Match Report: Newcastle 27-35 Saracens - Billy Vunipola stars as Sarries record bonus-point win
Aviva Premiership

Match Report: Newcastle 27-35 Saracens – Billy Vunipola stars as Sarries record bonus-point win

5 March 2017
Rugby Rucker
  • Saracens welcomed back Billy Vunipola as they scored five tries in an impressive victory
  • The England back row made his first start in four months
  • Alex Lozowski scored two tries – while Mike Rhodes, Chris Ashton and Nathan Earle also scored
Saracens maintained the pressure on the frontrunners on the Premiership table when they claimed 35-27 win over Newcastle Falcons at Kingston Park on Sunday.

England star Billy Vunipola put in a good 72-minute shift today and could be back in Eddie Jones’ Six Nations squad before long.

Tries from Michael Rhodes, Chris Ashton and a brace from Alex Lozowski put Sarries 23-6 up early in the second half before Dominic Waldouck replied for the hosts.

Lozowski’s second and replacement Nathan Earle’s score made it 35-13.

With Billy Vunipola replaced, Newcastle rallied late on, with converted tries from Vereniki Goneva and Mark Wilson

The result sees Saracens close the gap on second-placed Exeter Chiefs, while Newcastle remain eighth.

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LINE UPS

Newcastle Falcons: 15 Alex Tait, 14 Vereniki Goneva, 13 Dominic Waldouck, 12 Juan Pablo Socino, 11 Sinoti Sinoti, 10 Joel Hodgson, 9 Sonatane Takulua, 8 Nili Latu 7 Will Welch (c), 6 Mark Wilson, 5 Evan Olmstead, 4 Calum Green, 3 Jon Welsh, 2 Kyle Cooper, 1 Rob Vickers
Replacements: 16 Scott Lawson, 17 Ben Harris, 18 David Wilson, 19 Ally Hogg, 20 Callum Chick, 21 Sam Egerton, 22 Mike Delany, 23 Chris Harris
Saracens: 15 Duncan Taylor, 14 Chris Ashton, 13 Marcelo Bosch, 12 Brad Barritt (c), 11 Sean Maitland, 10 Alex Lozowski, 9 Richard Wigglesworth, 8 Billy Vunipola, 7 Joel Conlon, 6 Jackson Wray, 5 Jim Hamilton, 4 Michael Rhodes, 3 Juan Figallo, 2 Schalk Brits, 1 Mako Vunipola
Replacements: 16 Jared Saunders, 17 Richard Barrington, 18 Petrus Du Plessis, 19 Mark Flanagan, 20 Kelly Brown, 21 Ben Spencer, 22 Max Malins, 23 Nathan Earle
Date: Sunday, March 5
Venue: Kingston Park
Kick-off: 14:00 GMT
Referee: Craig Maxwell-Keys
Assistant Referees: Roger Baileff, Andrew Pearce
TMO: Stuart Terheege