It says much about Saracens’ dominance this season that they were decidedly grumpy after this latest smash-and-grab raid away from home.

Instead of celebrating a comfortable victory at the Ricoh Arena, where European champions Toulon were routed five weeks ago, the visitors were incensed by a late try against them and irked at being called ‘boring’.

Frank Halai’s 77th-minute consolation try for Wasps came from a pass by Elliot Daly which was a metre forward. Paul Gustard, Saracens’ defence guru who starts work for England next month, was seething as the home fans celebrated a score which allowed their side to save face. No wonder — it was the first away try Saracens have conceded this season. 

Owen Farrell scored 21 of Saracens 26 points as the away side returned to the top of the Premiership

The England fly-half was on hand to go over and kicked 16 points for the visitors

They are an unstoppable force at present; storming along at the top of the Aviva Premiership table. 

Mark McCall’s side have won all seven league games in this campaign and 11 matches in all competitions. Their winning run now stands at 14, taking in the end of last season, which culminated in another title triumph. This was their 26th victory in 32 games in 2015 – a vintage year.

Crucially, Saracens have scored 20 Premiership tries this season, a tally only beaten by Exeter’s 27, yet they continue to be damned by faint praise.  

At half-time in Coventry, Wasps’ injured former Wallaby flanker, George Smith, said: ‘Conservative is a nice word for their style of play. It’s not attractive, but it’s effective.’

Dai Young, Wasps’ director of rugby, took up the theme after his men had been stifled into submission. The Welshman did not sugar-coat his words, saying: ‘The way they play is boring, make no bones about it. But they are very effective at it. Their kicking game is very accurate, their chase is very aggressive and it doesn’t really allow you to play.

‘You have to take your hat off to them, but it’s not the way we want to play rugby. It clearly works, but we want to play a more expansive game. Saracens have a settled squad and they’ve got better and better at what they do. 

‘The reality is that we’re not where Sarries are at the moment. That performance showed we’ve still got a bit to do.’ 

Stung by Young’s take on his team’s approach, McCall said: ‘He’s entitled to his opinion but they kicked the ball more than us in the first half. Maybe they should play the way they usually do and they would be more successful. We’ve got 31 points from seven league games and we’ve scored plenty of tries so I don’t understand the criticism.’

Saracens players celebrate after Farrell scored their second try of the match to return to the top

Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall (left) doesn’t understand jibes about his side being ‘boring’

The first half was the sort of grinding, aerial duel which Saracens are so adept at dominating. Their kicking precision pinned Wasps back in their half and the visitors also squeezed their rivals with a scrum onslaught. 

At the heart of it was Mako Vunipola, whose set-piece work has been derided in the past, but on this evidence he is thriving in the tight as well as in open play, suggesting he can push hard to claim England’s No 1 shirt at the start of the Six Nations.

Wasps were missing Smith and his equally influential back-row accomplice, Nathan Hughes, the Fijian No 8 with England ambitions. They lacked the possession and ball-carrying clout to trouble Saracens’ defence. 

Just before the hour, the teams were locked together at 9-9, but Saracens blazed clear with two tries in four minutes. The first was a slick routine from a scrum in midfield as Brad Barritt sent Duncan Taylor hurtling through a gap in midfield and the Scotland centre surged around Rob Miller to score.

Prop Mako Vunipola (left) impressed in the scrum and open play, doing his Six Nations plans no harm at all

Fly-half Farrell kicked two conversions and four penalties in Sarries seventh win in seven league matches 

Duncan Taylor crosses for one of Sarries’ 20 Premiership tries for the season – beaten only by Exeter’s 27

Owen Farrell converted and soon after, the No 10 was on the scoreboard again. Taylor’s low kick ricocheted off a Wasps player into space, he re-gathered the ball and off-loaded for Farrell to run in for a try which he duly converted, before adding a penalty nine minutes from time. Halai crossed on the right moments later, but it was merely a gesture of belated defiance.

‘They were the better team,’ Young conceded. For his part, McCall was unimpressed. ‘We can play better than that,’ he said. ‘It’s a very subdued dressing room.’

Another fine win on the road but still Saracens were grumpy and unsatisfied. That is ominous for their rivals in the Premiership and all around Europe.