The Wolfpack are back

Last night saw Saracens visit Kingston Park and put in a Saracens performance of old to beat a Red Bull performance full of effort.

Pre-match

I was late into the ground, getting in just before 19:30. We managed to find a spot in the South Stand, I was happy enough to have my ticket checked to make sure that it was valid for the stand. There did seem to be a problem again with quite a few people in front of the stand but not as bad as it was against Harlequins.

Elsewhere in the ground the north east corner of the North Stand was sparsely populated and people who had entered through the north west corner looked to be congregated towards that corner near the fan zone. If possible, it might be worth Red Bull opening up a gate in the north west corner to allow people to enter that way.

There was also quite a few empty seats in the south west corner of The West Stand bronze section most of the night, so not sure where they ended up.

As per the Harlequins game, the music was blasting and there was a bit of fan engagement going on in The South Stand.

Farrell inspired defensive masterclass

Saracens had something about them last night and from the outside looking in I'm going to put it down to Owen Farrell. The bloke is a leader and demands the highest possible standards from those around him. This was epitomised by the wolfpack mentality of the Saracens defence, this was like the Saracens of old and they really did relish the contact.

Early Red Bull try and the twenty minute red card

Red Bulls scored a well taken try through Alex Hearle when it looked like the Saracens defence was comfortable but it was a really nicely taken try from Hearle.

Now to my rant, this isn't an anti-Saracens thing and looking at how they managed the twenty minute period down to fourteen men I don't think it would've changed the result. I can't stand the twenty minute red card! Like everyone involved in the game I'm used to a yellow card being ten minutes and if something is deemed serious enough by the officials then you get sent off and that's your team down to fourteen players. Why change it? Adam Leal and his entourage felt that it was worthy of a red card but are hindered by the laws of the game. It makes it more complicated as you can still get an out and out red card. Just keep it simple. As I said, I don't think it would've altered the game but for me if Leal felt it was a red for Nathan Michelow then it should've been Saracens down to fourteen for the rest of the game.

Saracens turn the screw and Red Bulls set piece woe

The red card seemed to invigorate Saracens and their wolfpack mentality. I remember a Saracens team turning up at Kingsholm a few seasons ago, under strength and on paper it should've been a Gloucester win but Saracens relished it and took away a victory. That kind of mentality and physicality is what I saw last night.

Red Bulls going to the corner in the second half.

For Red Bulls, especially in the first half they couldn't get any platform to attack from. The scrum against an international trio of Carre, Dan and Riccioni struggled and there was just nothing to attack from. I think this will be an area of concentration this week as they build to Exeter.

Saracens worthy and Caluori sparkles

Saracens fully deserved their 17-39 victory with a performance built on physicality, in saying that Red Bulls didn't shirk from their physical effort at all but they were over powered by a team possibly smarting from how last season ended. Red Bulls were in the game at half time trailing 10-15 but were suffocated in the second half.

I said to look out for him in my preview and Kingston Park was treated to an outstanding individual try from Noah Caluori, at eighteen years of age he's definitely one to keep an eye on as he has pace to burn. I'm sure he'll be well looked after at Saracens and not rushed in. It also makes me think there's probably kids in schools in the north east and Cumbria that don't even play rugby at the minute that could have that type of athleticism. I think Red Bull through however they do their talent identification could have the ability to unlock these kind of athletes and get them playing rugby, that in itself is exciting!

Work to do but it is fixable

Most sound minded rugby fans in the north east weren't expecting Red Bull to come in and all of a sudden Newcastle to be top of the league straight away. Yes, there's that ambition but there's a journey to go on and I think people get that.

There are things to work on but they are fixable. Some of this was to do with the pressure of the Saracens defence with passes being rushed and going to the floor or being dropped. The kick chase is an area to look at, at times last night it was too disjointed and to Saracens credit they took advantage of that and made ground. There'll also be a bit of a look at the set piece and how that can be improved.

Ultimately it was a step up in opposition from the Harlequins game and it's only their second game of the season so there will be improvement in this team. Also with players still to come back in that will improve the team. I did think that Mafi carried hard at number eight last night and the scrum did improve with the early replacements in the second half.

Off the pitch

Again, I'll be honest here and this was my experience and it could be to do with the rugby on the pitch but the atmosphere for a sell out and with a team such as Saracens in town was flat. I felt that it was better against Harlequins, Red Bull can do so much to blast the music out and have the fireworks but the onus is on the crowd to generate some atmosphere.

I will say one thing, standing behind the posts in The South Stand it is more difficult to follow the game. I much prefer a side on view. Again, to not be too critical but stood in The South Stand last night it was like the rugby was a side show and the amount I was moving especially in the second half was quite annoying. At one point I turned to my friend and said are people actually here for the rugby?

I know the north east public are passionate when it comes to sport, my message for the next home game against Northampton is turn up and be loud. A sell out crowd being vocal and partisan can make a huge difference.

People might not agree with me here and that's fine. I know there'll be a lot of people new to rugby through Red Bull and that will take time to turn them into hardcore fans but a sell out crowd should be able to generate more noise than it did last night.

Attention turns to Exeter

Next Sunday sees Newcastle make the trek to Exeter, I like to think it'll be the players in Red Bull vehicles with a DJ playing at the back but think they may fly!

Exeter don't play until tomorrow against Northampton so Red Bulls have a couple of extra days to prepare for this one. With Exeter you know what you're going to get a forward orientated game built on the set piece, that should be the focus for this week.