Owen Farrell made a triumphant return to StoneX Stadium but it was the rampaging Tom Willis who starred in Saracens’ 50-17 Gallagher Prem victory over Bristol.
Farrell made his first appearance at the north London ground for 504 days having returned from a season-long spell at Racing 92 during the summer and he finished with a 13-point haul.
Saracens plundered seven tries with wing Jack Bracken pouncing twice and on a day when most elements of their game fired beautifully, man of the match Willis emerged as the standout performer.
The England number eight’s muscular carrying was a key difference between the rivals as time and again he propelled his team on to the front foot, while he was also a rock in defence.
It was a highly impressive performance from Saracens and they ruthlessly dispatched a Bristol side that are reeling from the loss of the influential AJ MacGinty, Harry Randall and Gabriel Ibitoye to long-term injuries.
Fixture
Gallagher Premiership
Saracens
Bristol
In another blow to the hapless Bears, wing Louis Rees-Zammit had to be helped off in the second half because of injury. Centre Joe Jenkins had already departed with a knock.
By the end of the opening quarter Saracens had already run in three tries with their fast and physical rugby dazing Bristol, who had to wait almost 30 minutes for their first meaningful attack.
Everything the six-times champions attempted came off with a slick line-out try for Theo Dan after just 135 seconds setting the tone.
Saracens’ breakdown work was already making a difference and following two penetrating runs from wing Rotimi Segun, Nick Isiekwe used his strength to touch down.
The biggest challenge facing Mark McCall’s men was injury with Dan limping off and the impressive Willis departing for an HIA, which he passed.
Farrell kicked a penalty to accompany his two conversions and then Saracens engineered an eye-catching third try that began with a poor Bristol kick when they had run out of ideas in attack.
The ball was fed to Willis and having sucked in two defenders, he slipped a pass to Max Malins who set off accompanied by Ivan van Zyl and the two interchanged smartly for Malins to cross.
Bristol finally staged an attack on the home line but met a mean defence that included more feverish breakdown work, and the first-half ended with Nick Tompkins going over to complete a 31-0 interval lead.
Compounding errors for the Bears was a high tackle by Viliame Mata on Noah Caluori, resulting in a yellow card, but they at least started the second half with a fine try by Kieran Marmion made possible by Rees-Zammit’s power in the carry.
It was only a temporary halt to the flow of Saracens points with wing Bracken crossing twice in quick succession, the second a display of his speed from a standing start.
Rees-Zammit teed up Marmion’s second try and the scrum-half then scampered over for his hat-trick, but inevitably Saracens had the final say with Hugh Tizard powering his way across the line.