Mark McCall was pleased with Saracens' performance after a crucial 33-12 win at Exeter.
Sarries coach satisfied with show as title race heats up
Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall was pleased with his side's performance after a crucial 33-12 win at Exeter.
The win keeps the pressure on Aviva Premiership leaders Leicester, who have a two-point lead over Sarries, and represented their seventh league win on the spin.
The visitors led 13-5 at the break but Exeter applied pressure after the restart, only for Sarries to pull away with 20 consecutive points without reply.
Chiefs scored a late converted try but Saracens had wrapped up the points by then, thanks to some pinpoint kicking from full-back Alex Goode.
McCall said: "It was very good because we know that before this game Exeter have only lost three home league games so for us to get any sort of win was great.
"There were periods of time when we were certainly on the back foot, especially the first 10 minutes of the second half when the game was in the balance with us 13-5 in front but we defended brilliantly during that time.
"We soaked up the pressure and every time we got in their half we came away with some points and that was key. I think that we left a couple of tries out there but overall we are pleased with the result."
England
McCall also urged Martin Johnson to take a closer look at his side, with the England boss due to name his provisional squad of 60 for the World Cup in June.
McCall said: "We are second in the Premiership, having won 16 out of 20 games, so we deserve to get some sort of recognition. There were six English qualified players in the backs and three on the bench."
Exeter's head coach Rob Baxter admits his side were on the wrong end of a beating by a team chasing the title, but he is miffed about their stuttering form, having now lost four consecutive games.
"We have been taught a bit of a lesson by a team that are in good form," said Baxter.
"We made a lot of promises to ourselves during this season about enjoying the experience of the Premiership.
"But, the truth is, I think that we haven't really enjoyed the past two or three weeks because, for whatever reason, we are not playing right to the edge that we can do and we have just lost that a little.
"We have to try and find that again for our last two games. Saracens are cranking things up at this stage of the season to win big things and we are almost looking like the end of the season is just a few weeks away."
Hearing
Exeter are due to appear before a disciplinary hearing on Wednesday to answer a charge of fielding three overseas players in a match-day squad, one more than Premiership regulations permit.
The Chiefs could face a 10-point deduction, but the club hope their co-operation with the Rugby Football Union, having admitted an administration error, will lead to a lenient punishment.
Keiron Northcott, the Chiefs deputy chief executive, said: "We know what the maximum penalty could be but it was an administrative error.
"We weren't looking for any gain from fielding three overseas players in the squads, and in fact in one of the players didn't come off the bench in one of the games.
"We have put our hands up - we have made a mistake - we have learnt from it and it certainly won't happen again but we are working fully with the Rugby Football Union.
"It is in their hands now and we hope that they are going to realistic and lenient about it. Obviously everyone is a little disappointed because there is a cloud hanging over us and until we know, nothing is certain."
