Loughborough Lightning led Saracens entering the final quarter of their tussle in north London, but ultimately left StoneX Stadium with no points to show for their considerable endeavours.
Last season’s beaten Premiership Women’s Rugby finalists raced into an early 12-point lead, but found themselves behind on the hour-mark as Lightning struck through unconverted Lucy Calladine, Sadia Kabeya and Daisy Hibbert-Jones tries.
However, there would be no repeat of January’s heroics at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens when Lightning claimed a first victory in this head-to-head, as Saracens registered 21 unanswered points to secure a bonus-point success.
FIRST HALF:
Inside centre Carmela Morrall led Lightning out on the occasion of her 50th appearance as the treacherous pre-match conditions mercifully relented.
But the visitors faced an early storm from the hosts as they crossed the line twice inside the opening ten minutes. Firstly, through Alysha Corrigan as the winger completed a sweeping move down the blindside that started through Liv Apps’ dancing feet in the loose.
The Canada scrum-half remained a thorn in Lightning’s side as she was on hand to scramble over from close range, with Zoe Harrison adding a successful conversion.
Saracens remained the game’s aggressors but were met by a steely Lightning resolve as they refused to let the game get away from them.
After surviving a real scare on their own line for what would’ve been a killer third home score before the break, the African Violets turned the ball over and ultimately traded 22s with Helen Nelson punching a penalty to within ten metres of the host’s line. When a rolling maul stalled, 20-year-old hooker Calladine took matters into her own hands with a fine individual finish for her seventh try of a prolific campaign so far.
SECOND-HALF:
Nine minutes into the second period and Lightning were celebrating a second try, with its origins once more coming from a rolling maul and this time it was Kabeya applying the final touch for her third try this term.
Approaching the hour mark, Nathan Smith’s side took a deserved lead. Lucia Scott, on the occasion of her first Lightning PWR start, broke through centrefield and went deep into the 22. Rapid recycling work and a silky Nelson miss-pass presented captain Hibbert-Jones was a one-on-one chance on the right wing that she took with both hands to finish.
Nelson’s conversion held up in the face of a stiff wind to cap the lead to three points.
It wouldn’t be enough to see them to a first victory in this stadium as Saracens capitalised on a Lightning spill for Rosie Galligan to cross, then just a couple of minutes later, Apps sniped over for her second of the contest.
Lightning worked their way deep into enemy territory in search of a try that would secure them one bonus point and put them into contention for another, only to be penalised at the breakdown with the line just a few metres away.
That near miss was compounded when Marlie Packer crossed late on for Saracens’ fifth try which Harrison converted once more to add a harsh edge to the final scoreline of game Lightning were firmly in the mix for bonus points, or even a higher reward to take back home with them on Sunday evening.
HEAD COACH NATHAN SMITH:
“I am proud of the effort the side showed and to be leading the game entering the final quarter shows just how far we have come as a group. Ultimately, we’re disappointed not to be taking something from the game as I felt we deserved something – but credit must also to Saracens for how they finished the game.”
LINE-UPS:
SARACENS: 15 Breach, 14 Corrigan, 13 Blacklock, 12 Hardy, 11 Gregson, 10 Harrison, 9 Apps; 1 Crake, 2 Campbell, 3 Clifford, 4 Galligan, 5 Cleall, 6 Omokhuale, 7 Packer, 8 Senft.
Replacements: 16 Field, 17 Tremelling, 18 Rose, 19 McMillan, 20 Evans, 21 Sellors, 22 Bridger, 23 Linkins
LIGHTNING: 15 Scott, 14 Bermudez, 13 Kelter, 12 Morrall, 11 Westcombe-Evans, 10 Nelson, 9 Maude; 1 Young, 2 Calladine, 3 Sagapolu, 4 Ives Campion, 5 Ehrecke, 6 `Hibbert-Jones (c), 7 Kabeya, 8 Lutui.
Replacements: 16 Treder, 17 Williams, 18 Belisle, 19 Boyd, 20 Fitzpatrick, 21 Brody, 22 Davey, 23 Green.