Farrell boots Sarries to Euro glory
A teak-tough defence and astute kicking game, aided by Farrell's trusty boot, were key for what turned out to be a comfortable victory at Lyon's Grand Stade although the game will not likely go down in the annals as one of the best spectacles.
All Black legend Carter failed to influence the game in any way, visibly struggling with the pace and contact, and even opting from the off not to kick from the tee. He was replaced three minutes into the second half to little fanfare.
His much-vaunted partnership with in-form France scrumhalf Maxime Machenaud was also short-lived as the France international went off concussed after just 18 minutes.
Both sides struggled to impose any kind of recognisable game plan, the match at times descending into harum-scarum tactics chasing a slippery ball in midfield and around the fringes of the ruck.
After Montpellier's 26-19 victory over Harlequins in the Challenge Cup on Friday, Racing were seeking a first French double in European competition since 1997 when Brive and Bourgoin triumphed.
Machenaud, handed the kicking duties for Racing, scuffed a first early effort and Saracens replied by mounting the pressure. Farrell put a kick through and as Ashton went to recover, the covering Brice Dulin dabbed the ball out, handing the English side a scrum five from which they won a penalty, Farrell converting.
As the heavens opened, Sarries captain Brad Barritt put an enormous hit in on Carter, who took his time to get to his feet amid a succession of knock-ons with the slippery ball. Saracens loosehead prop Petrus du Plessis was again pinged for collapsing the scrum, South African centre Johan Goosen drawing Racing level with a 55-metre penalty.
Farrell saw an ambitious drop-goal go wide but made no mistake with a second penalty, also getting in another big hit on a shaky-looking Carter after the re-start.
Saracens managed to pin Racing back effectively through the accurate kicking of Richard Wigglesworth and Alex Goode, and Ashton went close after following through on another Farrell grubber.
The England flyhalf extended Saracens' lead with a third penalty just after the half-hour mark, a deficit cut back by Goosen's second after some solid Racing pressure in what was proving to be a tough, tight game.
Farrell held his nerve through whistles and hooters to nail a fourth penalty to hand Saracens a vital 12-6 half-time lead.
After Carter strolled off to be replaced by Remi Tales, Sarries played the percentage game, Wigglesworth and Farrell pinning Racing back although the Parisian club's defence held firm. The pressure eventually told, however, Farrell landing his fifth penalty as the England trio of prop Mako Vunipola and lock pairing Maro Itoje and George Kruis came to the fore in the loose.
Goosen pulled one back for Racing after a series of well-organised pick-and-go's, but Farrell deservedly had the last word with his sixth and seventh penalties to seal Saracens' first European title having not lost a game in this season's competition.
Man of the match: Johan Goosen kept his side in the contest after taking over kicking duties from Dan Carter while Mike Phillips made a massive impact off the bench in a losing cause. Maro Itoje was Saracens' engine room and Alex Goode was full value coming from the back. However, Owen Farrell kept the scoreboard ticking, kept his side ahead and held his nerve in a tense encounter. That is why he gets the nod.
Scorers:
For Racing 92:
Pens: Goosen 3
For Saracens:
Pens: Farrell 7
Teams:
Racing 92: 15 Brice Dulin, 14 Joe Rokocoko, 13 Johannes Goosen, 12 Alexandre Dumoulin, 11 Juan Imhoff, 10 Dan Carter, 9 Maxime Machenaud, 8 Chris Masoe, 7 Bernard Le Roux, 6 Wenceslas Lauret, 5 Francois van der Merwe, 4 Luke Charteris, 3 Ben Tameifuna, 2 Dimitri Szarzewski (captain), 1 Eddy Ben Arous.
Replacements: 16 Virgile Lacombe, 17 Khatchik Vartanov, 18 Luc Ducalcon, 19 Manuel Carizza, 20 Antonie Claassen, 21 Mike Phillips, 22 Remi Tales, 23 Henry Chavancy.
Saracens: 15 Alex Goode, 14 Chris Ashton, 13 Duncan Taylor, 12 Brad Barritt (captain), 11 Chris Wyles, 10 Owen Farrell, 9 Richard Wigglesworth, 8 Billy Vunipola, 7 Will Fraser, 6 Michael Rhodes, 5 George Kruis, 4 Maro Itoje, 3 Petrus du Plessis, 2 Schalk Brits, 1 Mako Vunipola.
Replacements: 16 Jamie George, 17 Richard Barrington, 18 Juan Figallo, 19 Jim Hamilton, 20 Jackson Wray, 21 Ben Spencer, 2 Charlie Hodgson, 23 Marcelo Bosch.
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
