Sarries stars return for London derby semi-final
BARNET, ENGLAND - APRIL 11: Maro Itoje of Saracens looks on in the warm up prior to the Greene King IPA Championship match between Saracens and Bedford Blues at the StoneX Stadium on April 11, 2021 in Barnet, England. Sporting stadiums around the UK remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
Maro Itoje makes his 150th club appearance as Saracens have reverted to naming their strongest possible side to face champions Harlequins in Saturday’s semi-final at a sold-out Stone X Stadium.
Having already secured a home semi-final, Mark McCall’s second-string side were humiliated 54-7 by Gloucester on the last day of the regular season.
But Sarries have recalled a host of international stars including England quartet Mako and Billy Vunipola, Itoje and Jamie George, as well as Springbok World Cup-winning prop Vincent Koch.
McCall’s side won 17 and lost six of their regular season matches as they finished second in the Premiership, seven points behind Leicester.
Hooker George said: “It’s something we’ve been thinking about or aspiring to be in this position for the last 18 months or so.
“To be back in it, it’s where we want to be, it’s where we feel most comfortable, it’s where we feel most confident and generally it brings the best out of us.
“Things are looking pretty similar to years before. The intensity of training’s increased, as ever, but at the same time there’s a really good feeling in the camp.
“We talk about building towards something. We’re here now, it’s time to show up and it’s time to put everything together.”
A year ago Harlequins won a dramatic semi-final 43-36 in extra time at table-topping Bristol.
They carried that momentum into the final a week later to beat much-fancied Exeter at Twickenham as Lynagh scored two late tries in a see-saw battle.
Whereas Saracens opted to rest their frontline players last week, Quins deployed most of theirs at Sandy Park, having played just once since the end of April and narrowly losing 47-38.
All eyes will be on fly-half Marcus Smith as the 23-year-old goes head-to-head with England team-mate Farrell.
Lynagh’s absence because of injury will be a blow, but Scotland back Huw Jones will aim to end his Harlequins career on a high ahead of a summer move back to Glasgow.
Eleven of the starting side featured in last season’s Twickenham final, and there is experience aplenty provided by Joe Marler, Danny Care, Stephan Lewies and Alex Dombrandt.
Quins attack coach Nick Evans said: “We know it’s going to be a ferocious atmosphere on the field.
“You look at the way Sarries play, they love that confrontation led by Owen (Farrell), but we’re expecting that and we’ll stand our ground.
“The guys have talked about what that looks like and what we need to do, and when those types of things happen.
“It’s that controlled aggression, and at this time of the season cards can really cost you. We had one in the final last year which we got away with, but against a team like Sarries, if you’re down to 14 men it’s going to make it very hard.
“We’re acutely aware of what Sarries are about, they love to be in your face, and that’s great – we’ll be in their faces as well, that’s a part of the excitement as well with this game.”
Saracens: Goode; Maitland, Daly, Tompkins, Malins; Farrell (capt), Davies; M Vunipola, George, Koch, Itoje, Swinson, McFarland, Earl, B Vunipola.
Replacements: Pifeleti, Mawi, Clarey, Isiekwe, Christie, Van Zyl, Lozowski, Taylor.
Harlequins: Jones; Green, Marchant, Esterhuizen, Murley; Smith, Care; Marler, Walker, Collier, Symons, Tizard, Lewies (capt), Evans, Dombrandt.
Replacements: Gray, Kerrod, Louw, Jurevicius, Lawday, Gjaltema, Allan, Northmore.
Referee: Luke Pearce
Sunday’s The Rugby Paper will have extensive reaction to Saturday’s crunch semi-finals.
