Strettle knows French champions face stern test despite Saracens injury list
DAVID Strettle returns to Allianz Park to face his former employers in a crucial clash at the top of Pool 2 in a re-run of the 2017 Murrayfield Cup Final.
Strettle, twice a finalist in 2014 and 2017 with Saracens and Clermont respectively, knows what to expect from the defending champions and knows his Top 14 winners will have to up their game after a mediocre run domestically has left them languishing tenth in the league.
Clermont sit one point behind Saracens in the European Pool and Strettle, right, who has scored 18 tries in European Rugby, said: “It’s never easy playing Saracens, especially at Allianz Park, so we know it’s going to be a tough game even with the injuries they have.
“We have lots of respect for them, they put on relentless pressure and manage the game and field position so well, stopping you from playing your rugby. “When we won the Top 14, a lot of Clermont fans were saying ‘next year, we want to win the Champions Cup’, and I don’t think
they’ll be happy if we fail to bring it home.”
Full-back Alex Goode will make his 50th Champions Cup appearance for Saracens. Wallaby Will Skelton comes into the side at lock to partner George Kruis with Maro Itoje ruled out for up to eight weeks with a broken jaw. Schalk Burger comes into the back row at openside, with Calum Clark shifting to the blindside.
Goode said: “We’ve had a great start to the competition with two bonus-point wins and I think we know that we weren’t at our best against the Ospreys defensively but it’s a huge challenge for the club.
“We love the Champi- ons Cup and take a lot of pride in the fact that we’re the reigning champions. We know we’re there to be shot at but we’re a top side.
“We know that with the Champions Cup that if you’re not on your mettle and you don’t perform then you’ll lose and put yourself in a difficult position.”
Saracens have lost five on the spin but Goode said: “You don’t become a bad side overnight after a couple of losses. It’s a great opportunity for us to go out there and put a massive performance in against a top club in Europe and show just what a good side we are.”