WARRIORS IN FOR KILL
SSarries booked themselves a home quarter-final by despatching Glasgow at Allianz Park.
A 70th-minute try from man of the match Maro Itoje clinched victory, the bonus point and top seeding in the knockout stages, which Saracens will grace for the ninth time in 10 seasons.
English clubs may have struggled in Europe this season but not the domestic champions, who have secured 28 match points out of a possible 30 in Pool Three.
Itoje said: “To proceed from our group not losing is nice but we know there is a lot more growth is us.
“The competition does not end here.
“We always love playing at home. Allianz Park has been a great stadium for us in recent times and it will be expanded to 15,000 for the quarter-final. The more the merrier.
“It doesn’t really matter who we play. As long as we play well I think we’ll be OK.”
Billy Vunipola touched down too JONATHAN JOSEPH today returns to action for Bath after nine months out with an ankle injury to give England boss Eddie Jones a Six Nations boost.
Centre Joseph, who suffered the injury at Saracens last April, will start against Toulouse in the European Champions Cup.
Bath boss Todd Blackadder switches Max Clark to inside centre to make room for Joseph, who has not been included in on England’s squad to face Ireland February 2. as Sarries outscored Glasgow by five tries to three.
Glasgow, through to the last eight too as part of an unprecedented Scottish double-act after Edinburgh’s heroics, always had an uphill task to wrestle top spot in the group away from Saracens.
Outgunned in power and poundage, they stayed in the contest with some enterprising rugby and took an even share of the six tries that rained down in a zany opening half-hour.
But after losing Scotland’s Jonny Gray at half-time and Ryan Wilson shortly afterwards, Glasgow were subdued by sizzling Sarries after the break.
Itoje’s score from an offload by Will Skelton settled the game, and when the giant Australian crashed over for the final try with their last play of the game it gave a more accurate reflection of Saracens’ superiority. WORCESTER finished top of Pool Two after a stunning fightback. The Warriors trailed STADE FRANCAIS 28-19 with seven minutes left but tries from Ollie Lawrence, Tom Howe and Dean Hammond’s stoppage-time effort sealed a 36-31 win.
SALE also qualified as pool winners with a 39-10 victory over PERPIGNAN. Chris Ashton, Arron Reed, Josh Beaumont, Kieran Wilkinson and Tom Bristow all scored. CONNACHT reached the last eight as one of the best runners-up, Jack Carty’s late try sealing a 33-27 win at BORDEAUX, as did BRISTOL with a 107-19 thrashing of ENISEISTM as Andy Uren scored five. OSPREYS missed out as they lost 26-21 at PAU. ENGLAND captain Owen Farrell could miss the start of the Six Nations Championship after thumb surgery yesterday.
He is expected to be sidelined opener for up to 10 days, with the against Ireland a fortnight away. Farrell pulled out of Saracens’ Champions Cup win over Glasgow yesterday but will travel with in England to their training camp Portugal on Thursday. If Farrell is ruled out, Leicester’s George as Ford would be in line to step in stand-off and captain.