29 Nov 2003 14:07:41

Ronald Mcdonald

Saracens v Rotherham

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/english/3245710.stm Saracens head coach Rod Kafer has given a start to World Cup winner Richard Hill. New signing Cobus Visagie will take his place in the front row along with Robbie Russell. Alex Codling returns in place of Kris Chesney in the second row. Denis Cech makes his first start for the club on the wing and Paul Bailey switches to the centre, replacing Nicky Little. Thomas Castaignede plays at fly-half. Rotherham will field an unchanged side for the first time this season. Guy Easterby starts on the bench after returning from World Cup duty with Ireland. Jacob Rauluni continues as captain and there is no place in the squad for new signing Andy Long.

30 Nov 2003 10:40:53

Ronald Mcdonald

Re: Saracens v Rotherham

trishstratusisfit@hotmail.com (Ronald Mcdonald) wrote in message news:<34a735bc.0311291407.46b40188@posting.google.com >... > http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/english/3245710.stm > > Saracens head coach Rod Kafer has given a start to World Cup winner > Richard Hill. > > New signing Cobus Visagie will take his place in the front row along > with Robbie Russell. Alex Codling returns in place of Kris Chesney in > the second row. > > Denis Cech makes his first start for the club on the wing and Paul > Bailey switches to the centre, replacing Nicky Little. Thomas > Castaignede plays at fly-half. > > Rotherham will field an unchanged side for the first time this season. > > Guy Easterby starts on the bench after returning from World Cup duty > with Ireland. Jacob Rauluni continues as captain and there is no place > in the squad for new signing Andy Long. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/english/3251320.stm Saracens 29-10 Rotherham World Cup winner Richard Hill enjoyed a triumphant homecoming as Saracens completed a comfortable win over Rotherham at Vicarage Road. Thomas Castaignede, returning after six weeks out with injury, scored two tries and made two others in a 19-point haul for the home side. And England flanker Hill added a try of his own in the second half. The win takes Saracens 18 points clear of Rotherham, who are at the bottom of the Zurich Premiership. Hill and Kyran Bracken received a rapturous welcome from the home crowd but it was Castaignede who stole the show. He set Saracens on their way to victory after just 43 seconds when he went over in the corner for the first try. And the man of the match turned try-creator five minutes later when his deft chip-kick was grounded by wing Denis Cech and the Frenchman also added the conversion to open up a 12-0 lead. Castaignede maintained his stranglehold on the match when slipping a tackle by Rotherham scrum-half Jacob Raulini to touch down in the corner and add the extras to leave the Yorkshire facing an uphill battle at 19-0. The visitors improved as the half progressed and scored a converted try off their first meaningful attack when number eight Geraint Lewis went over next to the posts after a good break and feed by fly-half Phil Jones. Rotherham fly-half Jon Benson and opposite number Castaignede traded penalties early in the second half as the hard-working Yorkshire side continued to make the home side work hard for the bonus point. Hill pounced on another Castaignede pass to score under the posts and the Frenchman converted to leave Rotherham 19 points adrift. Saracens took their foot off the gas in the final quarter although proceedings were livened up when a brawl ended with Saracens' replacement Johnny Marsters and Rotherham lock Luke Gross sin-binned. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Saracens: Haughton, Cech, Johnson, Bailey, O'Mahony, Castaignede, Williams, Bergamaschi, R. Russell, Visagie, Raiwalui, Codling, Hill, Roques, Randell. Replacements: Marsters, Broster, Chesney, Skirving, Bracken, Little, Winnan. Rotherham: Benson, Elliott, Jorgensen, Umaga, Ewens, Jones, Raulini, Lloyd, Johnson, Noon, Kenworthy, Gross, Greeff, Spence, Lewis. Replacements: Rawson, Smyth, Pendlebury, Earnshaw, Easterby, Pritchard, Keyter. Referee: R Goodliffe (Sheffield (RFU).