Saracens 20-14 Toulouse: Rotimi Segun brace bags milestone Champions Cup win for Sarries

Both sides had lost away last time out in the competition, with Saracens falling short in South Africa and Toulouse away at Glasgow; neither would want a repeat result. It was a cagey start to the match, with both sides attempting to assert dominance on the ball, but neither was able to fire off any viable shots.

However, it would be the visitors who struck first after numerous penalties led to the hosts' defence being stretched and Scottish fly-half Blair Kinghorn going in under the sticks, Thomas Ramos added the extras.

Saracens have struggled of late, only winning one of their last five matches in all competitions, as this one looked to go similarly. Momentum had looked like it had turned after the quarter of an hour mark, the hosts exerting their first bit of pressure on the Toulouse try line.

After a penalty advantage, Alex Lozowski found winger Rotimi Segun in the corner to score, but fly-half Fergus Burke was unable to add the extras as the visitors still led 5-7. The home side would double their tally minutes later, Theo McFarland charging down a box kick from Antoine Dupont, before Alex Lozowski yet again set up Segun to score this time under the posts, the extras added.

It was never going to be an easy test for those in red and black, but they made things even better for themselves on the stroke of half-time. Tom Willis got the better of his brother Jack, to bundle over in the corner to extend the North London side’s lead to 10 points as they went in at the break 17-7 up.

The weather conditions had seemed to worsen over the interval and would set up an interesting second 40 minutes. Both sides again opted for the power game in which the home side continued to come out on top. But it would be the French side that scored the first points of the second half, with Libel touching down in the corner as Saracens were penalised for being off their feet, Ramos added a superb conversion.

The rain and wind would be testing for both sides, but as Owen Farrell extended the hosts' lead to 20-14, it would be down to the visitors to look for a response. Although very unlike Toulouse, there was no response, and that’s how it would end. Saracens’ dominance and defensive resilience secured a famous European win on home turf as they set up an exciting end to the Investec Champions Cup Group stage when they travel to Glasgow.

TRIES: Segun (30’, 35’), Willis (40’)

CONVERSIONS: Burke (35’)

PENALTIES: 1

DROP GOALS: 0

YELLOW CARDS: 0

RED CARDS: 0

15. Elliot Daly 14. Noah Caluori 13. Alex Lozowski 12. Olly Hartley 11. Rotimi Segun 10. Fergus Burke 9. Ivan Van Zyl 8. Tom Willis 7. Juan Martin Gonzalez 6. Theo McFarland 5. Hugh Tizard 4. Maro Itoje © 3. Marcus Street 2. Jamie George 1. Eroni Mawi

Replacements: 16. James Hadfield 17. Rhys Carre 18. Tietie Tuimauga 19. Andy Onyema-Christie 20. Ben Earl 21. Charlie Bracken 22. Owen Farrell 23. Max Malins

TRIES: Kinghorn (18’), Libel (46’)

CONVERSIONS: Ramos (18’, 46’)

PENALTIES: 0

DROP GOALS: 0

YELLOW CARDS: 0

RED CARDS: 0

15. Thomas Ramos 14. Dimitri Delibes 13. Paul Costes 12. Santiago Chocobares 11. Matthis Lebel 10. Blair Kinghorn 9. Antoine Dupont 8. Alexandre Roumat 7. Anthony Jelounch 6. Jack Willis 5. Emmanuel Meafou 4. Thibaud Flament 3. Dorian Aldegheri 2. Julien Marchand 1. David Ainu’u

16. Peato Mauvaka 17. Benjamin Bertrand 18. Paul Mallez 19. Joshua Brennan 20. Efrain Elias 21. Leo Banos 22. Paul Graou 23. Lucas Vigneres

Probably the most discussed feature of this match is with Saracens’ Tom facing off against his brother Jack. Both of them are influential in their own right, and both are an extreme miss for England. Both their physicality and game awareness make them two of the best back rows currently in world rugby. In terms of them facing off against each other, Tom came out on top with a try and a win, but with him joining Bordeaux next season, there will be plenty more battles ahead.

Antoine Dupont rarely has a quiet game, but tonight was one of those. His box kicking and general play were lacklustre at times, and his side could’ve done with more from him with the absence of Romain Ntamack. However, with Melvyn Jalibert’s performance against Northampton, it’s hard to see a world where they can’t start together at the Six Nations.

It sounds like a cliché when talking about the weather conditions on a Sunday night in January, but it definitely had an impact. Neither team really took it upon themselves to win the game, but instead chose not to lose it. Undoubtedly Saracens managed the conditions better with the ball in hand and in the air, with their opponents not managing to hold onto the ball. The rain and wind clearly suited the hosts more, with flashbacks to the Bulls at home last season.

Saracens are a club with plenty of success, but this season has been, at times, very un-Saracens. Inconsistencies against Leicester Tigers, Hollywood Bet Sharks and Northampton have seen the London club in 6th in the PREM. But a result against one of the best teams in Europe could mark a turning point. Players back and firing ahead of the Six Nations, with Glasgow and then Newcastle, it could be a fruitful time for those in Black and Red.

With two wins, Saracens now sit on 10 points and in third place, which all but confirms their place in the knockouts, but with a trip to pool toppers Glasgow next week, there could be a real chance they could still guarantee a top 2 spot, giving them a home Round-of-16 draw. Whilst for their visitors, Toulouse, they’ve made it tricky for

themselves, sitting in 4th on 7 points means there’s still a chance they could go out of the competition, but also still a slim opportunity for a home draw if they were to beat Sale Sharks at home and Saracens fail to pick up a point in Scotland.