Their 30-26 victory guaranteed them a top four finish with four games to go.
The game was held up for 45 minutes after Georgia Evans suffered a left arm injury early in the game but Sarries put her setback behind them to secure a hard earned victory.
USA Olympian Alev Kelter was the star of the show and gave her side a 10-point lead with a penalty and a converted try. An interception try from Alysha Corrigan, with another Kelter conversion, made it 17-0 to leave the Bears with a mountain to climb.Â
The home side finally got on the board when crashed over from a rolling maul, but Saracens were quick to respond in the same fashion via May Campbell. The Bears needed some inspiration and it was provided by Wales flanker Manon Johnes.Â
She ran hard into the Saracens 22 to win a penalty that allowed the England scrum-half Leanne Infante to take quickly and race over to keep her side in the game. Saracens then secured the bonus point when the returning Poppy Cleall picked up from a ruck and scored with little trouble in the corner to give Saracens a 13-point lead. Â
Bristol were defiant, though, and a massive 20 metre maul resulted in another Welsh back row star, Alisha Butchers, crossing for their third try. Kelter extended Saracens’ lead with a penalty on 70 minutes, but Bristol fired back with a late salvo to salvage two points with a last minute try from Sarah Bern.Â
Jess Roberts came off the bench to score a try for Sale Sharks in their 53-14 home defeat to Wasps, while Sisal Tuipulotu and Hannah Jones both scored for Gloucester-Hartpury in their 19-19 draw at Loughborough Lightning.Â
