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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Jonathan Gorrie

Saracens 55-36 Connacht: Sarries back on track in Champions Cup

Saracens got their quest for a fourth European title back on track by beating Investec Champions Cup opponents Connacht 55-36 at the StoneX Stadium.

Mark McCall's team recovered from defeat against the Bulls in Pretoria last weekend to claim a bonus-point triumph.

It was not all plain-sailing, with Connacht leading by nine points approaching half-time, but England hooker Jamie George's try double just before the interval settled Saracens down.

Flanker Juan Martin Gonzalez claimed an early touchdown, while centre Olly Hartley marked his first Champions Cup start by collecting the bonus-point touchdown after 43 minutes and then posting another score.

Wings Sean Maitland and Lucio Cinti also crossed, as did hooker Theo Dan, with skipper Owen Farrell kicking three penalties and three conversions as Saracens scored 35 unanswered points between the 33rd and 61st minutes.

Connacht, crushed 41-5 at home by Bordeaux-Begles in their Champions Cup opener, saw centre Bundee Aki, scrum-half Caolin Blade, flanker Cian Prendergast, plus substitutes JJ Hanrahan and Joe Joyce score tries, which meant a losing bonus, with Jack Carty booting two conversions and a penalty and Hanrahan adding two conversions.

Champions Cup holders La Rochelle, meanwhile, suffered an agonising defeat against the Stormers in Cape Town - their second successive loss of the tournament - following a late Andre-Hugo Venter try that Manie Libbok converted to secure a 21-20 verdict.

Bristol rugby director Pat Lam made 13 changes for the clash against Bordeaux-Begles in France and his team suffered a 36-17 defeat at Stade Chaban-Delmas.

Only Rich Lane and Magnus Bradbury remained from the starting line-up that edged past Lyon last Saturday and free-scoring Bordeaux took advantage.

They were 10 points up after just five minutes through a Maxime Lucu try, plus a conversion and penalty from the Bordeaux captain, before fly-half Sam Worsley's penalty cut the deficit.

But France international wings Damian Penaud and Louis Bielle-Biarrey displayed their enviable finishing power with a try each, and another Lucu conversion opened up a 22-3 interval lead.

Bordeaux claimed a bonus-point during the third quarter thanks to a superb finish from former Bath and Harlequins centre Ben Tapuai - Lucu again converted - before James Dun crossed for Bristol and Worsley converted.

A Theo Nanette touchdown, converted by Matthieu Jalibert, took Bordeaux past 30 points, yet Bristol's resilient second-half display delivered a try for replacement scrum-half Oscar Lennon and Worsley added the extras.

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