EARLY RISER

Prem player of the year Ben can’t get over Bristol’s semi-final defeat to Quins last year but is determined to put it right today... for Saracens

BEN EARL, newly crowned Premiership player of the year, has admitted he is still not over losing to Harlequins in last year’s semi-final.

At lunchtime today the flanker runs out against the same opponents, in the same play-off round, for a Saracens team whom the bookies fully expect to succeed Quins as English champions.

Fifty-one weeks have elapsed since he was on loan at Bristol, scoring the first try as Pat Lam’s Bears raced into a 28-0 lead over the west Londoners. Twelve months in which he has tried to work out how on earth a Bristol team, which finished top of the table, could blow such a massive advantage and crash out in extra-time.

“I certainly don’t think I’m over it, even now,” said Earl. “It was a pretty scarring experience, that’s for sure.

“The lesson I learned that day is that against this type of opposition the game is never over. You can be 20 points up with 10 minutes to go. But they can score three tries, just like that.

“Rugby is probably the most momentum-based game out there. We lose that foothold in the game and we’ll expect a very tough afternoon.” Nobody saw Quins winning it last year and few anticipate a repeat, either this afternoon or in next week’s final.

“Really? Well, we’ll take that,” said Quins prop Joe Marler (right).

“We’ll play our game. We’ll play with physicality and with Marcus Smith and Alex Dombrandt and Danny Care – and we’ll see where it gets us.”

Saracens are on a mission, having been kicked out of the top flight for a season for multiple salary-cap breaches. Before they went they vowed to one another to make it straight back to the summit.

For it to be their bitter London rivals standing between them and Twickenham only fires them up more. “This is a proper rivalry,” said Sarries hooker Jamie George. (left) “I’d say there’s close to hatred there. “There’s been a lot of words thrown around, a lot of talk. Quins-Sarries games in the last few years have always been quite full on, pretty feisty.”

George’s favourite memory is 2014 when

Saracens went to Quins and beat them 39-0, hours after home star Mike Brown described it as his club’s biggest grudge match.

“They’re a club with all the cash and they have a fake pitch just to annoy everyone,” he said back then. “They also have that silly song they sing. Just winds everyone up, doesn’t it?”

Eight years on, George insists: “We don’t need to speak about motivation. I know for a fact people remember those things.

“Quins are a good team with great players but it’s time to show each other how much it means to play for this club.”