'This is what we have dreamt about' - Alex Goode steals the show to help Saracens upset Leinster

Alex Goode scored 19 points as Saracens produced one of their finest performances to book their place in the semi-finals of the Champions Cup with a stunning 25-17 victory over Leinster in Dublin.

Goode, playing at fly-half in place of the suspended England captain Owen Farrell, scored a thrilling first-half try and also kicked four penalties before the Premiership side resisted a strong second-half revival by Leinster to keep alive hopes of defending their title.

Mark McCall’s side, had been regarded as underdogs against a Leinster side who had racked up 25 successive victories including last weekend’s Pro 14 final win over Ulster, but took complete control by establishing a 22-3 lead by the interval with their scrum completely dominating their opponents.

Andrew Porter and Jordan Lamour scored second-half tries in a thrilling second-half before Goode closed the game out with his fourth penalty.

With Saracens already relegated to the Championship next season because of their salary cap breaches and having seen their squad depleted as a result, McCall hailed his players’ resilience as they kept alive hopes of defending their European crown.

“This is what we have dreamt about,” said McCall. “It has been such a difficult, testing, challenging year for everybody. The playing group have been magnificent in the way that they have stayed united all the way through. It is a good story so far.

“This group of players never cease to amaze us given everything that has happened … to produce a performance of that quality, says a lot about them.

“We put them under the kind of pressure we hoped they could and the players were so engaged and alive.”

McCall admitted that the challenge now was to replicate the emotional peak for next Saturday’s semi-final.

“That’s the interesting challenge we’ve got, it’s a good challenge we have and I’m glad we have that over the next seven days.

“It would be a shame if that was that, but I know this group too well and they don’t really operate like that.

“I know they will want to go over there and try and reproduce the kind of unity we showed today. We’ll see, but it is a big challenge.”