irish

          This was a tale of two brothers as Saracens and London Irish hinted at how their seasons are likely to pan out. Hooker Jamie George scored two tries and Owen Farrell opened his season's account with 22 points and eight kicks out of 11. The saracens win was topped off by a Chris Ashton try in the final play to secure a bonus point. Saracens' new away kit made them look like convicts in a chain gang, but it was they who did the imprisoning on their way to a comfortable bonus point victory over a London Irish side who were at times as green as the jerseys they sported.  
          If the scoreline was not as emphatic as, Sarries' 40-3 victory over Irish here a year ago, the difference between the sides appeared even more marked. It tool four matches for Saracens to concede two tries last season, but a normally mean defence was broken on numerous occasions by Irish, whose two most influential players, Topsy Ojo and Marland Yarde, were too far out to influence the result, only the scoreline. London Irish suffered an exodus of players during the summer, mainly from the high end. Their willingness to attack has not diminished and they were threatning in broken play through Ojo and Yarde, but a lack of understanding, in defence and attack cost them even a bonus point and they struggled in the set pieces.
             Irish had the consolation of scoring the try of the match when Yarde, who was being treated for cramp on Sarries' 40-metre line, felt the pain disappear when he saw Chris Hala'ufia running towards him. The wing provided an option on the outside and had the pace and strength to see off Wiggleworth, but it was the end of his afternoon. Yarde had provided a swift riposte to Sarries' third try, which was scored by the replacement prop Mako Vunipola, who started the move by forcing a turnover and finished off after Brad Barritt had been held up on the line. He personified an essential difference between the sides: powerful and direct. It was a far from unblemished display by the 2011 champions, but they still had far too much for Irish.