Heineken Cup Quarter-finals Preview (Saracens vs Clermont)

SARACENS VS CLERMONT AUVERGNE

Saracens host Clermont Auvergne at Vicarage Road in the second quarter-final on Sunday, which will be refereed by the bilingual Irishman Alain Rolland. This is arguably the most mouth-watering tie of the round, as both have legitimite claims to be the top teams in their respective countries and harbour real hopes on winning the entire competition. Saracens are the current champions of England while Clermont won the French championship the year before. Currently they lie second in the Aviva Premiership and Top 14 respectively, while both finished top of their groups in the pool stages earlier in the Heineken Cup. The sides have met four times in the Cup's history with Clermont coming out on top on three of those occasions. However, past meetings matter little as neither side has had such a massive opportunity to lift the trophy as this year.


Clermont boast a very multi-cultural side, full of past and current internationals. They are known for their flair, pace and panache in the backs, with French Internationals Aurelin Rougerie (who totally outplayed Conrad Smith in the World Cup final), Morgan Parra, David Skrela, Julien Malzieu and emrging talent Wesley Fofana in the backline. When you add former All Black wing Sitiveni Sivivatu and Welsh Fullback Lee Byrne to that list, you get a sense of just how dangerous their backline can be on their day. However Clermont are more than just fancy backs, they have a ferocious pack who are able to mix it in the tight too when needs be but can also offload when the game gets looser. This is where the handling skills of loose forward Julien Bonnaire really comes into play. They have a sensational record at home, having won their last 40 consecutive games at the Stade Marcel Michelin, under the wing of Cantabrian coach Vern Cotter.

Clermont will not be enjoying home comforts in this quarterfinal though, and that seriously levels the playing field. A match against Clermont at Vicarage Road is a far less daunting task, and an entiely winnable contest. Saracens may not have the flair and creativity of their french counterparts but they have many other intangibles. When one thinks of Saracens since Brendan Venter took over as Technical Director, you think of tough, gritty no holds barred rugby, They are also a very organised side under first team coach and former 'International Man of Steel' Andy Farell (much coveted bythe RFU). Their defence is particularly tight and in centre Owen Farrell, Saracens also have a man who can keep his nerve in the pressure moments. He has proven so in his short career thus far at Twickenham and Wembley already.Will that be a deciding factor? If you had to pick David Skrela or Owen Farrell to kick a last minute penalty, I know which player my money would be on.

Key Match Ups

Brad Barritt/Owen Farrell vs Wesley Fofana/Aurelin Rougerie

Matches are won by the forwards and the backs decide how much. That saying rings true nearly every time, but when you face a backline of the calibre of Clermont's, sometimes it can be disproved! Bradley Barritt and Owen Farrell face a mammoth task keeping Wesley Fofana and Aurelin Rougerie at bay. Of course it is not only down to these two, and thankfully for Saracens they have an extremely stroing team ethic. But if they can stop them getting over the gainline as they did with England against France in Paris, Barritt and Farrell will go some way to helping Saracens get over the line. Keeping the game tight will suit Saracens and if it becomes a slug fest in the forwards, one would favour them to do the business with home support behind them. Especially with sharp shooter Owen Farrell kicking for the sticks. Charlie Hodgson's experience will also be a key factor, with his rejuvinated passing and kicking game a real positive for Saracens this season.


Who have they faced to get this far?

Saracens: Biarritz, Ospreys, Treviso

Saracens topped their group, winning five out of their six games. The one game they lost was in the hostile Basque country against Top 14 side Biarritz. Despite this,the loss was a narrow and they managed to beat them in the return game at home.


Clermont: Ulster, Leicester, Aironi

Clermont also topped their pool, winning four of their six games. Again, the two they lost were away from home, losing at Welford Road against Leicester and against Ulster at Ravenhill.
Both sides have knocked out high calibre teams and have rather similar records. One statistic that they both seem to share is that playng at home  seems to make a huge difference to the outcome.


Players' Perspective

Saracens Cente Brad Barritt:

"Clermont are a terrific side. They were the Top 14 Champions two years ago and they're splattered with great talent.They can mix it in the forwards with some really big, physical guys and they've got a very talented backline. Of the current French crop of backs they've got (Morgan) Parra, Fofana, Rougerie and (Julien) Malzieu and in guys like Brock James and David Skrela they've got players who can control and dictate play.Both Rougerie and Fofana are terrific players. They've formed a great combination for club and country. We do our studies and analysis but when it comes to a game like this you've got to focus on what you want to do as a team first.We obviously have our defensive principles and that's one of our strengths here at Saracens. They're both great players like I say but it's about us imposing our game on them as well.This week is about everyone at Sarries buying into the team because, ultimately, a team performance will overshadow what any individual can do."

Clermont Flyhalf David Skrela:

"We have set ourselves very high goals for this season. The squad has real strength in depth and key players can rest without making the team weaker, which is a huge comfort. The entire club is aware we can do something in the Heineken Cup, but we must be impeccable against the strongest teams. That is our main problem, but I think we can do it. It is all about determination. We need to take the next step, discover the pleasure of playing in these high level games and prove that we will one day be good enough to win the Heineken Cup. Since the start of the week the mood in the squad has changed - everybody is aware of what is at stake this weekend. It is very important for the club to make history and reach its first semi-final. We really want to succeed in the Heineken Cup. We have built something big this year, but we still have to erase our small mistakes because in Heineken Cup rugby one mistake can mean a try for the opposition."


Dumptackle Prediction

This match is too close to call but that's not going to stop the Dumptackle prediction. This looks like being the closest game of the lot this weekend. Clermont are a hugely talented side and have the capability to go all the way. They would probably be the neutrals favourite. On this occasion though, Dumptackle are predicting Sarries to learn their lessons from their Wembley defeat to Harlequins last weekend and make their home advantage count. Owen Farrell to kick Saracens to victory by 3 points or less.