THE CLASH OF TWO DYNASTIES
Mighty Saracens and Leinster lay it all on the line today in...
THIS is a Test. Two international lineups masquerading as club teams collide at St James’ Park this teatime. Only one player in each side is uncapped. There are 16 Lions on duty. A momentous Anglo- Irish showdown awaits.
When Saracens and Leinster go toe-to-toe in the Heineken Champions Cup final, it will be a fitting decider between two modern-day dynasties. The English champions are aiming to clinch a hat-trick of titles after conquering Europe in 2016 and 2017.
Leinster are hell-bent on retaining the trophy they won in Bilbao a year ago to become the first team to claim the continent’s marquee prize on five occasions.
It says something when the main team news yesterday was that Saracens would be without flanker Michael Rhodes, so the contingency plan involved switching Maro Itoje to blindside and starting with Will Skelton in the second row.
The giant Australia lock has been arguably the form player in the Premiership of late. If he is the fall-back option, Mark McCall’s
side have astonishing pedigree and power.
Leinster were able to select their Ireland hooker Sean Cronin after his recovery from a calf injury, so the only non-international in their XV is James Lowe and the Kiwi wing has played for New Zealand Maori. No wonder the province’s senior coach, Stuart Lancaster — who knows so many of the opposition from his time in charge of England — regards this as a Test in all but name.
‘No doubt about it, this is up at Test level,’ he said. ‘ It is the biggest game of the season by a country mile.’
The calibre of the occasion is epitomised by the rivals and friends in the No 10 shirts.
Owen Farrell versus Johnny Sexton. Lion versus Lion. International captain versus club captain. English icon versus Irish icon. Two ultra-competitors who will set the tone for this contest with fervent commitment.
Asked if the fly-halves would have a key influence on proceedings, Lancaster said: ‘Of course, and in more ways than one. Not just in terms of their ability to navigate the game, to kick the goals and to set the framework for how each team attacks. They are talismen for their teams. The irony is that they know each other well from the Lions.’
Leinster’s Ireland centre, Robbie Henshaw, who toured with the Lions in 2017, added: ‘Farrell is a similar character to Johnny in terms of how he runs the game and he’s pretty demanding.
‘He’s a good leader, pivotal in Sarries’ attack. He drives them on in terms of their game plan and structure.
‘He and Johnny are two class players and they were probably the two closest players on that Lions tour. They were always talking tactics and rugby.’
This is far from just a clash of elite playmakers, though. There are game-changers all over. There will be sub-plots and intriguing match-ups aplenty. Mako Vunipola and Tadhg Furlong are mighty props who also forged a friendship while with the Lions. Today, they seek to shut each other down and the earth will tremble under their thundering feet.
Also up front, Itoje may have shifted position to flanker today but he is regarded as one of the world’s premier locks, as is James Ryan at the heart of the Leinster pack. Their burgeoning careers have been similarly eye-catching. Itoje is two years older and Ryan is an admirer, as well as a rival.
‘I remember watching his meteoric rise a few years ago,’ said Ryan. ‘He is such a good player. He is a complete second row in the fact he is so good over the ball as well. He is one of Saracens’ go-to players. They look to him for generating energy and momentum.’
Lancaster offered an emphatic endorsement of both the talented tyros, adding: ‘They’ve got all the necessary physical attributes to be great second rows; big, strong, powerful, quick, good endurance.
‘Both are technically, tactically smart rugby players, good at set piece, good decision-makers, good at the breakdown, good ballcarriers and both are competitors. When you package all that, these two have it all.’
Lancaster acknowledged the ‘major threat’ posed by one of Saracens’ stalwarts, who finds himself off England’s radar — Alex Goode. The full back is on the shortlist for European Player of the Year, in recognition of his consistent artistry, and Lancaster said: ‘ He’s had an outstanding season. He’s honed his attacking skills and is back to his best.’
Goode in turn paid tribute to the man who gave him his Test debut, calling him a ‘brilliant coach’. And he revealed the mindset Saracens will take into this seismic fixture, adding: ‘We want to win as much
as we can and be a dominant force. To have been unbeaten in Europe this season and played as well as we have is great, but we’ve got a massive task this weekend against a top side, in the best club competition in the world.
‘If you’re not excited by that and playing at St James’ Park, you’re probably in the wrong gig.’
This has become familiar territory for the London club — an event of this magnitude.
McCall’s men are marginal favourites, given the scale of their ball-carrying clout and their more established cast of reinforcements on the bench.
But this battle of the dynasties promises to be tense and intense — as all the best Tests are.