Super Maro lines up Groundhog Day
SARACENS booked a date with Glasgow at Allianz Park in the last eight after beating the Warriors 38-19 at the same venue as the Heineken Cup went all Groundhog Day.
Sarries will not be complaining, having crushed the Scots 38-13 in the quarter-finals two years ago and sealed the double over them already this season, with man-of-thematch Maro
Itoje and Billy Vunipola, right, two of their five try-scorers on Saturday.
Saracens, the Premiership’s sole representatives in the knockout stages, have earned the best route possible, with home country advantage in the semi-finals too if they progress.
They are the only unbeaten side left in the tournament after equalling their own record for a group-stage points haul since it was streamlined five years ago.
“To get 28 points out of 30 in this competition is a good achievement,” said director of rugby Mark McCall.
“We played quite a few of the games without what everyone would consider to be our star players. Billy only played three pool games, Maro missed the middle games against Cardiff, so it has been a really good squad effort this time.”
The Irish provinces remained unbeaten against Premiership opposition in the pool stages with holders Leinster defeating Wasps 37-19 at the Ricoh Arena yesterday to secure home advantage against Ulster in the quarter-finals.
Exeter’s qualification hopes evaporated at Thomond Park with a 9-7 defeat by Munster in a bludgeoning game which saw just two line breaks.
The Chiefs scored the only try through a lineout drive finished off by Don Armand, but Joey Carbery’s boot saw Munster into the last eight where they will travel to Murrayfield to face Edinburgh at the end of March. Scotland have two representatives through for the first time.
Toulouse lined up an all-French meeting at Racing after a narrow victory over Bath.
Five English teams made it through to the quarterfinals of the Challenge Cup but the top two seeds will be Clermont, who entertain Northampton, and La Rochelle, who are at home to Bristol.