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The Premiership rivals who could throw unlikely spanner in Saracens' European campaign

(Photo by Luke Walker/Getty Images)

Saracens face a make-or-break Champions Cup clash on Sunday – accompanied by the grim prospect of Premiership relegation.

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Victory over Allianz Park visitors Racing 92 should be enough for Saracens to book a ninth successive European quarter-final appearance.

But that is merely a sideshow as they appear increasingly resigned to losing their Premiership status unless their wage bill is cut by up to £2million to comply with salary-cap regulations for the current season.

Saracens players – including a host of England internationals – and staff were reportedly told on Friday morning the club would accept an additional 35-point deduction for operating above this season’s £7million salary cap limit.

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Saracens were docked 35 points and fined £5.36million in November for breaching Premiership salary cap regulations in each of the last three campaigns.

They are currently 18 points adrift at the Premiership basement with 14 league games left, so another sizeable deduction would effectively consign them to the drop.

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In a statement issued to the PA news agency on Friday, Saracens’ interim chief executive Ed Griffiths said: “Discussions are continuing and nothing has been finalised, but our position remains the same.

“It is clearly in the interests of the league and English rugby that this matter is dealt with as soon as possible, and we are prepared to do whatever is reasonably required to draw that line.”

On the pitch, Saracens are at full strength for their appointment with Racing as they look to secure the runners-up spot in Pool Four behind the French club.

If Saracens win, it would take an unlikely sequence of results elsewhere to deny them a last-eight spot and halt hopes of a successful European title defence.

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They would be away from home in the quarter-finals, though, with Leinster or Exeter looming as possible opponents.

Gloucester could put a spanner in Saracens’ ambitions, but they need an away victory against four-time European champions Toulouse on Sunday to have any realistic hope of progressing.

Gloucester are without injured fly-half Danny CiprianiLloyd Evans deputises – but centre Mark Atkinson and flanker Jake Polledri return to action, and Scotland Six Nations squad member Alex Craig partners Franco Mostert in the second-row.

Toulouse have already qualified as Pool Five winners, collecting 22 points from a possible 25, which included beating Gloucester at Kingsholm in November.

“Our focus is solely on Toulouse,” Gloucester head coach Johan Ackermann said.

“It’s going to be a big challenge. They were one of the favourites before the tournament started, and they haven’t disappointed.

“They’ve played well, they are unbeaten, they are a quality side. But we are not going there to make the numbers up. We are going there to see if we can get the win.

“The reality is that we can only control ourselves, our destiny and our performance. Our biggest focus this week has been getting our mental and physical preparation ready to give us a chance.”

Elsewhere on Sunday, Munster host Ospreys in Pool Four, while Pool Five is completed by Connacht visiting Montpellier.

PA

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O
Oh no, not him again? 1 hour ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
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