Kameli Ratuvou scored two tries and set up another as Saracens crushed Bristol 36-5 at Vicarage Road on Sunday, March 18.

The Fijian flyer found the line twice in as many minutes before fullback Thomas Castaignede celebrated his first start since New Year's Day with the third try before the break after running on to Ratuvou's chip and chase down the left.

Kevin Yates secured the Men In Black a bonus point after racing over the line early into the restart as the hosts carried on where they left off. Stand-off Glen Jackson made amends for two earlier missed kicks with a 16-point haul.

Bristol, who were missing a host of key players, started brightly and forced Saracens into a couple of penalties. However, the hosts turned the ball over five metres from their own try line and broke clear through centre Rodd Penney.

Jackson was presented with his first chance to go for goal after Kris Chesney was held down in the lineout but he pulled his shot wide in the blustery conditions.

Bristol's All Black number eight then prevented Kevin Sorrell with a clear route to the line with a crucial ankle tap after the veteran had burst through a couple of tackles on halfway.

Saracens' early pressure was rewarded with a score in the 14th minute. After good running by Cencus Johnston, Simon Raiwalui and Penney, the ball was worked out to the right where Jackson's flat pass was collected superbly by Ratuvou who powered over on the left unopposed. Jackson missed the conversion but the momentum was well and truly with Saracens.

Saracens scored virtually from the restart as the forwards took play to the halfway line from 10 metres inside their own half. Neil de Kock went blind and fed Jackson who showed quick hands to put in Ratuvou. The winger showed two defenders a clean pair of heels before beating Bristol's Argentinean fullback Bernardo Stortoni for pace to finish with an extravagant dive in the corner. Jackson nailed his first kick of the afternoon as Sarries stormed into a 12-0 lead.

Bristol hit back immediately with their first notable attack but contrived to mess it up with a forward pass. Ratuvou was almost given the freedom of Vicarage Road for a third time minutes later but Stortoni this time caught his man with a fine tackle.

Kris Chesney was then involved in a customary spat with his opposite number Nathan Budgett after the Bristol man had aimed a punch at Glen Jackson in a ruck.

Jackson then landed three penalties in eight minutes as Bristol's frustrations at being outplayed and starved of the ball started to show. Bristol fly-half Jason Strange then missed a penalty from an offside call before Sarries scored their third try of the afternoon.

After Strange had kicked clear from inside his own 22, Castaignede and Dan Scarbrough exchanged passes before the ball was worked out to Ratuvou. He was cynically taken out after trying a chip and chase down the left but Frenchman Castaignede continued his run to ground the ball to the left of the posts to give Sarries a 26-0 half time lead.

It got even better for the Men In Black three minutes into the second half when Kevin Yates was given all the time in the world to cross after the forwards had stretched Bristol's leaky defence from pillar to post. Jackson added the extras as Sarries threatened to inflict an almighty defeat on the one-time league pacesetters.

Bristol's indiscipline thwarted any chance of getting back into the game with Lee Robinson penalised for holding on and Budgett guilty of conceding possession to Penney immediately after his side had turned the ball over.

Richard Hill made was for David Seymour before Jackson's clever cross-field kick almost put Scarbrough away in the right corner.

Jackson added another three points after Bristol had their hands in the ruck, prompting a raft of substitutions to be made with Friday night's crunch game with London Irish in mind.

Bristol eventually scored the softest of tries after Alex Clarke reacted quickest to a charge down from Ratuvou's poor clearance kick, but it was not enough to take the gloss of a fantastic performance by the hosts.