By James Standley

A rib injury ended Andy Farrell's first game as Saracens captain

Saracens (10) 26
Tries: Russell 2
Cons: Jackson 2
Pens: Jackson 4

Bath (5) 20
Tries: James, Barkley, Faamatuainu
Con: Barkley
Pen: Barkley

Former South Africa full-back Brent Russell scored a cracking brace of tries as Saracens rejoined Bath in the Guinness Premiership play-off places.

Butch James's try saw Bath lead 5-3 but Saracens hit back when Russell sliced through for a converted score.

Glen Jackson's second penalty put Sarries 13-5 up at the break.

Bath made it 13-12 as Olly Barkley went over, but Russell's second try clinched victory and Jonny Faamatuainu's late score only brought Bath a bonus point.

Saracens went on the attack from the first whistle and after Bath had infringed for the third time in the opening three minutes, Jackson kicked the simple penalty to put the hosts into the lead.

Barkley missed a chance to get Bath back on terms five minutes later, pushing a kickable penalty wide, but the visitors dominated territory and possession and took the lead when James powered through Adam Powell's attempted tackle.

606: DEBATE Thought Sarries looked good today, look forward to the soon to retire Richard Hill teaching the Ospreys lads a lesson in back row play edwardo63

Barkley's radar was again off target when he attempted to convert and things rapidly went from bad to worse for the visitors.

James injured his shoulder in the act of scoring and the World Cup-winning South Africa fly-half was forced out of the action.

Saracens had been pushed back but as the half-hour mark approached they enjoyed a decent spell of possession and re-took the lead.

After winning quick ball off the top at a line-out they fired it into midfield and Andy Farrell, captaining Saracens for the first time, crashed it up the middle.

When the ball came back Sarries moved it wide to Russell and the diminutive speedster threw a superb dummy before slicing through the defence and running round to dot down under the posts.

Jackson converted but Bath came desperately close to hitting back within minutes, with giant 20-year-old winger Matt Banahan held up over the line.

The visitors continued to hammer away but the hosts' defence held firm, and when they eventually lifted the siege a Chris Chesney burst took them into Bath territory.

The visitors promptly infringed and the final action of the half saw Jackson kick the hosts into a 13-5 lead at the break.

Bath's Nick Abendanon feels the full force of Saracens' defence

Saracens looked set to add to their lead at the start of the second half but they lost Farrell and David Seymour to injury and then came to grief after Russell was turned over as he counter attacked.

A long pass from Barkley put Bath on the front foot and he was on hand to take Michael Lipman's pass from the next phase and brush past Russell before going over, despite Alan Dickens's tackle, to score.

His conversion cut the lead to one but Jackson landed a penalty straight after the re-start to nudge Sarries back into a four-point lead and he then set up a sparkling try.

When Saracens secured turnover ball Jackson countered from just outside his 22, chipped over the defence and regathered.

The New Zealander fed Powell and his superb first-time pass gave Russell the space to scoot over from distance.

Jackson added the extras and suddenly the hosts had a decisive lead.

A Barkley penalty cut the gap to eight points with 15 minutes to go but Jackson replied in kind for Saracens.

It looked as though Bath were going to head home pointless but Faamatuainu crashed through Russell's tackle for an unconverted try two minutes from time to hand the visitors a losing bonus point.