THE THREE KEY BATTLES
DAN CARTER v OWEN FARRELL
At his best, Carter has the full set of playmaking gifts: sublime handling, clever running, astute kicking, vision, composure. He lost his zip for a while but returned to the heights for the World Cup and has carried on in that vein at Racing. Farrell is striving for the calm decision-making the New Zealand fly-half has in his armoury, but his reckless moments are becoming less frequent. Carter tackles solidly but Farrell is a warrior who relishes physicality, while switching from fire to ice for goal-kicking duties.
BRICE DULIN v ALEX GOODE
Flying full-back Dulin has galvanised Racing’s back line with his broken-field running. Opposite number Goode is a conjurer with footballing quality and supreme awareness.
MAXIME MACHENAUD v RICHARD WIGGLESWORTH
France scrum-half Machenaud has an incredible workrate and can dictate the game with authority. Wigglesworth is a more experienced No 9, an expert kicker and vital cog for Saracens.