Saints relish Racing revenge opportunity

Saracens to host debutant Oyonnax

PARIS, Dec 17, (AFP): Northampton Saints are desperate to make amends for last week’s thrashing by Racing 92 when the two sides meet at Franklin’s Gardens on Friday.

English teams have been imperious in the European Champions Cup so far this season, winning 14 and losing just three of their matches so far.

But one of those defeats was the chastening 33-3 thumping Racing handed out to Northampton in the Parisian suburbs last weekend.

And the English side’s Wales wing George North says that defeat is motivating the 2014 Premiership champions ahead of the return Pool 3 fixture.

One of those stars, New Zealand legend Dan Carter, had an impressive debut for Racing last weekend as they dominated Saints, who have been out of sorts all season, even in their domestic league where they have won only three of their first six matches.

Racing for their part have been largely bucking the trend of disappointing results for the French in this year’s tournaments -- their two from two in contrast to just six wins from 15 matches overall for the Top 14 representatives.

Record four-time champions Toulouse are one of those to have suffered the most with just one win from three as they were humiliated 38-0 at Ulster a week ago.

The French giants will have to do without influential No. 8 Louis Picamoles for the visit of the Irish province on Sunday Bordeaux-Begles’ French fullback Jean-Marcellin Buttin (center), is tackled by Ospreys’ English flanker James King (left), and Ospreys’ Fijian center Josh Matavesi (right), during the European Rugby Champions Cup pool rugby union match between Ospreys and Bordeaux-Begles at Liberty Stadium in Swansea,

South Wales, on Dec 12. (AFP)