Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall was delighted with his side's performance after they defeated Bath 26-19 on Sunday.
Sarries boss praises players after important victory over Bath
Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall was delighted with his side's performance after they defeated Bath 26-19 on Sunday.
The win means Harlequins now have just a three-point lead over their North London rivals in the Aviva Premiership in another game marred by problems at the scrum.
Sarries prop Rhys Gill was yellow-carded by French referee Pascal Gauzere after the collapse of a 15th-minute scrum, but the home side rallied to score tries through Steve Borthwick and Chris Wyles, with Owen Farrell kicking 16 points.
And McCall said it was important for his side to maintain the pressure on Quins entering the second half of the season.
Important
"I'm pleased because we played some very good running rugby against a Bath side who came here with their tails up after a good win last week, and who made a flying start," McCall said.
"So it was important that we fought back to equalise when down to 14 men for Gill's yellow card and the performances of Alex Goode, David Strettle - back to his electrifying best - Andy Saull and Steve Borthwick were especially pleasing.
"Steve has never given up on England and making a comeback. He is playing so well, yet is someone rarely mentioned in terms of the squad. If England came calling for his experience among what may be a young squad, he would never say no."
Frustrating
However, McCall admitted that the game needs to solve a problem which leaves fans and players alike baffled.
"You saw how good the game is when the scrums work, when things go well," he added. "You also saw how frustrating it can become when they don't. It will take a greater man than me to sort it out."
Bath coach Martin Haag echoed those feelings as he said: "We should have been 14-0 up shortly before they made it 7-7 - because we were on their line and the scrum went down.
"The referee shouted for us to 'use it', yet he then carded Rhys Gill and we should have had a penalty try.
"It descended into a bit of a farce in the scrums, which is not unusual these days. You need to know that things will be consistent."
Opposite
Meanwhile, Saracens chairman Nigel Wray anticipates an exodus of star names, even without Borthwick, when England's interim head coach Stuart Lancaster names his Six Nations squad - and while pleased for his players, he is not impressed by the system.
He said: "As I have said before, the southern hemisphere must be laughing their heads off. They wouldn't dream of playing the Tri Nations during their Super 15, wouldn't dream of coming here to play winter internationals during their domestic season.
"And they wouldn't dream of receiving our international sides in the summer if it in any way clashed with, once again, their own domestic season. We, of course, do the opposite."
