Two USA players were part of the Saracens team that won the LV= Cup in England Sunday.

Hayden Smith started at lock for Saracens and played about 50 minutes as Saracens built a small lead. Former Chuckanut prop Titi Lamositele came on late, and made a couple of key plays, including overpowering the Exeter scrum, producing a penalty. Exeter tied the game late 20-20 before a penalty kick at the death won it for Saracens.

Saracens are also the Premiership A-league champions, helped along by Smith and Thretton Palamo in that final. In the full Premiership, Smith has seen some action, but the USA player who usually plays is Chris Wyles, who has unleashed some outstanding plays of late (including a sublime try in a win against Wasps). 

Saracens is still fighting for a playoff spot in the Premiership. They sit 3rd (top four make it to the semis), but just a point ahead of Bath and Leicester.

Leicester has just been getting Blaine Scully back for the end of the season and a playoff run, and have Greg Peterson on board, too. They have five games to overtake Bath. Northampton (Samu Manoa, Cam Dolan) pretty much have 1st wrapped up. The Newcastle Falcons (Eric Fry) are 11th and out of it. Wasps (Tom Bliss) are 6th and in with a shot if they hit a winning streak.