The earlier offering on Easter Sunday comes to us from Paris as Saracens take on the might of Racing Metro at the Stade Yves-du-Manoir. It is the first time that Racing have progressed forwards from the group stages of to the European knockouts and they have looked mightily impressive in the process of doing so. By comparison, Saracens are veterans of the Quarter Finals as this is the third consecutive year that they have reached the knockout stages of Europe.
Saracens have a strong record against their opponents having won three of their four meetings together however Racing are the only side to remain unbeaten in the competition and their performances against the Northampton Saints in particular show exactly what they are capable of when their put their minds to it. This match will deliver a physical contest up front and a test of both side’s defensive prowess for across the two back lines there are exuberant and enigmatic individuals.
A man that has contributed greatly to Racing’s campaign so far is Juan Imhoff and that is showcased in his tournament statistics to date; Imhoff has made thirteen clean breaks, three hundred and forty two meters and has scored five tries in five matches. It goes without saying that the winger will be itching to add to this total in this significant fixture. Elsewhere Racing’d back line houses men whose talents we know all about from their time in their International jerseys; Brice Dulin, Teddy Thomas and the imperious Jamie Roberts, in short Racing’s backline is as strong as I’ve seen it. The unit that is Eddy Ben Arous forms part of a physically imposing front three with Dimitri Szarzewski and Luc Ducalcon and their loggerhead with Mako Vunipola, Jamie George and Petrus Du Plessis will be tasty to say the very least. Thankfully for the players and indeed us all at home the man in the middle is referee Nigel Owens and that means that at scrum time and indeed across the park the officiating will be World Class and will allow a positive game to flow.
Saracens enter the game without their Captain Al Hargraves who has a x injury… his starting shirt is taken by Jim Hamilton and the Captaincy has been handed to Richard Wigglesworth. Mark McCall’s side must handle one of the most proficient kicking games that you’ll see currently in World Rugby from Jonathan Sexton and having faced him on International duty Alex Goode knows only too well what will becoming his way at Full Back. Saracens’ two fliers David Strettle and Chris Ashton are both performing near their very best at the moment, the task will be to provide clean ball out to them and then let the two men do the rest.
This game should provide us with some expansive rugby and will be played at a Test match intensity. Both sides have ample pressure heaped on their shoulders; Racing must show just worth of the financial input that has been invested in them on the largest stage that the Northern Hemisphere has to offer whilst whilst for Saracens that have a score to settle with this competition and they can only do so if they progress right through to the very end. Over the past few weeks our Aviva Premiership side have been ramping up their performance levels nicely and they’ll need to take it to another level again this weekend in order to come away with a famous victory from the Stade Yves-du-Manoir.
