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Ils ont perdu le week-end dernier leur premier match cette saison
They’ve already secured a priceless home draw in the Champions Cup quarter-finals, but Saracens will be targeting the No 1 seeding for the first time when they travel to Toulouse for their final pool match.
The English champions have lost only once this season, away to Harlequins in the English Premiership, and can seemingly do no wrong. But they will have to travel to Stade Ernest Wallon without the services of England wing Chris Ashton, who earlier in the week picked up a 10 week ban for alleged gouging in the game against Ulster Rugby last weekend.
Saracens have faced French opposition on 24 occasions in the European Cup, winning 12 of them, and famously did the double over Toulouse in 2000/01. On that occasion they opened their campaign with a 32-22 triumph in the pink city before winning the return leg 37-30 at Vicarage Road.
Toulouse gained revenge in 2013/14 with a double of their own, winning 17-16 at Wembley Stadium and then 21-11 at home. Even so, Saracens went on to reach the final that season, losing in Cardiff to RC Toulon.
With 24 out of a maximum 25 points in Pool 1, Saracens are one of three unbeaten teams after five rounds of matches. Leicester Tigers top Pool 4 with 23 and Racing 92, who have had one draw, lead Pool 3 with 22. They have all bagged home quarter finals.
For Toulouse the game will only be about pride as they cannot qualify. They currently prop up Pool 1 with only one win from their five games to date and new coach Ugo Mola will no doubt have the fact that their worst return in Europe is two victories way back in 2001/01 ringing in his ears.
Having reached the final in 2014, and the semi-finals in 2013 and 2015, Saracens have certainly paid their dues in the Champions Cup of late and are desperate to become the first English side since Wasps in 2007 to lift the top club rugby trophy in Europe.
“It’s obviously been a good start for us this season. We’ve had loads of energy and had a bounce and fight about us and that backs up what the pack have done,” said Owen Farrell.
“Hopefully, that harasses teams, but we don’t just want to be that, we want to still improve and get better and do things well on the back of it.”
Toulouse have only lost once at home this season, against Ulster Rugby, while Saracens will be buoyed by their recent form which has seen them score 25 tries whilst only conceding five in the Champions Cup.
Match Facts
- Toulouse have hosted Saracens twice in the Champions Cup (W1, L1), with both games being decided by margins of exactly 10 points.
- Saracens are undefeated in their last three away matches; a fourth win would be their best streak away from home in their Champions Cup history
- Saracens have faced French opposition three times so far this campaign, winning all three matches and outscoring their opponents by a combined 132-30.
- After a home loss in Round 4, Toulouse will be aiming to avoid back-to-back home defeats in the competition for the first time ever.
- Saracens have made 55 clean breaks this season, the most of any side in the competition.
Les Rouge et Noir ont conclu la pire campagne de leur histoire en Champions Cup comme ils l'avaient commencée
Saracens kept up their 100% record in this season’s European Rugby Champions Cup with a comfortable victory over Stade Toulouse.
Toulouse out-scored their visitors three tries to one but the Aviva Premiership side controlled the majority of the contest. It gave Saracens a six-out-of-six record in the Champions Cup for the first time in their history and a chance of being the top seed going into the quarter-finals.
Having already secured a home quarter-final Saracens made nine changes for the trip to France and it was one of those changes, Charlie Hodgson, who was controlling things for them in the opening 40 minutes. Hodgson kicked two penalties and a drop goal in the opening half-hour to give them an early lead but with three minutes left of the opening half Toulouse stung the visitors with a try.
Saracens wing Duncan Taylor failed to deal with Luke McAlister’s kick over the top and the former New Zealand international was able to collect and crash over from close range. Toby Flood added the conversion to put them just two points behind at the interval.
Owen Farrell replaced Hodgson at half-time and was immediately on the score sheet with a penalty. Saracens then scored a superb try when Alex Goode launched a counter-attack from his own half and found Ben Spence, he chipped over the top with the outside of this boot before collecting his own kick to score.
The visitors should have got a second try when Jamie George’s burst downfield took them into the Toulouse 22 and after several phases Farrell went through a gap only to spill the ball forward before he could touch down. Farrell made up for it minutes later when he produced a try-saving tackle to stop Yacouba Camara but shortly afterwards McAlister got his second score to bring Toulouse back into the contest.
Spencer then spilled another good chance for Saracens close to the Toulouse line and with 10 minutes to go Toulouse got their third try of the afternoon when Maxime Medard did well out wide to find Paul Perez on his inside and the wing did a superb job to control the ball with his feet and go over. But two Farrell penalties in the final seven minutes secured the win for Saracens.
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