Top gun Luger fires Saracens to top

Saracens shot to the top of the Premiership yesterday, swept there by Dan Luger and the high velocity finishing which England will demand of him in November.

The fastest hat-trick of the season, all touched down in a matter of six second-half minutes, ensured that the pre-season favourites made the most of their 'lucky' weekend. On a day when Rotherham were outclassed for the first time since winning promotion, Saracens jumped one point clear of Leicester, more accustomed to leading the pack than their footballing neighbours.

It was just Rotherham's luck that the end of Luger's barren run just happened to coincide with their visit to Vicarage Road. The England wing responded to five matches without a try by giving his Yorkshire opponents such a run-around that he scored all three without a hand being laid on him.

The first may have been no more than a formality but the other two provided the perfect riposte to Sarries' demand for a hard afternoon's work.

Luger came off his wing and Kris Chesney's juggling act and barnstorming run sent him veering away under the posts for the second try two minutes after the first.

Rotherham were still recovering when Luger stripped them bare again. Thomas Castaignede's counterattack allowed him to appear in midfield and cut the opposition to shreds with the angle of his run from almost halfway.