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European Rugby Champions Cup holders Saracens are out to blunt the bite of domestic rivals Sale Sharks and continue their perfect start to the defence of their title. - 08/12/2016 13:05
European Rugby Champions Cup holders Saracens are out to blunt the bite of domestic rivals Sale Sharks and continue their perfect start to the defence of their title.
Mark McCall’s side top Pool 3 after hard-fought victories over RC Toulon and Scarlets in rounds one and two. In contrast, Sale have suffered a nightmare start to their European campaign with a pair of defeats to the same opposition. And it does not get any easier as they prepare to travel to the home of the reigning champions, bolstered by the return of their England stars.
It was first-blood to Saracens last month when they claimed a 28-13 Aviva Premiership triumph at the AJ Bell Stadium. European Rugby Player of the Year Maro Itoje is set to return for the London club alongside second-row partner George Kruis, while Mako Vunipola and Jamie George could also return to beef up the pack.
Owen Farrell leads the way in points scored with a haul of 35, and looks set to add to that tally this weekend from outside-half. Itoje, who returned to action against Bath last week, cannot wait to return to the top-flight of European rugby.
He said: “When it comes to European rugby, you get to play the best of the best, it’s a higher quality and a higher standard. The lure of progressing further in this competition is a big one for a lot of clubs and it certainly is for us.
“The crowd are getting noisier and noisier this season and hopefully we can give them something to shout about. The crowd really get up for these European games so hopefully it should be a great encounter.”
Sale are yet to get off the mark in this season’s tournament and are coming off the back of three consecutive Aviva Premiership defeats. But head coach Steve Diamond shopping to inject confidence back into his men by dethroning the continental kings.
He said: ”Under the previous regime, we always set a target to qualify for the elite European Competition. But when the draw was made and you find yourselves pitched up against sides like Saracens and Toulon; you realise what a task you have in front of you.
“We are not playing well as a team at the moment and we need to get some confidence back into the players and the squad. We will use the game on Saturday to do just that.
“We are up against probably the best club side in the world that have massive strength in depth – we don't have that luxury yet!”
Saracens blew away fellow English side Sale to take control of European Rugby Champions Cup Pool 3 with a convincing 50-3 victory and seal an 11th straight home win. - 10/12/2016 19:30
Saracens blew away fellow English side Sale to take control of European Rugby Champions Cup Pool 3 with a convincing 50-3 victory and seal an 11th straight home win.
The defending champions once again look the team to beat this season and served notice of their intentions to make it back-to-back titles with a commanding bonus point success.
Mark McCall’s men simply had too much in attack for their opposition with Sean Maitland scoring twice in a six-try success. In the process, they recorded their 12th straight European victory which is one short of Munster’s record.
Owen Farrell fired Saracens into the lead at a rain-soaked Allianz Park with a penalty after six minutes. It almost got even better for the European champions when Richard Wigglesworth looked to have forced his way over, but looking at the TMO, rugby league convert Josh Charnley had somehow stopped him short.
Farrell added another penalty moments later to pull his side six points clear, before American outside-half AJ McGinty narrowed the gap with a shot of his own. But Marcelo Bosch made the breakthrough after 18 minutes.
Wigglesworth spotted a gap at the side of a ruck and streaked downfield. He passed the ball on to Schalk Burger, who found Bosch in support. And the centre ran-in unopposed to put Sarries 13-3 ahead.
Farrell added a pair of penalties, before it got even better. The England outside-half sent Maitland through a hole in the Sale midfield, and the Scotland wing raced home to score. Bosch added a late penalty to send Saracens into the changing rooms with a 26-3 lead.
The one-sided nature of the contest continued after the break.
With Farrell replaced by Alex Lozowski at the interval, Sale were then dealt another blow when Jonathan Mills was yellow carded for bringing down a line-out.
Down to 14, the visitors were up against it and Saracens quickly added three more scores.
Jamie George powered over, Chris Wyles collected an Alex Goode grubber to dive over in the corner and Maitland added his second following what looked like a questionable forward pass.
Lozowski booted one conversion from those three scores and at 43-3, the game was over.
Sale introduced former Wales scrum-half Mike Phillips in the final quarter but with James Flynn the next to see yellow for a high tackle on Schalk Brits, the away side’s discipline let them down.
There was still time for one more score as the rain came down, Richard Barrington barreling his way over in the final 10 minutes with Lozowski once again adding the extras.
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