LIONS SHINE FOR SARRIES

ARACENS kept alive their hopes of claiming a play-off spot by crushing Gallagher Premiership bottom club Newcastle 75-28 at the Allianz Stadium.

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Newcastle stunned Saracens back in November with a 17-12 win at Kingston Park but a fully-loaded Saracens, with their three newly-selected Lions in the starting line-up, exacted full revenge.

However, that surprise defeat to the Falcons could still prove costly as the London club may still have to beat both Bath and Northampton in their remaining fixtures to guarantee a play-off spot.

Saracens ran in 11 tries with Juan Martin Gonzalez scoring a hat-trick, Ben Earl adding two and Theo Dan, Ivan van Zyl, Maro Itoje, Charlie Bracken, Tom Willis and Jamie George scoring the others. Fergus Burke kicked seven conversion and Louie Johnson three.

Sam Stuart scored two tries for Newcastle with Freddie Lockwood and Ben Stevenson also on the scoresheet to earn a bonus point. Brett Connon converted all four tries.

Alex Goode led out Saracens for his 400th appearance for the club and his side were soon ahead when Gonzalez forced his way over to reward a period of sustained pressure.