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Ealing produced a 27-26 upset win over Saracens in the first match of the Trailfinders Challenge Cup on Saturday. The six-match series which also includes Doncaster was created to provide meaningful competition for the three sides as they await the start of the RFU Championship regular season.
Played at Ealing’s Vallis Way home ground without spectators, it was Saracens who had a one-point lead at halftime thanks in large part to three penalty goals from USA international Will Hooley. He would add one conversion but also missed two other opportunities.
Hooley was not the only Eagles cap in the Saracens squad. Kapeli Pifeleti was a second half replacement at hooker. Argentine center Juan Pablo Socino remains under suspension.
While neither side were entirely at full strength, Saracens featured five capped internationals in the run-on side including England star Billy Vunipola. Other notables were Fiji prop Eroni Mawi, Namibia flanker Janco Venter, and Scotland center Duncan Taylor.
The series continues next weekend when Doncaster host Saracens at Castle Park. March 6 is the anticipated start of the Championship season.
EALING
1 Kyle Whyte, 2 Alun Walker, 3 Elliot Millar-Mills, 4 Bobby de Wee, 5 Simon Linsell, 6 Kieran Murphy, 7 Adam Korczyk, 8 Rayn Smid (capt.), 9 Craig Hampson, 10 Craig Willis, 11 Dean Hammond, 12 Pat Howard, 13 Fraser Strachan, 14 Angus Kernohan, 15 David Johnston
Replacements: 16 Michael van Vuuren, 17 Will Davis, 18 George Davis, 19 Ben West, 20 Shane Buckley, 21 Guy Thompson, 22 Jordan Burns, 23 Steve Shingler
SARACENS
1 Eroni Mawi, 2 Tom Woolstencroft (capt.), 3 Josh Ibuanokpe, 4 Jonathan Kpoku, 5 Ollie Stonham, 6 Janco Venter, 7 Andy Christie, 8 Billy Vunipola, 9 Aled Davies, 10 Will Hooley, 11 Rotimi Segun, 12 Duncan Taylor, 13 Dom Morris, 14 Ben Harris, 15 Elliott Obatoyinbo
Replacements: 16 Kapeli Pifeleti, 17 Sam Crean, 18 Sam Wainwright, 19 Llewellyn Jones, 20 Callum Hunter-Hill, 21 Tom Whiteley, 22 Harry Sloan, 23 Charlie Watson
