Borthwick injury sparks row as Saracens claim top spot
SARACENS recovered from an injury to captain Steve Borthwick to beat Gloucester and go top of the Premiership.
Replacement hooker Schalk Brits scored the pivotal try while fly-half Glen Jackson kicked 14 points as Saracens came from behind at Kingsholm.
Victory maintained Sarries’ 100 per cent start to the season, but the post-match talk centred on England skipper Borthwick’s clash with Gloucester hooker Olivier Azam.
Borthwick was immediately given five stitches but was taken to Moorfields Eye Hospital for closer examination, and Saracens head coach Mark McCall pointed the finger at Azam.
“It would appear it may have been a deliberate act of foul play,” said McCall. “It is more than a cut. His eye is completely closed over and at this stage we don’t know how badly damaged it is.” Frenchman Azam insisted any contact had been accidental, saying: “I didn’t know I did it. Someone twisted my ankle but I didn’t know I touched him.”
Elsewhere, scrum-half Paul Hodgson inspired London Irish to a 28-16 derby win against Wasps in front of England manager Martin Johnson. Two tries from Sailosi Tagicakibau helped Irish climb to second, while defeat ended Wasps’ 100 per cent start and saw them tumble from first to fourth place.