Saracens see off Braves

Defending champions Saracens Storm kicked off the defence of their Aviva Premiership A League crown by seeing off hosts Exeter Braves at Sandy Park.

Tries from Mike Ellery, Nathan Earle and Tom Whitely did much of the damage for the visitors, whose remaining points came courtesy of kicks from Baden Kerr and skipper Nils Mordt.

In reply, the Braves countered with tries of their own through Sam Simmonds and Byron McGuigan, whilst fly-half Will Hooley weighed in with a conversion and two penalties, alongside a late conversion from Joe Simmonds.

At the death the home side could have snatched victory with a late driving maul, but sadly it was not to be as their charge for the line was deemed to have been held up by referee Daniel Parrott.

Handed a testing opener against last season’s top side, the Braves – who included six of their summer signings in their starting XV – started brightly with full-back Chrysander Botha and Sam Skinner linking well to offer the first real threat.

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