The Scotland boys will give me hell if we lose this one

MAITLAND EAGER TO SINK GLASGOW AND AVOID RIBBING FROM INTERNATIONAL PALS

Sean Maitland knows only too well what fate awaits him if his Saracens side were to lose to former club Glasgow Warriors on Sunday.

the Scotland winger would, of course, have to suffer the bitter disappointment of crashing out of the european Champions Cup at the quarter-final stage. But, to rub salt in what would no doubt already be painful wounds, Maitland would then have to deal with the inevitable series of text messages coming through from his international team-mates.

‘there are guys in the Glasgow team who might just take the mickey,’ admitted a smiling Maitland. ‘i was in camp with all the Scotland boys during the Six nations when the european draw was made and there was a bit of banter flowing around the changing room between me and the Glasgow boys even then.

‘it was harmless as they are good boys but it made me realise what it is going to be like if we lose. i don’t even want to think about it.’

that Maitland has deep fears of the Warriors causing an upset at allianz Park is tribute to those old Glasgow team-mates who he still lines up alongside on Scotland duty. He knows just how good they can be.

‘i have huge respect for Glasgow because, as a team, they are absolutely class and they’ve played the best style of attacking rugby in the whole of europe,’ said Maitland, who spent three years with the Warriors before he moved to london irish and then on to Saracens.

‘it’s been great to watch them play and score tries. Obviously, it has been good to see them progress through europe, especially as i played for them and made good friends.

‘Most of the guys that i play with for Scotland and know very well — like Stuart (Hogg), tommy (Seymour) and Ryan (Wilson) — will be playing on Sunday, i would think.

‘When i heard we were playing against Glasgow, i immediately got butterflies and was hugely excited. Part of the reason for that is that it is my former club, where i had three very good years, and i still have got a massive connection to the city of Glasgow as it’s where my family are from.

‘it will be funny playing against the likes of Hoggy for the first time but i have got to try to treat it as just another game, but obviously there will be a bit of extra feeling behind it.

‘it will be cool to play against all my mates — but a little bit weird at the same time.

‘i’m happy they’ve ticked that box and got through into the european knockout stages but we want to end things for them there.’

One of the most widely anticipated head-to-heads will be Maitland going against Seymour as both wingers are contenders for a much sought-after place in the British and irish lions squad that is named in three weeks’ time.

‘i know what is at stake and i know when you get to this stage of the season and it’s a big european game there are always going to be lions match-ups all over the place,’ said the 28-year-old. ‘if i make the Saracens team on Sunday, hopefully i’ll be up against my good mate tommy, which should be a lot of fun.

‘i will try to think about it as a normal game and go through my processes and my plan and not think about the lions. But if tommy skips around me, the worst reaction i will get from him doing that will be from my own team-mates, so i can’t let it happen.’

as reigning european Champions and with home advantage, Saracens go into the match as overwhelming favourites. Maitland, however, doesn’t expect the outcome to be so clear-cut as many in england think and has been reminding his team-mates of the way Glasgow destroyed leicester tigers 43-0 at Welford Road during the group stage.

in that match, Glasgow scored six tries, with Seymour being one of five different try scorers and fly-half Finn Russell running the show in one of his best-ever displays.

‘We haven’t picked out a single Glasgow dangerman because, as they showed against leicester, they have them throughout their side,’ continued Maitland.

‘in saying that, i know from experience the quality they have in their back division. their strength is around attack out wide where they’re pretty strong. Obviously we’ll be trying to build our game, but we’ll be looking at their guys from 12 to 15 definitely and throughout their team.

‘they were superb in attack against leicester and, although leicester were going through their own problems and had obviously already been knocked out beforehand, for Glasgow to go to Welford Road and win so well was a hell of a result.

‘i always knew this was going to be a tough game because i know Glasgow and most of their players but their result against leicester reminded everybody else how good they are and what we will be facing.

‘We have to be at the top of our game as Sunday is a one-off match and Glasgow are bringing busloads of fans down with them. i’m sure it’s going to give them inspiration and motivation when they see how many fans have made it all the way down.’