Saracens era ends in agony as Russell and Imhoff shine for Racing 92

Saracens were on course for another victory against the odds. They were 15-9 ahead with 16 minutes to go, in control, even though Racing had deployed more than half their bench. The crowd of 1,000 was muted and a team that had suffered various knockbacks during the season and was missing 11 players who started the campaign was completing another noteworthy chapter in its history.

Everyone, though, has a tipping point. Saracens had lost their Scotland centre Duncan Taylor to a shoulder injury after 12 minutes but the absence of one of their pivotal players against Leinster in Dublin last Saturday was not felt as Dominic Morris, a 23-year-old academy graduate who had made a handful of starts for the club and was in his first Champions Cup appearance, fitted in seamlessly, helping Saracens take charge after the interval through his defence and nearly scoring a try out of nothing.

But their captain, Brad Barritt, was forced to leave the field after 64 minutes, and forced was the word, because the hardest of players, who has probably made his final appearance for the club 12 years after joining from the Sharks, had to be ordered off by the medics as he tried to recover his bearings having been on the ground when two players, Donnacha Ryan and Michael Rhodes, fell on his head.

Barritt tried to carry on but ushered off for a head injury assessment that he failed. He had contained Racing’s burly France centre Virimi Vakatawa and Finn Russell had not been able to influence the game, but after Barritt left Saracens did not mount another attack.

Their lead was cut to three points when they conceded a penalty after regaining possession, which was converted by Maxine Machenaud.

They wasted another opportunity when a lineout throw near halfway was pilfered by Dominic Bird from Maro Itoje and Vakatawa made his first telling contribution, appearing in the midfield and struggling off Elliot Daly to free the wing Juan Imhoff, who was foiled by two replacements, Calum Clark and Manu Vunipola.

Racing had the wind behind them and Saracens did not have the resources on the bench to give many of their forwards a rest. Areas where they had been strong started to falter: they conceded a scrum turnover near their own line and were blown at the breakdown in defence and in possession, but still they scrambled in heroic, defiant desperation.

Racing were dominant but needed a moment of inspiration. It came after Imhoff fielded a Richard Wigglesworth high kick just outside his 22. It had been a profitable tactic for Saracens in the first hour with Teddy Thomas, especially, and Simon Zebo forced into mistakes, but the Argentina international held on under pressure and the home side attacked from deep.

They took play from left to right and back again, making little ground until Russell, standing slightly back in the middle of his pitch a few metres from halfway, chipped over an on-rushing defence that was made up entirely of forwards: Clark, Billy Vunipola, Michael Rhodes and Jamie George. Daly had given himself room in case the ball was passed wide to Thomas and that gave Vakatawa the gap he needed after catching the ball.

Daly was taken out of the move and Wigglesworth, covering across, was shrugged off as Vakatawa passed inside to Russell who drew what remained of the defence to give Imhoff a run to the line.

“They won it with a wonder try,” said the Saracens hooker, Jamie George. “It was a tough one to take because we felt we were in control of the game.”

The ending was out of character with what had gone before. Racing led 9-6 at half-time, Teddy Iribaren kicking three penalties to Alex Goode’s two. The sides were waiting for the other to blink first but Sarries started the second half strongly, using Billy Vunipola more and increasing the pace of the game.

Goode kicked three more penalties to put them 15-9 ahead and they created two opportunities. Morris’s break ended with a Racing penalty and when the hosts lost the ball on Saracens’ 22, Barritt’s hack on left Alex Lewington with the task of picking up the ball to score. He stooped low, but the bounce was unkind and he had to go to ground.

Then came Barritt’s departure, something not even Saracens, with their unquenchable spirit in adversity, could overcome and instead of a fourth final in five seasons, the champions are left to contemplate the Championship.