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Champions Cup holders Saracens start the defence of their crown at Franklin's Gardens against Northampton Saints
Champions Cup holders Saracens start the defence of their crown at Franklin’s Gardens against Northampton Saints, live on BT Sport this Sunday. The sides have only met once previously in the competition, with Saracens running out 29-20 winners in a 2016 quarter-final at Allianz Park.
· This will be the second meeting between the sides in the Champions Cup and the third in Europe overall. Both previous European encounters came in the knockout stage with Northampton winning a Challenge Cup semi-final in 2009 before Saracens had their revenge in the 2016 Champions Cup quarter-final.
· Saracens are unbeaten in their last 18 games (W17, D1); only Scarlets managed to avoid defeat to the reigning champions during that run.
· Saints have lost just one of their last six home games (W4, D1); their four wins in that run all came by no more than seven points.
Saracens kicked off their campaign in style with a brilliant display of attacking rugby in a 57-13 win over Northampton Saints at Franklin's Gardens. - 15/10/2017 19:47
Saracens kicked off their campaign in style with a brilliant display of attacking rugby in a 57-13 win over Northampton Saints at Franklin’s Gardens.
- Northampton took the lead from the boot of Steve Myler but Liam Williams weaved in and out of two defenders to put Saracens back in front after 11 minutes.
- The Champions Cup holders ran in three more tries in a dominant first half display, leading by 23 at the interval and securing an attacking bonus point.
- Despite some strong defending from Northampton, Saracens were able to find holes in the Saints' line and scored a fabulous try when Owen Farrell exchanged passes with Alex Lozowski, allowing the latter to go over under the posts.
- Northampton would score another try through Mikey Haywood, but Saracens were out of sight as they ran in four second half tries to match the four in the first.
- Next week Northampton will look to bounce back against 2017 finalists Clermont, while Saracens host Ospreys at Allianz Park.
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