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Saracens embark on season-defining six‑game run, and Alex Goode says clear thinking will end their slump

Cold front | Saracens struggle to take in their record defeat and Alex Goode says Sunday’s match is a great chance for his side to make ammends: David Rogers/Getty Images
Cold front | Saracens struggle to take in their record defeat and Alex Goode says Sunday’s match is a great chance for his side to make ammends: David Rogers/Getty Images

Misfiring Saracens start a season-defining six‑game run with one of the toughest tests in rugby on Sunday when they face Clermont Auvergne just six days after being thrashed by the French champions.

Director of rugby Mark McCall believes the remaining three European Champions Cup pool games, against Clermont, Northampton and Ospreys, and the Premiership fixtures against Leicester, Worcester and Wasps will shape the club’s faltering challenge for glory.

After six successive defeats in all competitions, including Clermont’s record 46-14 win at Allianz Park on Monday, England full-back Alex Goode knows the vultures are circling.

But he said: “We’ve never worried about what people say about us. We judge ourselves by our own standards. In previous years, people have written us off for playing negative rugby or being an average side. That is fine by us and what we can control is how we put ourselves back on the front foot.

“There are no feelings about it being the end of the world. The best way to come out the other side is show real clarity in what we are doing and there is no better challenge than going to face one of the best teams in Europe.”

Clermont have won their past 12 home games against Premiership sides - including two matches against Saracens - with Sale the last English team to win there, in 2008.

Sarries will look to Goode to provide the attacking spark from full-back and he said: “If we want to prove we are a top side, then going to Clermont in the most hostile atmosphere in rugby against a team that barely lose at home is how we can showcase how mentally strong we are. In most of the defeats we haven’t played badly - we have just made poor mistakes at the wrong time. The Clermont game was just poor defending and if you give them momentum they are devastating. If you chase the game, all you do is hang yourself.”

Former Lions captain Brian O’Driscoll predicts the European champions face a brutal afternoon.

“Saracens are in a real rut,” he told BT Sport. “Their culture turned winning into a habit. Now losing is a habit and they need to break that habit. They are bewildered as to how this has happened. They are without Billy Vunipola and Maro Itoje and when your backs are against the wall you look to those calibre of players to get you out of that hole. Clermont is a brutal place to go to and they will need the leadership of guys like Owen Farrell, who will need to play an outstanding game.”

Itoje is set to return in a month’s time after having plates inserted in his broken jaw, meaning he will be available for England’s Six Nations defence.

Injured Harlequins trio Danny Care, Chris Robshaw and Joe Marler miss Friday night’s clash against Ulster in Belfast, but full-back Mike Brown is able to start on the bench.