Richard Wigglesworth: Saracens have to embrace not fear Ravenhill

Mark McCall’s Saracens travel to Ulster tomorrow for the Heineken Cup quarter-finals and scrum-half Richard Wigglesworth hopes they can embrace the atmosphere and reach last four again.
The Premiership leaders lost home and away to Toulouse in the group stages, meaning they qualified as second best, and have to face the top seed team at Ravenhill.
“It came down to a detail against Toulouse, but that’s what counts against the top teams. Our discipline will be key with kickers like Pienaar and Paddy Jackson,” he told The Rugby Paper.
“Even in their half we can’t afford to give the ball away because it means loss of possession and territory, which usually results in points on the board.
“Mark let us know what to expect and we’re very excited by it. It’ll be above anything we’ve experienced before, but we’ll make sure we embrace it rather than crumble under it.
“If you look across the board, there’s not been a better Heineken Cup quarter-finals line-up. I’ll be looking forward to watching the other games when I’m not playing.”

Saracens grabbed the headlines recently after yet another mid-season trip, to New York this time, but Wigglesworth is adamant this is just what they needed to prepare for the end of the season.
“Going to New York was a great way for the squad to relax before a hectic end to the season. Even Owen Farrell and Chris Ashton are anonymous there which they enjoyed,” he added.
“It was also the first time we had all our internationals back and that was a great way to welcome them back.
“It makes us tighter as a group which plays a part in how successful we are on the pitch. We are a better side because of these trips. We know we have to perform though, if we kept losing before or after a trip they’ll soon dry up.”
When it comes to making sure the players enjoy themselves off the pitch, Saracens lead the way in England and, as Schalk Brits walks past us to drop his son off at the crèche, Wigglesworth reveals he has got far more than he bargained for since he joined form Sale in 2010.
“I purely signed for rugby reasons and to be honest I didn’t believe what the club was selling me about their vision off the pitch. But I couldn’t have been more wrong. I definitely got more than I bargained for,” he said.
“We have a free crèche at the club so most of the boys can see their kids in between sessions. The way we are treated but most importantly the way our families are treated makes Sarries the best club around.
“Saracens are ground breakers and it can be shocking for people outside the club but that’s just how we do things. I’m sure a lot of clubs will follow suit sooner rather than later.”
Pick up your copy of The Rugby Paper on Sunday to read about his battle with Lee Dickson for an England place in New Zealand
Under Armour athlete Richard Wigglesworth trains in ArmourVent, the latest mesh innovation designed to keep you cool in the heat, and UA SpeedForm Apollo, a running shoe crafted in a clothing factory for precision fit, feel and comfort. For more information, visit www.UnderArmour.com