Newcastle Falcons 3 Saracens 38: Sarries back on top as they maintain perfect start

Charlie Hodgson scored 21 points as Saracens made it 13 successive wins over Newcastle with a bonus-point performance that keeps the reigning champions unbeaten at the top of the Premiership table.

Eddie Jones, the new England head coach, was at Kingston Park having watched Harlequins defeat London Irish yesterday as he attempts to get up to speed before naming his first squad. There were impressive showings from Sarries locks Geroge Kruis and Maro Itoje while full back Alex Goode was always looking to attack in a game dominated by the boot for far too long.

Billy Vunipola grabbed the fourth bonus point try in stoppage time with Goode kicking the conversion.

The Sarries defence, under the control of coach Paul Gustard, did not concede a try and that will have helped his chances of being asked to do that role for Jones with England.

The Sarries took the lead after ten minutes with a well worked try from a line out after they had opted to kick a penalty to the corner. No8 Sameula Vunisa, making his first start, got the try and Hodgson, who will retire at the end of the season, kicked the conversion before adding two well struck penalties in an otherwise turgid half.

The boot dominated with both teams waiting for the other to make a mistake which led to long passages of aimless play. There were occasional flashes of attacking flair from full-back Goode while open side flanker Will Fraser was busy at the numerous break downs, but it was hardly the quality of rugby that the crowd wanted to witness.

Newcastle were content to maul their way forward, a tactic that Sarries appeared to find difficult to counter without conceding a penalty and Tom Catterick kicked one for the home side, who trailed 13-3 at half time.

The second half started in the same fashion and it was Hodgson who increased Sarries lead with another penalty as they upped the tempo. This was supplemented by the arrival of scrum half Neil de Kock and the Vunipola brothers, Make and Billy. It was England full back Goode who brought the game to some life with a break that Billy Vuniipola carried on and it ended with centre Nick Tomkins scoring a second try for Sarries.

Hodgson added a penalty and then ran in an interception try in a game that Newcastle never threatened to win.