Advertisement

Fates and fitness conspiring against Saracens in European rescue mission

Happier days@ Liam Williams goes over for a try as Saracens run riot against Northampton in the Cup: Getty Images
Happier days@ Liam Williams goes over for a try as Saracens run riot against Northampton in the Cup: Getty Images

Saracens’ bid to match Toulon by winning three European Champions Cups in a row is hanging by a thread, with the holders knowing a bonus-point win over Northampton in their final pool match on Saturday may not be enough to save them from an early exit.

Mark McCall’s side can still make the last eight if other results go their way on the final weekend of pool matches but with their England No8 Billy Vunipola out with a broken arm and back rowers Michael Rhodes and Jackson Wray missing with hamstring injuries, the fates appear to be conspiring against the holders.

Back-to-back defeats by Clermont Auvergne, the team they beat to retain the trophy in Edinburgh in May, were key to the situation Sarries find themselves in.

While it was always going to be a tall order to win in France against the Top14 champions, the way they were comprehensively outplayed 14-46 in the weather-delayed match at Allianz Park last month was a massive blow to the club.

England hooker Jamie George admitted: “That was the worst performance I have been involved in a Saracens shirt. It was very, very disappointing. The best memories I’ve had with the club are winning those two finals.

“As an aspiring club, we want to test ourselves against the best. We are gutted because we are now relying on other people. We are now not in control of it [the pool]. Obviously, we are in control of our performance but we are hoping for stuff elsewhere, which is the most frustrating thing.

“We are in the position we are in and we have got to make the most of it, which is going to be tough. Northampton are going to be looking to get one over on us, having had two bad results against us already this season.”

Just to make Sarries’ task even tougher, after beating Northampton easily in two games this season — the 55-24 opening-day Premiership win at Twickenham in September and the 13-57 Champions Cup victory at Franklin’s Gardens in October — they now find the Midlanders in much better form and coming off successive wins over Gloucester and, more significantly, Clermont last weekend.

That 34-21 win, under new head coach Alan Gaffney, who has replaced the sacked Jim Mallinder, saw Saints deliver one of their best performances of the season and revenge will be the key motivation for Saints’ England skipper Dylan Hartley and his men.

Requiring that bonus-point win brings different pressures and George admitted: “It’s trying to find that balance between knowing that you need to get the five points but at the same time not chasing the game. If you go chasing the game, you get loose, and that’s not how we play. We play with a good structure.”

Hartley, who will lead England’s Six Nations defence, has also been showing improved form.

“We aim to get better and the Cup is a chance to focus on the small things that make the big things work,” said the hooker. “We turn up for work for another huge challenge against Saracens and we have another shot at playing carefree rugby.

“We are not worried about where we go or who we play. Clermont are one of the forces of Europe and we have to take confidence from that win.”

Saints are set to recall George North to boost their firepower and the Wales wing will be in opposition to his international team-mate Liam Williams.