Saracens
LV=Cup semi-final confirmed
Saracens will travel to Northampton Saints in the semi-final of the LV=Cup on Sunday 14th March - kick off is 4.15pm at Franklins Gardens.
Saracens booked their place in the final four by picking up a losing bonus point against the Dragons on Sunday.
Ticket details for this game will be confirmed in the next few days.
The LV=Cup final will take place on Sunday 21st March - the venue is still to be confirmed.
Harlequins kick off time changed
Saracens clash against Harlequins on Saturday 17 April at Wembley Stadium will now kick off at 5.30pm.
The kick-off time has been changed with the game now being shown live on Sky Sports.
Saracens game against Gloucester at Kingsholm has also seen a change of kick off time. The match on Saturday 3rd April is also now a 5.30pm kick off - again this match will be live on Sky.
Don't forget - Fans Forum on Wednesday
Don't forget that Director of Rugby Brendan Venter and CEO Edward Griffiths will be available to take your questions at the Saracens Fans Forum on Wednesday at Old Albanians.
The event starts at 7pm with the duo taking your questions from anything ranging from the season so far, tactics on the field, the new signings, Wembley games and what lies in store for the rest of the season and beyond.
And, for those unable to make the event, it will be recorded and then available to listen again ‘as live’ via Sarries TV - so you won't miss a thing.
Sarries secure LV=Cup semi-final spot
Saracens booked a place in the LV=Cup semi-finals despite losing by a single point against the Dragons at Vicarage Road on Sunday.
The home side were beaten 23-22 by the Welsh outfit but the losing bonus point gives Sarries a place in the last four and a visit to Franklins Gardens to face Northampton Saints on Sunday 14 March.
Sarries had moved into a 6—0 lead early in the game but a brace of tries from wing Will Harries set up the victory for the visitors despite Chris Wyles’ second half try which pulled the home side back into the game.
Replacement Derick Hougaard and Wyles both saw opportunities to win the game via penalties and drop goals as the close wore down, but both were off target which denied the home side the win, but the result was enough to see them through.
It was Saracens who took an early lead in the match with the home side penalised for not rolling away and Glen Jackson quickly found his range to score. The fly half was on target again a minute later to give his side a 6-0 lead with just 10 minutes on the clock.
However, despite no longer being able to qualify for the semi-finals of the competition, it was clear the Dragons hadn’t travelled down the M4 looking to make up the numbers. After fiercely competing for a ball on halfway, they turned over Sarries possession and wing Will Harries spotted a gap on the touchline. He raced clear and cut inside Jackson before racing outside Rodd Penney to cross the line. Jason Tovey converted to give the visitors the lead.
Sarries immediately mounted an attack from the restart and pressured the Dragons line, forcing them into the mistake which allowed Jackson to regain the lead. However, Tovey then saw a long range effort from just inside the Sarries half creep over the bar.
Jackson replied with another effort with 10 minutes of the half remaining but Tovey had the final say of the opening 40 minutes when his effort on the stroke of half time cleared the posts.
The Dragons picked up where they left off after the break and their second try of the game followed in almost identical fashion of the first. The home side lost possession in midfield and after a quick break, Harries outsprinted the home defence to touch down a chip ahead. Tovey converted to give the Dragons a 20-12 lead with 50 minutes on the clock.
Three changes immediately after the try saw Tom Ryder, Derick Hougaard and Neil de Kock take the field and Hougaard was quickly involved in the action as he dropped goal from 35 metres to cut the deficit.
And it wasn’t long before Sarries crossed the line themselves. Hougaard’s up and under was collected by Tovey inside his own 22, but the Dragons fly half hadn’t counted on a terrific chase from Chris Wyles who charged down his kick and collected the ball to score. Hougaard converted to give Sarries a 22-20 lead on the hour.
However, when the Dragons went into the Sarries 22 five minutes later, Tovey took full advantage to drop a goal and give his side a single point lead.
For the final 10 minutes, Sarries pushed but couldn’t find the winner. Hougaard saw two long range penalties drift wide along with a drop goal. Wyles also had two efforts at three points, but both were off target.
The Dragons held on to win but the bonus point sees Saracens through to the semi-finals of the LV=Cup in March.
Saracens line-up: Wyles, Haughton (Short 60), Penney, Powell, Tagicakibau, Jackson (Hougaard 50), Marshall (de Kock 50), Lealamanua, Brits (Reynecke 62), Skuse, Smith, Botha (Ryder 50), Van Heerden (Saull 60), Burger, Joubert. Replacements not used: Brown, Nieto.