Saracens v Glasgow
Saracens were the Double winners last year and, despite a draw at the Scarlets, it is a crazily long time since they have tasted defeat in this tournament. This makes them odds-on favourites to continue their pursuit of back-toback European crowns to put them amongst the greats of Europe.
I believe four home wins will be the order of the day in the quarter-finals but I may also be a lone voice in believing that Glasgow can head to north London and give Sarries a mighty, mighty scare.
Saracens are vulnerable, which is a scary thing to say after they destroyed Bath last weekend, and considering the fact that Glasgow have never made a quarter-final before. And yet if there is to be one away win in the knockout stages – and history says there could be – I can easily argue a case for the Glasgow side to continue adding to their list of firsts achieved in this year’s competition.
They have a front five who have survived and thrived in the Six Nations this year and to a man they have been out there.
Gordon Reid and Zander Fagerson are two lads who could easily end up travelling as third-choice loosehead and tighthead to New Zealand. Jonny Gray has another chance to add to his credentials by taking on Maro Itoje with a second row number on his back, unlike the six Itoje wore for England against Scotland.
The Glasgow back line, meanwhile, contributed to a sound thrashing of Leicester at Welford Road, producing an unheard of 43-0 score line. The use of width from Finn Russell and Stuart Hogg were the obvious highlights but there was also cunning use of the wings, with Tommy Seymour at the fore, around the fringes running from blind to open side and appearing on the shoulder of the young scrum-half, Ali Price.
There really is class all over the park. My worry for Glasgow is that against Munster at Scotstoun they missed a real chance to settle nerves, errors crept in, they lacked accuracy, and when their moment came late on they failed to pull the trigger. There is an argument that away from home that no such nerves will exist. The title of underdog is suiting them down to the ground and allowing them to express themselves.
The problem in this competition is that Saracens rarely blink first. The Vunipola brothers are getting close to match fitness, either of their two hookers Jamie George or Schalk Brits can damage you in different ways, while Sean Maitland, Alex Goode, Chris Ashton all have another roll of the dice with Warren Gatland. And try telling Owen Farrell that this is just another game.
Victory may still remain unlikely for Glasgow but it is the best chance anyone has of beating Saracens this season.