Pool 1: Saracens 55-36 ConnachtEnglish champions bounce back after recent defeats
A bit of a pattern is developing to Saracens’ matches in the build-up to Christmas – start slowly, fall behind, then start playing in the second half. Sometimes the last development is enough to take the win, but the last couple of matches it has not been.
Here against Connacht the recovery certainly was, an eight-try win more than sufficient for anyone in any kind of form. A rare home defeat to Northampton at the start of the month might have had the English champions scratching their heads, but a second defeat, even if at altitude on the other side of the world, to the Bulls will have hurt just as much. So Connacht were always in danger of suffering a backlash.