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Ils ont perdu le week-end dernier leur premier match cette saison
Ulster Rugby may have a point to prove at Allianz Park this weekend after their home defeat at the hands of the English champions, but director of rugby Les Kiss knows the home side will be smarting after suffering their first defeat of the season.
Kiss is worried that the defeat at Harlequins will only serve to inspire the form team in Europe to redouble their efforts as they look to clinch their place in the Champions Cup last eight with a fifth successive win in Pool 1. Their best run of wins in the tournament is five.
“We have a chance, without a doubt. It's a massive week for us and not an ideal one after Saracens got beat last week – they'll be smarting,” said Kiss.
“It doesn't get any easier for us but we're in the hunt and that's the main thing. We need to get points out of this week somehow and deliver a lot better at home against Oyonnax in the next match, but at least there's a chance for us.”
The Saracens piled on the pressure and the points in the game at the Kingspan Stadium in Belfast in round two, picking up try bonus point in their 27-9 triumph. Since then they have done the double over Oyonnax and sit proudly at the top of the pool with 19 out of a possible 20 points.
Saracens will be without their suspended Welsh international prop Rhys Gill, who was sent-off in the defeat at Harlequins, while Ulster will be without wing Sam Arnold, who pulled his hamstring in last weekend’s 24-23 win in Oyonnax, and No 8 Nick Williams, who was concussed in the second half in France.
But better news for Kiss is that Andrew Trimble is ready to play and fellow Irish international threequarters Darren Cave and Jared Payne are also poised to return to action. He is also hoping that last weekend’s amazing second half revival, which saw his side battle back from 23-0 down at half-time to win the game by a point with a 77th minute Paddy Jackson penalty, will give his players confidence.
McCall believes his Saracens’ side will cope well with the disappointment of losing for the first time this season in what proved to be an unlucky 13th game of the season in all competitions.
“This group in the past has been pretty good at dealing with the odd setback. We've got a big game to get our teeth stuck into against Ulster and we'll get stuck into it this week,” promised McCall, a former Ulster captain and coach.
“They have players all over the field who are capable of winning games on both the domestic and international stage. In the past few seasons Ulster have always been tough opponents for us, and they have made some real strides under Les Kiss in the last four or five weeks.
“Earlier this season they provided us with a really difficult game at the Kingspan Stadium and we are expecting the same again this Saturday.”
Match Facts
- Saracens have won all four of their games so far this season in the Champions Cup, only once before have they won five in a row in the competition and never before have they won all their pool games.
- Saracens have won 11 of their last 12 home games in the competition including their last seven in a row.
- Ulster have lost six of their seven games against Saracens, with their solitary positive result in this run coming in 2005.
- Saracens have scored exactly 100 points in their three home games against Ulster, conceding 51.
- Ulster are the top tacklers in the European competition this season, having registered a total of 552. Their top tackler is lock Franco van der Merwe with 47.
- Saracens top the points tally in this year’s Champions Cup having scored 159 in their four outings, averaging 39 points a game.
- In all previous clashes between the two sides Saracens have scored a total of 175 points while Ulster have recorded 107.
- Both sides come into Round 5 having won their last three Champions Cup fixtures.
Pour la cinquième année consécutive
Saracens secured a home quarter-final with an impressive bonus-point victory over Ulster.
The Aviva Premiership side produced a dominant display against their nearest pool one rivals to enhance their credentials as potential winners of this year’s Champions Cup.
A fourth bonus-point victory of the pool stages came thanks to tries from Billy Vunipola, Duncan Taylor, Maro Itoje and Schalk Brits.
Owen Farrell produced another superb display from 10 and after a tricky start to the contest they never really looked like losing.
Farrell opened the scoring after just three minutes with his first penalty of the afternoon but it was the visitors who crossed for the game’s opening try moments later.
A good break from centre Stuart McCloskey took Ulster into the Saracens half and after going through the phases Jared Payne’s grubber kick was collected by Luke Marshall to score.
Farrell’s second penalty on 20 minutes took them back to within a point but both sides were finding chances hard to come by.
Saracens struck shortly before the break when number eight Vunipola crashed over from close-range from a driving line-out and Farrell added the extras to give them a six-point advantage at the break.
Ulster came out firing after the break and Paddy Jackson’s first penalty brought them back to within three points.
A third from Farrell restored their six-point advantage before a delightful show-and-go from the England international cut open the Ulster defence and he put replacement Taylor over in the corner.
It was the beginning of the end for Ulster as Saracens grabbed their third try on the hour, a driving line-out gave them good momentum and Itoje was the player to touch down.
Two minutes after the try Ulster were down to 14 men as wing Craig Gilroy saw yellow for not rolling away and it wasn’t long before Saracens wrapped up the bonus point.
Another impressive driving line-out put Ulster under pressure and this time it was Brits’ turn to come away with the try.
Ian Humphreys got a consolation try for Ulster 10 minutes from time when he scooped up a loose ball and ran-in from 40 metres.
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