SARACENS BOSS MARK McCall is ready for a furious start from Clermont when the teams meet in the European Champions Cup final at Murrayfield tomorrow (BT/ Sky, 5pm).
Reigning English and European champions Saracens have yet to concede a first-half try in this season’s tournament. But Clermont have scored more tries — 16 — than any other side in the first 40 minutes of matches and opened up a 15 – 0 lead inside 15 minutes of their semi-final win over Leinster.
Something will have to give at Murrayfield, with Saracens’ ‘Wolfpack’ defence up against the likes of their former wing David Strettle, one of several attacking threats in a Clermont back division also featuring Nick Abendanon, Aurelien Rougerie and Camille Lopez.
“Clermont are at their very best when they start games strongly, start very quickly and get points ahead of their opposition,” McCall said at a news conference at Murrayfield.
“Then it is difficult to claw back. But if that does happen, we have enough experience to deal with that,” the former Ireland centre added.
“They have people who can do something out of nothing, but I think this game will be close. These games are won or lost in the last 20 minutes.”
Meanwhile, coach Franck Azema insists Clermont have no need to fear their poor record in showpiece matches. The Massif Central side lost to French rivals Toulon in both the 2013 and 2015 finals, with Clermont also losing 11 of their 12 domestic Top 14 title-deciders.
They have, however, twice won the second-tier European Challenge Cup and Azema said now was the time for a “new chapter” in their history.
“I know the history of the club and we are very proud of what we have done in the past and our ability to get to finals, and to win titles and lose titles as well,” Azema said in Murrayfield.
We are very consistent and our history shows this. We should be proud of it and carry it with us. But we have the opportunity to write a new chapter. Not to erase the history but simply to write something new.”
Saracens were beaten by Toulon in the 2014 final but defeated another French club, Racing 92, to take the title last year.
McCall’s men are eyeing a domestic and European ‘double Double’ that would establish them as an all-time great club side, but 30-year-old captain Brad Barritt said he wanted his team to focus on the here and now rather than their place in history.
“A big lesson we learnt last year was at the culmination of the season — you have this euphoria for two days and then it dissipates and dies down and you start thinking towards next season.
“The more you actually think about it, the enjoyment comes from the journey, the procedure of getting there, the step-by-step process of achieving something you set out to do.
“That’s the way we have attacked this year — we wanted to learn, improve and get better as a team. We know the sense of enjoyment is through the journey and not necessarily at the end of it.
“We made it pretty clear we weren’t going to be a flash in the pan. But we have never spoken in terms of how great a legacy we want to create.”
Azema didn’t need to listen in on Barritt’s words to see the fierce intent held by tomorrow’s opponent:
They have a deep belief in their project. For the last three years they have developed their philosophy and they have major confidence in what they are doing, and results have followed.
“We will try to play our regular game, what we have been doing since the beginning of the season. We will be realistic and pragmatic.
“We know there will be a lot of pressure from Saracens and we know they can play excellent rugby. But we will stick to the way we play. Changing it would be dangerous.
“If we can surprise them we will, but at this stage of the season we must be reassured and confident about what we have done and what we can achieve.
“We can be flexible. We need to find a balance and find any cracks and exploit them.”
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