Owen Farrell ensures Saracens make it a flat start to Newcastle’s new Red Bull era

The Red Bull era is up and running but Saracens have come to relish the role of party-poopers over the years and duly proceeded to burst Newcastle’s bubble. Owen Farrell was rarely far from the action on his second Saracens debut – 17 years after his first – and though visiting flanker Nathan Michelow was shown the Prem’s first 20-minute red card, this was an illustration of the length of the road ahead for Newcastle.

Farrell, starting at inside centre for Saracens for the first time in a decade, was a commanding presence for the visitors. He looks a touch bulkier, so perhaps No 12 is his future position for club, and maybe even country. He kicked 12 points, with Brandon Jackson, Andy Onyeama-Christie, the excellent Nick Tompkins, twice, and Noah Caluori all crossing for tries on an evening that began with sparkle for the Red Bulls but finished decidedly flat. It was 20-year-old Caluori who provided the champagne moment on debut, dexterously judging the bouncing ball and racing away to the line.

Newcastle are not the first side to struggle to escape Saracens’ stranglehold and there were certainly some bright moments. The No 8 Amanaki Mafi was the pick of the summer signings, while Kingston Park has rarely been as vibrant as this in recent years and the manner in which the crowd celebrated Freddie Clarke’s try, with the game already up, felt telling.

A couple of Red Bull cars handing out freebies welcomed supporters on their entry to Kingston Park, while DJs in branded trucks made it clear that Newcastle’s new investors were keen to announce their arrival. Pre-match pyrotechnics greeted a first sell-out since 2018 and gave rise to optimism that Newcastle’s miserable recent run – only two wins in two seasons – could be consigned to history.

Given the sense of occasion, it was little surprise that Newcastle began quickly. A sustained period of pressure forced a wide-open gap in the Saracens defence and Alex Hearle timed his run on to the pass perfectly to dash to the try line after 90 seconds. Newcastle fans feared the worst when the referee Adam Leal went upstairs but a tip-tackle by Michelow on George McGuigan had been spotted in the buildup and Saracens’ 21-year-old was given his marching orders.

Alex Hearle got Newcastle’s new era off to a lightning start with a try after just 90 seconds. Photograph: Bruce White/Colorsport/Shutterstock

Saracens were shell-shocked, overwhelmed by the Red Bulls’ fizz, but got themselves on the scoreboard with a Farrell penalty. Before 10 minutes were on the clock, Farrell was in the thick of things again, taking a whack on the face when trying to tackle McGuigan. Blood was streaming from his splattered face but, as he tends to, Farrell soldiered on regardless.

Having weathered the early storm, Saracens were ahead before they were back to 15 men, Jackson finishing in the right-hand corner after sharp hands from Tompkins. Farrell missed the conversion and not long after a crucial turnover by Mafi, Newcastle were back ahead with a Brett Connon penalty. But Saracens flexed their muscles again before the interval, systematically going through the phases before Onyeama-Christie splashed over.

Saracens put on the squeeze, Newcastle left to feed off scraps on the counter, and another Farrell penalty pushed the visitors’ lead to beyond a score. Tompkins added the try his performance deserved before Caluori demonstrated why he is so highly rated, finishing off with a delightful swan dive. Clarke’s close-range effort brought some cheer but Tompkins – with a fine chip over the top – had the final say.