SARACENS demonstrated the huge gulf between English and Italian rugby on Saturday, November 3, with a second resounding win over Bologna.

The latest 75-10 victory, added to the record-breaking 110-point winning margin the previous week, consolidates Sarries' position at the top of Pool Eight of the Parker Pen Shield with one round of matches remaining.

Despite the apparent ease of victory, it was Bologna who surprisingly took the lead after 18 minutes. Fly-half Stefano Brolis capitalised on a turnover of possession and scored a breakaway try to stun the visitors into action.

Last week's hat-trick hero, Matt Cairns, was again responsible for opening Saracens' account when he dived over six minutes later.

Another man who continued his impressive form from the first encounter was flying winger Richard Haughton, who bagged a brace of tries before the break to give Sarries a 21-10 lead.

After a surprisingly closely-matched first period - in terms of score rather than possession - Sarries cut loose in the second half to score 54 unanswered points.

The first of the scores came from England and Lions star Richard Hill and sparked another devastating ten-minute period that broke the resistance of the Italians.

The spell brought a second for Cairns, one for Tony Roques and Darragh O'Mahony's fifth in two matches to take the score to 47-10.

The tries continued to rain in as Luke Harbut bulldozed his way over for the eighth and Kevin Sorrell scored the try that his play throughout the two matches had deserved.

The final passage of action saw Gerald Arasa, on for Tim Horan, and Khalid Benazzi, replacing his brother, both cross the line to end the try scoring at 11 of which Luke Smith, replacing the rested Jannie de Beer, converted ten.

Saracens will face a much tougher test next time out when they entertain Sale Sharks at Vicarage Road on Sunday, November 11, kick off 3pm.

November 7, 2001 14:19

Kevin Affleck