- Saracens won away to Bristol on Saturday after coming from 15 points behind.
- Alex Lozowski scored the winning penalty on the final kick of the game.
- The result lifted Saracens to the top of the Gallagher Premiership table.
In a clash between Premiership heavyweights, it was Alex Lozowski who delivered the knockout blow to Ashton Gate.
With the clock deep in the red, the Saracens center scored the match-winning penalty that ended the Bears’ valiant resistance and put his team top of the table.
Lozowski sealed a superb fightback from Sarries, who fell behind by 15 points early in the second half.
This was rugby at its best. Both sides ruined each other from the start, and the outcome was unknown until the end of this brutal fight.
“It was an incredible comeback win because we had to show real grit,” Saracens coach Mark McCall said.
‘We’ve had a lot of challenges this week, some injuries and illnesses, but the players have all pulled through at various points. It is a great victory because of the outstanding attack power. It’s unique in world rugby.’
Saracens won 37-35 at Bristol on Saturday after trailing by 15 points in the second half.
Alex Lozowski scored the winning penalty with the last kick of the game at Ashton Gate.
Wing Gabriel Ibitoye, Bristol’s last-gasp hero at Exeter last week, was awarded a game-winning penalty this time after giving Saracens a late chance in a needless attempt to thwart their attack.
This was a fight the Bears dominated for an extended period of time and the loss will certainly be felt in the coming days. Aided by a hat-trick of tries from skipper Fitz Harding, they looked destined to claim the spoils as Harry Randall and Toby Fricker also scored tries.
But for many years Saracens have been a team that could be defeated at any moment. And, inspired by Elliot Daly’s second-half try, they came off the canvas and recorded a notable scalp.
“I’m proud of the effort we put in and the way we played, but obviously we wasted a lot of chances,” Bristol director of rugby Pat Lam said. ‘The only advantage Saracens have is if you let them stay in the game there’s always a chance. That is their history.’
Lam’s Bears escaped the trap and took the lead after two minutes, with Harding taking advantage after a clever lineout move just meters from the Saracens line.
The Bears beat Saracens 5-4 in Saturday’s try but ultimately lost.
Saturday’s dramatic win took Saracens to the top of the Gallagher Premiership table.
AJ MacGinty missed the touchline conversion but had no trouble finding the target moments later.
It was no more than the Bears deserved during a strong opening, but when Ibitoye was shown yellow for a professional foul, Saracens used the resulting lineout to push Toby Knight for a first try.
Bristol were soon on the attack again and Benjamin Elizalde ignored the attention of the Sarries defenders and sent the ball to Randall to score. Randall then almost doubled his tally as Saracens attacked at the other end when possession passed and he scored from the left corner for Rotimi Segun.
There was no doubt about Harding’s second score after seeing the Fricker score ruled out by a foot of touch. The No 8 crashed in from close range to restore Bristol’s lead to 20-17 at the break.
Harding scored his third 50 seconds into the second half and Fricker had the Bears score 15 on a MacGinty pass.
Saracens hit back when Daly struck twice to set up a grandstand finale, capped off by a last-gasp kick from Lozowski.
