Aerial ability of Saracens’ Noah Caluori helps to make him another dream player for rugby union’s marketers
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s Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe crossed the line to complete his world-record London Marathon sprint on Sunday the BBC’s commentator Steve Cram almost swallowed his microphone. “Absolutely incredible. I’ve never seen anything like that. What a finish.” Running 26.2 miles in under two hours is certainly spectacular but – sorry, Steve – it only ranked as the second-best finish seen in the capital at the weekend.
That honour, yet again, was claimed by the Saracens winger Noah Caluori in his side’s home win over Leicester. Chip and chase tries are rarely straightforward but this one was from another planet: a deft dink over the top just outside the Tigers’ 22, searing acceleration around the stranded cover, a balletic leap to regather the ball while somehow staying infield and an irresistible touchdown in the right corner. Over to you, Sabastian.
Nor was it remotely a one-off. The previous week, for the second time this season, Caluori registered five tries in a game against Sale. The first time he managed the feat, on his first senior league start in October, the former British & Irish Lions captain Sam Warburton called it straight away on TNT Sports. “I haven’t seen a player this good in the air, ever, and he’s a teenager,” said Warburton. “Get him in the England squad. He’s got it. This kid is going to be amazing.”
