Cardiff 40

Saracens 19

(Allied Dunbar Premiership Div One)

SARACENS got their first taste of Welsh rugby on Saturday and came home on the wrong end of an unexpected scoreline.

While for years, England have been streets ahead of their Welsh counterparts at international level, the clubs have rarely met.

But with the integration of both Cardiff and Swansea into the Allied Dunbar Premiership season this year, that has all changed, and what a start Cardiff made against the Tetley Bitter Cup holders.

After last week's thumping win against Northampton, confidence in the Sarries' camp must have been high. But Alain Penaud missed a golden opportunity to put them ahead when he was tackled short of the try line in the early part of the game. From then on, Cardiff took the bulk of possession and, though the scoreline flattered them somewhat, they controlled the game well and gave their English rivals a few lessons.

It was in the second half that they lit up the scoreboard. Robert Howley, the Cardiff scrum half, scored the first try of the afternoon, sweeping into the corner after a burst by Liam Botham.

The second Cardiff try, from Mike Wintle, effectively ended the contest with just 23 minutes to play.

With Newcastle, the defending league champions, winning at Bath after defeat in their first fixture at Richmond last week, this season looks like being far closer than the 1997/1998 campaign already.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000.Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.