Match Report: Daly hat-trick as Saracens book Round of 16 place
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Saracens qualified for the Heineken Champions Cup Round of 16 as Elliot Daly’s stunning seven-minute hat-trick helped them thrash Lyon 48-28 at the StoneX Stadium on Saturday – their third successive Pool A victory.
Alex Lozowski, Marco Riccioni, Andrew Christie and Ben Earl also crossed for the three-time champions, with Alex Goode adding 13 points from the tee.
Lyon were well beaten in Barnet, but a took a bonus point back to France amid tries from Ethan Dumortier (2), Josiah Maraku and Arno Botha.
🤯 @elliotdaly 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙥 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩
— Heineken Champions Cup (@ChampionsCup) January 14, 2023
A piece of individual brilliance from the @Saracens 1️⃣5️⃣#HeinekenChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/Hu1YXyNVaA
Lyon endured a poor start to the game as flanker Dylan Cretin was sin-binned for a deliberate knock-on, with Saracens punishing the visitors as centre Lozowski intercepted and ran in from 70 metres.
The hosts notched another seconds before Cretin returned, Daly producing a stunning individual try as he dummied and weaved through the Lyon defence from inside his own half.
Daly was over again moments later as a strong fend allowed him to dart over in the corner, and he completed his hat-trick in style with 23 minutes on the clock as he finished acrobatically.
Cente Maraku gathered a loose ball and crossed in a brief reprieve for Lyon, but Saracens continued to turn the screw and crossed through prop Riccioni and flanker Christie amid powerful play from their forwards.
Lyon ended the first half on a positive note as Dumortier dotted down, and full-back crossed again two minutes after the restart as he ran from inside his own half in a sublime individual effort.
The step 🤩
— Heineken Champions Cup (@ChampionsCup) January 14, 2023
The pace ⚡️
The kick 🎯
The chase 🏃♂️
Ethan Dumortier has his second of the day and @LeLOURugby are one try away from a bonus point and a step closer to completing a comeback 💪#HeinekenChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/TrdCuGVu4X
Fly-half Goode nudged a penalty on 53 minutes as Saracens look to stem the Lyon tide, but the TOP 14 outfit crossed for a fourth try moments later, a brilliant offload from wing Josua Tuisova allowing No.8 Botha to breeze over.
Saracens closed the game out over the remaining 24 minutes, and as Lyon’s hopes of an improbable turnaround faded, Tuisova was shown yellow for an illegal fend.
Saracens then ended the contest with a flourish, another driving maul causing havoc before flanker Early planted down for try number seven.
The final round of pool stage games next weekend sees Saracens visit Edinburgh Rugby on Sunday and Lyon host Vodacom Bulls on Friday.Daly hat-trick as Saracens book Round of 16 place.
