Sublime Farrell must now surely be Gatland’s No 1 fly-half for Lions
Saracens linchpin is so good England must also build their team around him for next World Cup
You have to say that Saracens have now joined some very elite company. Only Leicester, Leinster and Toulon have ever defended the Champions Cup. Such is the age profile of this team, and their apparent appetite, that you can see Mark McCall’s team continuing to dominate for a few more years yet. They are just an incredible unit.
From some outstanding performances yesterday – I thought George Kruis was magnificent in the forwards, both Vunipola brothers carried well as usual, and Brad Barritt and Alex Goode had particularly fine games – I would have to single out Owen Farrell for special mention.
So good has he become, so instrumental to Saracens’ play from the pivotal No 10 spot, that I think Warren Gatland should now play him at fly-half in New Zealand. And I think Eddie Jones should start to build his England team for 2019 around him from there as well. He could still do a brilliant job at 12. He offers a second kicking option, and can tackle all day. But he is becoming too influential at 10 to ignore and it is from there that he can have the most impact.
Mentally, he is such a strong player. When Clermont got it back to within a point in the second half, it was Farrell time and again who got Saracens playing front-foot rugby, whether with a little chip in behind or bringing his runners on to the ball with the weight of his passing.
Clermont showed great heart to get back in the game like that – and you would have to have a heart of stone not to feel for them after their third Champions Cup final defeat in five years. But I said last week that I felt they needed to build a lead because Saracens are an unstoppable force. You just cannot kill them off.
I thought Saracens took the initiative away from Clermont almost from the kick-off by going straight to a first-phase running game, which surprised the French team. Psychologically, I think it put Saracens on the front foot, and only a brilliant tackle from Nick Abendanon on denied Chris Ashton.
But Clermont came back k well. Morgan Parra and Camille Lopez had good games, I felt, as did the he Clermont back row. But they just coulduld not get their running game going. We saw in snatches what they are capable able of with their off-loading out of the tackle, and their interchanges. But Saracens acens are so good off the ball. I thought ght it was significant that Abendanon’s n’s wonderful try came from a 90-metre one-phase move rather than as a result of multi-phasease rugby. Saracens’ speed off the ball, their positional play, theirheir pressure at the breakdown, , denied Clermont any tempo. o.
But you underestimate Saracens’ attack at your peril, too. If there were two o minutes that summed up their attacking threat it was s the lead-up to Kruis’s try; phase play, carrying, playing ng off both nine and 10.
There was a moment when Farrell was indicating to his team-mates where he wanted the ball played; the best space to play in. They have incredible control in high-pressure situations.
There was another moment, after Clermont had made it a one-point game, when Clermont knocked on. I thought Nigel Owens called it right. You almost sensed Clermont breathed a sigh of relief.
Big mistake. Saracens put the ball in behind them, Scott Spedding knocked on and, suddenly, Saracens had a seven-metre scrum from which they scored. Again there was a beautiful pass from Farrell in the build-up to Goode’s try. And a conversion from a tight angle to make it an eight-point game.
Saracens are an incredible team, but Farrell was their main man. With him playing at 10, you can see their dynasty continuing for a few years yet.
Sarries and Wasps to reign
Next weekend’s two Premiership semi-finals – Exeter v Saracens and Wasps v Leicester – pit contrasting styles against each other.
Exeter and Wasps play committed, attacking rugby. Exeter are probably better at going through the phases, staying accurate and building up to a score. Wasps have the more explosive, front-foot attacking talent; real strike runners.
Against them are two Premiership heavyweights. Saracens are the complete team. While they left it all out there yesterday, and despite Exeter coming off the back of eight bonus-point wins in a row, I still make Sarries marginal favourites at Sandy Park. Wasps are clear favourites in the other semi.
Although they had a wobble last month, the manner in which they put ((albeit an under-strength) Saracens to the sword last weekend suggests they may have rediscovered their mojo. And they deserved to finish top of the table. Leicester, meanwhile, have showed far more composure of late. It feels like Matt O’Connor has come in and simplified things and they are mentally stronger.
Every year, we argue about whether it is right that a team who finish fourth can end up winning. I don’t have a problem with it, but I think they should award a trophy to the team who finishes top, and the main trophy to the team who wins the final.