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Wayne Pivac is looking to his Test stars to lead from the front when the Scarlets travel to face European Rugby Champions Cup holders Saracens. - 19/10/2016 17:44
Wayne Pivac is looking to his Test stars to lead from the front when the Scarlets travel to face European Rugby Champions Cup holders Saracens.
The sides meet at Allianz Park fresh from victories on the opening weekend of European action and looking to take a grip on Pool 3 before hostilities resume in December.
Despite their win over Sale, the Welsh visitors will start as underdogs after Saracens ended three-time champions’ Toulon’s unbeaten Champions Cup home record at Stade Mayol.
But head coach Pivac can call on considerable experience within his squad. Liam Williams, Jonathan Davies, Scott Williams, Rhys Patchell, Gareth Davies, Ken Owens, Samson Lee, Jake Ball and Aaron Shingler have all appeared for Wales.
Canada wing DTH van der Merwe and Scotland back-rower John Barclay have also featured at the highest level and Pivac knows how important it will be for those man to perform against their star-studded hosts.
The New Zealander is happy to embrace the underdogs tag but has challenged his players to give Saracens as uncomfortable an afternoon
“Sport shows that there are games that go against expectations,” he said. “There are some sides where there will be a game and if they play that opposition 10 times they will it 9 times, but there is always that one where top sides do not have a great day at the office and the opposition are on their game.
“You need to have a lot of guys step up, our international boys – who played well on the weekend against Sale – need to back that up and take it to a new level again, and what better time than ahead of going into a Welsh camp for the autumn internationals.
“The Test players are guys we look to perform because this is the biggest stage for them at this level. Hopefully everyone else chips in and does their bit and that is what it is going to take. We want to be proud of a performance and walk off and say that.”
Billy Vunipola has been among the Sarries stars to impress this season, and he was among the top performers in France last weekend. But he insists the English champions will not be taking their opponents likely.
“We know we need to back up the result against Toulon,” he said. “The Scarlets are a strong side and they are one of the top teams in the PRO12 so we know the sort of challenge they will pose.
“So we need to have that focus and that energy that allowed us to get a big result against Toulon, but we have to make sure we do the business this week to make it count.”
Match Facts
- Holders Saracens have never faced Scarlets in Europe before.
- Saracens have won five of their previous seven games against Welsh opponents with six of those seven games being decided by margins of 10 points or fewer.
- Scarlets have lost their last two away games against Premiership clubs.
- Saturday’s game will see Scarlets aim to win back to back games in the competition for the first time since 2011 when they beat Castres and Northampton Saints.
- Saracens have won their last 10 games in the competition and have not lost at home since 2013, winning their last nine on their own patch.
Saracens maintained their perfect start to the defence of their European Rugby Champions Cup title with a powerful display against a determined Scarlets. - 22/10/2016 20:04
Saracens maintained their perfect start to the defence of their European Rugby Champions Cup title with a powerful display against a determined Scarlets.
Mako Vunipola got the champions on track before Nick Tompkins, an 11th hour replacement for Brad Barritt, Marcelo Bosch, Chris Wyles secured the bonus point.
Rhys Patchell kicked 16 points for Scarlets who briefly hinted at a comeback after Ben Spencer’s yellow card with second half tries by Aaron Shingler and Jonathan Davies.
But Michael Rhodes completed a dominant display from the Saracens pack to take charge of Pool 3.
Patchell drew first blood at Allianz Park with an early penalty but Mako Vunipola rumbled over for the opening try in the tenth minute.
Schalk Burger was involved several times as Saracens’ forwards drove forward, Alex Goode and Michael Rhodes put width on the attack where Vunipola charged a way through.
Scarlets, who lost Wales centre Scott Williams in the morning of the game with an ankle problem, then saw full-back Liam Williams limp off after just 14 minutes.
Saracens had also lost a centre before kick-off when Brad Barritt pulled out after the warm-up so Nick Tompkins stepped up and scorched over for a try just 26 minutes into his European debut. The centre beat four defenders as he weaved his way between the posts.
Farrell converted and added a drop goal but penalties allowed Patchell to limit the damage to 20-12 at half-time.
Both Vunipola brothers punched holes in the Welsh team’s defence, before England fly-half Owen Farrell flung a loopy pass for Bosch to finish on the left wing.
Wyles put the bonus point within touching distance, finishing from 30 metres with aplomb after a Scarlets handling error.
Shingler scored the visitors' first try of the night just past the hour mark as both sides pursued the extra points.
Replacement eight Josh Macleod thundered off the base of the scrum to set up a second try for Scarlets, with Wales centre Davies powering over from close range.
But South African flanker Michael Rhodes swiftly struck back to secure the bonus point and extinguish any hopes the two tries had fanned of a Scarlets come back.
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