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File photo: Saracens have already recorded big wins over Toulouse and Ulster. Morgan Treacy/INPHO
Flawless

Saracens continue to smash their way through Pool 1 with a bonus point in Oyonnax

Europe’s nearly men are in incredible form this season.

SARACENS CONTINUED THEIR perfect start to the season with a thumping 45-10 defeat of French minnows Oyonnax.

The English champions maintained their stranglehold of Pool A with a bonus-point victory after scoring six tries that left them nine points clear of Ulster, who thrashed record four-time champions Toulouse 38-0 on Friday night and have a game in hand.

It was a ninth straight win in all competitions for Sarries who also lead the English Premiership after a perfect six from six start in domestic competition.

On paper, Sarries looked too strong for the Top 14 basement sitters, and that proved the case in a dominant first half in which the Oyonnax scrum was crushed time and again.

England fly-half Owen Farrell had given the visitors an early lead from the boot before referee Marius Mitrea awarded a penalty try on 18 minutes after Oyonnax collapsed at the scrum.

Farrell was then the architect of a second try when his break and long pass to Chris Wyles allowed the American wing to pop the ball inside for full-back Alex Goode to scamper over down the left.

Overlap

Moments later, Wyles popped up on flanker Will Fraser’s shoulder after another break from Farrell to go over under the posts.

Farrell kicked all three conversions as Saracens turned around leading 24-3 at the break.

The bonus point came in the 49th minute as Saracens worked an overlap on the left and flanker Michael Rhodes drew in the defence before passing inside for lock Maro Itoje to go over.

A minute later, South African Rhodes almost went the whole way himself but after being caught 10 yards shy of the line, he found scrum-half Richard Wigglesworth to add try number five.

There was still half an hour to go but the game was dead and Saracens lifted their foot off the pedal.

It allowed Oyonnax replacement scrum-half Arthur Aziza to claim a well-deserved try late on for the persistent hosts, although Sarries still had the last word when South African Schalk Brits burrowed over.

This is the penalty Anthony Foley was furious about after Munster’s defeat

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